Kobe Bryant is Gone

[Adrenaline_6]

Here are the coms between ATC and Kobe Bryant's helicopter. They had taken off from John Wayne Airport in Orange county and had to cross the airspace of LAX, Burbank and Van Nuys. They were held in position short of Burbank for 15 minutes because of traffic congestion. This would have been a focused flight in clear conditions, but with all the air traffic and limited visibility, I am thinking the pilot lost spacial orientation and altitude awareness and ran it into the hillside. The ideal situation would have been two pilots for those conditions. Also, with an advanced aircraft like that, you can engage autopilot and set it vertical/lateral hold - basically hover in place until you can regain your senses and spacial orientation.

Agreed. It seems the foggy conditions got him disoriented and he unknowingly banked to a false horizon or worse and his spatial orientation was totally spinning, lost altitude and crashed. Sad.

[markm]

Allegedly it was a lot more than just one rape of stupid white girls who wanted to go up to his room and "party". Play stupid games, win stupid prizes and all that.

His wife knew she was married to a player, and I doubt she was in it for anything other than the money. That being said, knowing you are going down and can't save your child has got to be bad (assuming he wasn't just thinking of himself).

I have no use for him, and think he was a POS, but I wouldn't wish this on him or his family. He made millions playing a game we all played in school, but for some reason people think its great. I don't see the appeal, but that is my answer for all sports teams and players. No matter how good he was, he played a game. If he did good things in life or made a difference somehow to others, I hope people post about it.

If someone wants to hero worship, show me a combat (or inner city) medic.

Agreed completely. I take no pleasure in people getting killed in an accident, however I care about as much about this as Kobe Bryant would care if I got killed in an accident. ZERO.

[Arik]

Allegedly it was a lot more than just one rape of stupid white girls who wanted to go up to his room and "party". Play stupid games, win stupid prizes and all that.

His wife knew she was married to a player, and I doubt she was in it for anything other than the money. That being said, knowing you are going down and can't save your child has got to be bad (assuming he wasn't just thinking of himself).

I have no use for him, and think he was a POS, but I wouldn't wish this on him or his family. He made millions playing a game we all played in school, but for some reason people think its great. I don't see the appeal, but that is my answer for all sports teams and players. No matter how good he was, he played a game. If he did good things in life or made a difference somehow to others, I hope people post about it.

If someone wants to hero worship, show me a combat (or inner city) medic.

Don't know that much about him accept that I know the name. When I heard yesterday I was at a bar and everyone was all like...OMG...oh no!!! Meanwhile I'm thinking what about the pilot (before I knew there were 5 others).

Seriously, it sucks for him and his family but no more than for anyone else in that chopper. Why is everyone so sad for him?

[mack7.62]

All I can remember about the alleged rape was that he bought his wife IIRC a 3 million $ diamond ring to show how sorry he was and she stuck with him.

[SeriousStudent]

Agreed 100%!!!

Agree here as well.

[gunrunner505]

I’m not particularly moved by this other than 9 lives, 3 of them kids, were cut short.

I’m curious if this helicopter was even legal with 9 passengers. Can you put 9 people in this thing, plus any meaningful fuel, and still be legal? Did they run it out of fuel, did they have a mechanical, did the pilot lose orientation as previously suggested or did he simply fly into a friggin mountain. He was instrument rated but instrument rated and instrument proficient are vastly different. Was he proficient?

Given the weather why were they not on an IFR flight plan? I’ll never understand why a pilot who is in theory a professional, would put themselves in this situation? IFR to the airport that was 5 miles away from where you’re going and limo it. Poor decisions.


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[FromMyColdDeadHand]

This guy often has some interesting insights.

[mack7.62]

I’m not particularly moved by this other than 9 lives, 3 of them kids, were cut short.

I’m curious if this helicopter was even legal with 9 passengers. Can you put 9 people in this thing, plus any meaningful fuel, and still be legal? Did they run it out of fuel, did they have a mechanical, did the pilot lose orientation as previously suggested or did he simply fly into a friggin mountain. He was instrument rated but instrument rated and instrument proficient are vastly different. Was he proficient?

Given the weather why were they not on an IFR flight plan? I’ll never understand why a pilot who is in theory a professional, would put themselves in this situation? IFR to the airport that was 5 miles away from where you’re going and limo it. Poor decisions.


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Civilian variant of the Blackhawk so carrying 9 would be no problem except a co-pilot might have prevented this.

[Sam]

I’m curious if this helicopter was even legal with 9 passengers. Can you put 9 people in this thing, plus any meaningful fuel, and still be legal?

According to google, the S76 carry a crew of 2 plus 13 passengers. So total of 9 is well within its capability.

[gunrunner505]

Civilian variant of the Blackhawk so carrying 9 would be no problem except a co-pilot might have prevented this.

The S-76 and the Blackhawk are not the same helicopter. Similar in a lot of ways but they are different. I’m also not talking about the S76 platform as a whole I’m curious about this specific airframe and how it was configured.

Most of the rich man toy ones I’ve seen are configured for 6 passengers in back in a club configuration. By the time you put the fancy interior in it, maybe you’re short of useful load. I’m a fixed wing guy so I’m just wondering. 13 in the aircraft seems tight. You better all get along pretty well.



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