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Replies: 17
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Legend [16720]
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Question about Kobe's helicopter
Jan 27, 2020, 4:29 PM
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His helicopter has a black mamba and nike swoosh on it.
But here is the helicopter in the crash.
Did he change helicopters or simply get a new paint job?
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110%er [9089]
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Re: Question about Kobe's helicopter
Jan 27, 2020, 4:33 PM
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He didn't personally own the helicopter. It was one he used from a company. Kind of like Clemson's busses, they may have one that is branded and others that are not. The branded one could have been for a special occasion or event. Who knows.
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CU Guru [1653]
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Re: Question about Kobe's helicopter
Jan 27, 2020, 10:56 PM
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N72EX was the one that crashed... top one.
Message was edited by: JPF16®
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Orange Blooded [2846]
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Re: Question about Kobe's helicopter
Jan 27, 2020, 4:52 PM
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My question is -- If the LAPD wasn't flying its helicopters because of the weather, why didn't somebody at the airport say something? Why didn't the pilot check the weather/reports of fog? Sure does look as if it would be difficult to get eight passengers in that helicopter. I also read at the time of the crash it is estimated the helicopter had 800 pounds of fuel. That's sounds like a lot of fuel after a flying for 40 minutes. Too much weight?
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CU Guru [1849]
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They had a special release for the flight from the area
Jan 27, 2020, 5:01 PM
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flight control. The pilot later asked for some type of tracking where there is constant contact with flight control, but the helicopter was too low to see on the radar. The pilot tried to climb, and that is when things turned for the worse.
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110%er [5912]
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Re: Question about Kobe's helicopter
Jan 27, 2020, 8:51 PM
[ in reply to Re: Question about Kobe's helicopter ] |
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Fuel Capacity: 1883 Lb
At 7.5 lb/gallon that a capacity of ~250 gallons.
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CU Guru [1849]
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What I think is a little shady, I saw that a S-76B new are
Jan 27, 2020, 4:59 PM
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$13MM and the company bought that one for $500,000. It was a 1991 model. I know nothing about helicopters, but should there not be a certain regulation for how old a commercial aircraft has to be to fly passengers? Seemed look low viz situation, but a normal maneuver. I also read they had a crash 8 or so years ago in catalina island. Cause was determined to be engine failure. Wondering how old that helicopter was. No answer will change what happened, but a lot of questions unanswered out there.
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Orange Blooded [2403]
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Re: What I think is a little shady, I saw that a S-76B new are
Jan 27, 2020, 5:42 PM
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It is a highly regarded copter. Just because it is almost 30s years ago . .it was a upper tier machine.
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All-In [32587]
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110%er [5912]
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FAA Requires Complete Engine Rebuilds
Jan 27, 2020, 8:48 PM
[ in reply to What I think is a little shady, I saw that a S-76B new are ] |
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every so many hours of use by certified mechanics.
Many airplanes in commercial use are 30-40 years old.
Oddly, the worst time for major engine failure is within 100 hours of a rebuild - A mechanic or faulty new part has a problem.
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110%er [7971]
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Odd - was listening to an audio recording of
Jan 27, 2020, 5:03 PM
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pilot communicating with air traffic control prior to crash and it was referring to helicopter as N72EX. Not sure if they had repainted it or what.
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CU Medallion [67693]
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Re: Question about Kobe's helicopter
Jan 27, 2020, 5:04 PM
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so does that have a recorder that can be recovered like planes have?
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Commissioner [930]
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The Hardest Thing For A Pilot To Say....
Jan 27, 2020, 5:13 PM
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to a client is I'm not flying in these conditions . I have a friend who was a corporate pilot for a number of years . He said that on a few occasions he refused to fly due to severe weather . More often than not he was threatened with termination by the person who was using his services and his reply was always the same...fine,I'll have another job by the end of the week.
My guess is the pilot should have refused to fly if the conditions were bad .
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Orange Blooded [2403]
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Im not a pilot . .but it is . .
Jan 27, 2020, 5:44 PM
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totally different when flying by instruments than flying by sight. if the conditions were so bad that sight was not possible, understanding your instruments so you can tell up from down is difficult. And the copter was banking and gaining altitude . .seems that it is possible he just messed up. same happened to JFK,JR
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Legend [17522]
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Re: Question about Kobe's helicopter
Jan 27, 2020, 7:11 PM
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100% on Pilot in Command who has 100% responsibility for Safety of Flight and Airworthiness conditions. Secondly, I question the functionality of the GPWS (Ground Proximity Warning System). This sad situation was completely avoidable.
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Athletic Dir [861]
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Some comments on West Coast conditions
Jan 27, 2020, 7:51 PM
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I live in CA. The marine layer/coastal fog is a very localized condition. You can be totally clear with beautiful blue sky but 2 miles away is fog and drizzle. This is not an exaggeration - very common condition. So the idea that the conditions were bad - well yes, but not all over. Judgement is clearly the issue and what commonly happens is 'get there i-tis'. He was picking his way up through canyons and around some fog. He might have made it but unfortunately he did not.
I'm just saying these are common conditions here. And as for the LAPD being grounded - they have a different mission profile and a wide area to cover than what this pilot was flying.
It seems to me he got himself in a bad situation, lost awareness of the situation in terms of the heights of the nearby hills (he was warned that he was too low moments before impact). Until the final minute or two he was doing fine - but he needed to get out of that area or gain altitude which may only put him in more fog. Sometimes you pop out too. He had 20 years experience flying helicopters so he sure knew what he was doing but that day, it all got away from him. A tragedy for 9 people, their loved ones and friends.
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Orange Blooded [3131]
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All-Pro [662]
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Re: Question about Kobe's helicopter
Jan 27, 2020, 9:41 PM
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I know it’s LA where their police budget is almost certainly pretty large, but I would be surprised if LAPD have any pilots or aircraft capable of IFR. Seems like if they can’t fly visually, what’s the point? Not going to chase Ford Broncos with a thick fog cover.
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