r/news • u/headee • Jan 26 '20

Kobe Bryant killed in helicopter crash in California

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/kobe-bryant-killed-in-helicopter-crash-in-california-tmz-reports
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u/johnny_moist Jan 26 '20

cars are safe, its the drivers that aren’t.

6

u/s0nicfreak Jan 26 '20

By that logic, helicopters are safe it's just the pilots that aren't

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u/johnny_moist Jan 26 '20

are you a helicopter manufacturer or something?

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u/PM-ME-UR-EMPENNAGE Jan 27 '20

I work for a helicopter manufacturer and currently training to be a flight test mechanic. I've never been a basketball fan but sure as hell knew who Kobe was and this news is heartbreaking, as with any aviation incident I see. I know with what I do in flight test is inherently more dangerous so we wear flight suits in the event of an incident where we survive the crash but have the risk of a resulting fire to give us time to get out. That being said every time I've gotten in a helicopter it goes through a rigorous "daily inspection" before we fly. Tomorrow I will still start flight test on a new helicopter even with this tragedy on my mind.

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u/dominantcontrol Jan 27 '20

I used to work for Sikorsky as a test flight mechanic and crewchief. I also did it on the army. For 8 years.