Lakers: TMZ Reporting Kobe died this morning in helicopter crash

[MultiTroll]

He was leasing? I figured he owned the helicopter. I'll bet those helicopter rides cost a lot of money per ride. He should've just taken the extra time and did a limo, imo.

Kome did own his own copter according to a radio commentator. Perhaps his own copter was not large enough to carry 9?

Same show said there is advanced electronics that could have avoided mountain. Don't remember if that was radar that would have given pilot more info on how close bird was to mountain or an automatic fly feature like auto breaking on cars. I thought he said Komes copter did have this advanced feature. (My memory is not perfect but pretty sure this is what show said. OTOH you'd think mainstream would have been publicizing this so TIFWIW.)

We'll probably never know as the audio won't be released but I wonder who's call it was to go ahead in the weather.

[The Gemini Method]

Kome did own his own copter according to a radio commentator. Perhaps his own copter was not large enough to carry 9?

Same show said there is advanced electronics that could have avoided mountain. Don't remember if that was radar that would have given pilot more info on how close bird was to mountain or an automatic fly feature like auto breaking on cars. I thought he said Komes copter did have this advanced feature. (My memory is not perfect but pretty sure this is what show said. OTOH you'd think mainstream would have been publicizing this so TIFWIW.)

We'll probably never know as the audio won't be released but I wonder who's call it was to go ahead in the weather.

Interesting take. Sad we'll never actually know since that particular bird didn't have a black box or anything recording the situation.

[MultiTroll]

Kobe Bryant’s helicopter was missing a warning system that could have alerted pilot to hillside

https://www.latimes.com/california/s...rs-face-arrest

Homendy said her agency had recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration 16 years ago require that all choppers carrying six or more passengers be equipped with a terrain awareness and warning system, adding that the FAA has “failed to act” on the proposal. Because the FAA didn’t follow the recommendation, the chopper that crashed Sunday was not legally required to have the system.

[DMC]

Kome did own his own copter according to a radio commentator. Perhaps his own copter was not large enough to carry 9?

Same show said there is advanced electronics that could have avoided mountain. Don't remember if that was radar that would have given pilot more info on how close bird was to mountain or an automatic fly feature like auto breaking on cars. I thought he said Komes copter did have this advanced feature. (My memory is not perfect but pretty sure this is what show said. OTOH you'd think mainstream would have been publicizing this so TIFWIW.)

We'll probably never know as the audio won't be released but I wonder who's call it was to go ahead in the weather.

There are systems that show actual terrain and give warnings, but they are annoying as for VFR pilots and cannot be silenced.

[The Gemini Method]

There are systems that show actual terrain and give warnings, but they are annoying as for VFR pilots and cannot be silenced.

That's the sentiment I got reading up on helicopter pilots regarding this...

[DMC]

I would not be surprised to learn that the helicopter experienced mechanical issues during the sudden al ude increase that forced the pilot to drop al ude, and knowing what was ahead forced him to come about as quickly as possible to try to create somewhat of a glide slope. It obviously didn't work, but by all my understanding, this pilot was a stud. I'd be surprised to learn it was actually pilot error. The blades seem to be in line with the flight path, almost indicating they were not spinning fast at the time of impact else they should be scattered in a wider area (granted I haven't seen the entire debris field).

[The Gemini Method]

That's the summation that video posted earlier was getting at. I have flown in a few copters over the year, but I wouldn't be surprised if you're right.

[Chucho]

DMC trying to big time with his knowledge.

[Ball Buster]

DMC trying to big time with his knowledge.

The pilot made a risky nose-up maneuver when he saw he was low, then lost control of the helicopter.

[DMC]

DMC trying to big time with his knowledge.

All you knowledge people.

[Chucho]

The pilot made a risky nose-up maneuver when he saw he was low, then lost control of the helicopter.

No complaints coming from here, bruh.

[Chucho]

All you knowledge people.

Ankle biting. You're an idiot.

[DMC]

Ankle biting. You're an idiot.

[ElNono]

I believe the cost of that copter to own is like 13-15 million? I'm not sure Kobe was willing to put that cost to own. It's been stated it was leased. I wonder, though, because Kawhi uses the same pilot. Does that mean he rode in the same copter? I don't know if it is, but as someone who has been in a helicopter 3 times in my life, I never really trusted them then, I sure don't now...

He actually owned the chopper until he retired from playing, then sold it to the company. He then leased it as needed.

[The Gemini Method]

He actually owned the chopper until he retired from playing, then sold it to the company. He then leased it as needed.

Ah, thanks for the clarification.

[JoeTait75]

I would not be surprised to learn that the helicopter experienced mechanical issues during the sudden al ude increase that forced the pilot to drop al ude, and knowing what was ahead forced him to come about as quickly as possible to try to create somewhat of a glide slope. It obviously didn't work, but by all my understanding, this pilot was a stud. I'd be surprised to learn it was actually pilot error. The blades seem to be in line with the flight path, almost indicating they were not spinning fast at the time of impact else they should be scattered in a wider area (granted I haven't seen the entire debris field).

Spatial disorientation with the cloud cover and lack of visual cues, maybe? IIRC the pilot wasn't flying by instrument; he was attempting to use landmarks on the ground. Also, wouldn't a relatively small debris field just mean that the coptor was intact when it hit the ground?

[Arcadian]

He'd been riding the chopper for almost 20 years. You can die in a car accident as well. He just hit a bad roll of the dice. Celebs, CEOs and athletes ride choppers all the time.

Flying through mountains in a dense fog is like rolling trick dice where every side is a 1. It suddenly becomes much more likely that you'll get a "bad roll."

And much more likely to happen in a car as well.

You probably have a greater chance of drowning in your own bath tub than you do dying on a aircraft. Just really bad weather and bad fate. Should have landed and waited for clearance.

These car comparisons are invalid for two reasons.

1) With cars, the biggest threat to you is other drivers. If you drive through fog, you still have the benefit of driving on roads with street lights, stop lights, and clearly painted lanes. The only reason you're more likely to die in a car is because there are so many other drivers on the road, and one of them is bound to make a mistake at some point. If there were millions of aircrafts flying around in a densely packed area, you'd be more likely to die in those.

2) If you blow out a tire or something, you still have a decent chance to live. If something critical fails in an aircraft, your chance of dying es dramatically because you're a land-dwelling creature in the sky where you're not meant to be. Technology is literally keeping you alive every moment you're in the sky.

So even though cars cause more deaths in the context of normal cir stances, aircrafts are still more inherently dangerous, especially under the conditions that led to Kobe's death.

[The Gemini Method]

These car comparisons are invalid for two reasons.

1) With cars, the biggest threat to you is other drivers. If you drive through fog, you still have the benefit of driving on roads with street lights, stop lights, and clearly painted lanes. The only reason you're more likely to die in a car is because there are so many other drivers on the road, and one of them is bound to make a mistake at some point. If there were millions of aircrafts flying around in a densely packed area, you'd be more likely to die in those.

2) If you blow out a tire or something, you still have a decent chance to live. If something critical fails in an aircraft, your chance of dying es dramatically because you're a land-dwelling creature in the sky where you're not meant to be. Technology is literally keeping you alive every moment you're in the sky.

So even though cars cause more deaths in the context of normal cir stances, aircrafts are still more inherently dangerous, especially under the conditions that led to Kobe's death.

Mos def. In the air there is nor room for error. It's almost the first reaction when you hear of a plane crash/helicopter crash is "Did anyone survive?" that tends to be the sentiment when one of those happens. Good points.

[DMC]

Flying through mountains in a dense fog is like rolling trick dice where every side is a 1. It suddenly becomes much more likely that you'll get a "bad roll."



These car comparisons are invalid for two reasons.

1) With cars, the biggest threat to you is other drivers. If you drive through fog, you still have the benefit of driving on roads with street lights, stop lights, and clearly painted lanes. The only reason you're more likely to die in a car is because there are so many other drivers on the road, and one of them is bound to make a mistake at some point. If there were millions of aircrafts flying around in a densely packed area, you'd be more likely to die in those.

2) If you blow out a tire or something, you still have a decent chance to live. If something critical fails in an aircraft, your chance of dying es dramatically because you're a land-dwelling creature in the sky where you're not meant to be. Technology is literally keeping you alive every moment you're in the sky.

So even though cars cause more deaths in the context of normal cir stances, aircrafts are still more inherently dangerous, especially under the conditions that led to Kobe's death.

Like the crash that killed all those kids on that team in Canada not long ago. ed up happens. It's still ed up.

[Spurtacular]

He actually owned the chopper until he retired from playing, then sold it to the company. He then leased it as needed.

He probably got cheap rides as part of the deal. I can't see Kobe spending $15K a pop each ride to do such mundane things as go to a youth basketball game.

[DC23]

He probably got cheap rides as part of the deal. I can't see Kobe spending $15K a pop each ride to do such mundane things as go to a youth basketball game.

Why not? Immaterial cost. Rounding error.

[Spurtacular]

Why not? Immaterial cost. Rounding error.

Okay, I can; but I still doubt it. His cash flow changed in his post playing days.

[BD24]

I’ve never seen that clip before. GP going full re

[DMC]

I’ve never seen that clip before. GP going full re

all you knowledge people tell me

Do Al Jefferson got the many players that Tim Duncan have on his team?

[BD24]

all you knowledge people tell me

Do Al Jefferson got the many players that Tim Duncan have on his team?

Who would you take, Tim Duncan or Al Jefferson?

Tim Duncan because he’s the better player, but that’s not the point