Kobe Bryant S-76B UPDATE 31 Jan 2020

[@MrDodgej]

I rode with many Army pilots in 1970-71. They not only had to fly the chopper (usually overloaded ) flying in formation, and people shooting at you trying kill you. My hats off to these guys they are fantastic. The man who came and got me out when I was wounded his chopper received 30 plus hits and a wounded door gunner. This man and crew were killed several days later before I had a chance to thank them. They gave me 48 more years of life they did not get, I think of those guys every day. Hopefully when I pass I will be able finally thank them.

[@TheDestiny8ball]

Tommygunner 💖💖💖Fantastic story! Bless him. Bless you. 💚Thanks for sharing! And Thank you 💜 for your service! 😘

[@randbarrett8706]

Richard Nixon’s role in extending the war in Vietnam makes him the worst modern president, I think

[@stevemarenka8915]

I am a retired USAF pilot, having flown F4s and F-111Ds, and served as a T-37 instructor for four years. I was mesmerized by the discussion. So incredibly spontaeous, like sitting around hangar flying on a rainy day. Felt like I was a part of it. No BS, just very informal, but damned professional. One of the best damned things I have seen on KZbin.

[@travelbugse2829]

Juan Browne is THE go-to source of discussion in matters of aviation, IMHO. I was never a commercial/military pilot, and it was interesting to get your take on this - my responses have been invariably the same as yours. Best wishes - maybe you can tell us a few anecdotes about your career at some stage!

[@chrislannon]

My dad instructed in the T-37 at Lackland in the 60's. Where were you an instructor?

[@autobahntom3578]

JB is always on point, no BS.

[@Twistedpeppermint99]

@@chrislannon : Would that be Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX? Both my parents had served on that base. Yep, I'm "military brat". I love Texas. I miss it.

[@chrislannon]

LCToner Yes. He also instructed at Laredo and we were stationed in Ramstein, Germany. That’s where I spent most of high school.

[@CaryInVictoria]

I sent a link to this video to a friend who is a former US Coast Guard helicopter pilot. He replied, "All the instrument rated helicopter pilots who’ve flown at low level using visual references in marginal and deteriorating weather knew what happened as soon as they heard the details of the crash. There was not the slightest doubt. The helicopter pilot in the video got everything exactly right."

[@hgaston66]

Spacial disorientation?

[@kenyatucker4759]

Cary Swoveland so are they saying he loss control or did he lose control after hitting a mountain?

[@jason5409]

@@kenyatucker4759 lost control in the fog, thought he was flying straight while heading downward into the hillside.

[@kenyatucker4759]

Jason thank you 😢

[@naturalwomanbynature914]

@@jason5409 This is exactly what I said to people that asked me what I thought happened.... Thanks Jason for this response.💯

[@cayenneosaurusrex5593]

Not a pilot but have been searching for reasons this flight ended tragically. This interview is everything that you need to know about this accident. Well done.

[@Airplane_Willy]

This was a great guest that Juan had on the channel. One thing to keep in mind is that Juan and Scott are discussing the likeliest possibilities. No one was in that helicopter besides the 9 people that are unfortunately no longer with us. Given that there was no voice or data recording to speak of, we may possibly never know what really happened. I hadn't thought of the vortex ring state issue as a fixed wing pilot. As much of a tragedy as this accident was, I do hope they find the cause so it can be addressed for future operations. My opinion is that Special VFR shouldn't be legal for 135 (commercial) operations. Some 135 operators will even have that in their company manual, that Special VFR is forbidden on live legs.

[@Airplane_Willy]

@Dale Anderson 100%

[@thetoughgroup]

Disagree. While these guys are clearly experienced and knowledgeable pilots, this discussion does not go deeply enough into WHY or HOW in the final few moments the pilot would've rocketed up in altitude several thousand feet only to then immediately pitch the helicopter's nose down towards the ground (while banking left) at an incredible speed until impact. This conversation glossed over this critical issue.

[@Airplane_Willy]

@@thetoughgroup No one knows that and I don't think Juan and Scott were trying to say that they were wrapping up the accident investigation with their video. I was only replying to @cayenneoSaurusRex because non-pilots wouldn't know how deep of a subject this accident investigation really is. And while Juan is amazing at reporting the aviation news in a great way, I don't think he meant to allude that this was all anyone needed to know. However, I do think this is THE go to channel for actual facts about aviation accidents and the timelines of recent events.

[@shiinzaemon895]

@@thetoughgroup They did mention a circumstance of trying to climb in a slow hover but not having the forward speed to maintain control. Maybe he lost control in a situation like this and shot straight into the hillside when trying to recover.

[@kristinowens899]

As someone who's never flown in anything, and has no knowledge of flying what so ever, these guys made it easy to understand. I appreciate that, the whole video was done do respectfully and factual.

[@Doc-n8b]

When you have this type of interview, allowing very intelligent pilots to explain these type of accidents, it gives new meaning. No finger pointing just the facts of the dangers of flying at the wrong place at the wrong time. Thank you for airing👍

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

@Xalpha23 I'd agree. However, it is how they are preventing the case. And leting us draw our own conclusions based of of what has beeing presented.

[@acf846]

Yes, he was an idiot

[@RCKenpilot]

Phil Bledsoe this is good stuff.

[@validity7256]

Na they definitely fault the pilot , he was ultimately responsible for all of their lives and his own.

[@brianbcpryor112]

Phil Bledsoe : SPEAK🚁🚁🛩️🛩️✈️🛑🚧 PHIL B'!!!!

[@johnbolin7098]

Scott is a terrific guest to have. His easy, straight-forward demeanor is perfect for enlightening me on the ins and outs of helicopter operation. Hope you have him on again.

[@marynamurray9385]

I feel so sorry for the pilot's family who has to live with the fact that he flew the helicopter that most likely caused the death of so many people. I wish strength and comfort for all involved.

[@JewandGreek]

It wasn't just the pilot's fault. There's a problem in the system as they discussed toward the end. We need to either require sufficient training for VFR into IMC or issue mandatory grounding of choppers in fog. Make the system idiotproof.

[@NitrosGus13]

REST IN PEACE to all the souls they were inside 😢🙏

[@shernette32]

I'm sure at least one of the families will be filling a law suit.

[@user-tq7nx1yr4j]

where are the pilot family? why no one has interviewed

[@marynamurray9385]

@@user-tq7nx1yr4j nothing the pilot's family can say as they were not there when it happened and obviously mourning as well. Whether it was pilot error or not, I feel a lot of sympathy for his family as well. He was the pilot for many years for Kobe.

[@mommasbacongankin]

I’m very greatful for ems pilots like him. They saved my life by getting me to a specialized spinal hospital within 15 minutes of my car accident and extraction. Scoby Newman- Erlanger medical center Chattanooga,TN. My car accident was 1 hour away (by road) in NW Georgia and he got me there in 15mins. Thank you.

[@SEOdork4hire]

You should drive more careful

[@mommasbacongankin]

Nathan Clark wtf? You assume this happens more than once for me? I was 16. Obviously I slowed down. It’s was a fatal car accident that took the life of my best friend. Your a dumbass. I suffer from ptsd and spinal cord injuries that caused permanent paralysis. Maybe you should think before you speak/type. It’s called an accident. Something you’d never survive.

[@chrisno6669]

Sorry to hear what happened to u but I am glad u made it and are able to tell your story. Very inspiring especially to people that go in that field.

[@joeangell5652]

@MommasBaconGaming / Glad you’re still with us and I hope you get better with each day. I was a passenger on one of those “rides” myself so I can understand what you’re saying. Totally agree. Ignore the idiots and hang in there.

[@mommasbacongankin]

Chris No thank you very much for your kind words and I tell every young person just to drive safe and slow. I want them to be safe and not go through what I did. Thank you man

[@garygrant9612]

I'm a helicopter pilot trained by the military and flew in Vietnam in mountainous terrain. When it was a nice day I would practice flying on instruments. It was a refresher for me so I would never be hesitant to go IFR if needed. This was important due to monsoon conditions that required us to scud run during combat operations. These conditions, for years in Vietnam, took the lives of many helicopter crews in mountainous terrain. After the war I was an ATP in the Bell 212, the S76 and the Agusta 109. All three had auto pilot systems and I flew hundreds of hours IFR in these aircraft as well as VFR. Many times I flew from a remote area to another remote area in low VFR conditions during search and rescue operations. When I suspected low visibility I made a point to contact someone in the area where I was headed for their help in the local visual conditions. Juan, I'm so happy you had Scott in this hangar talk. His emphasis for some IFR refresher is a wake up call for many VFR helicopter pilots. It was my understanding, while reviewing the radar from this flight, the aircraft was still at approximately 130 knots. The accident site shows the aircraft was traveling at a good clip when he contacted the hill. Too fast in low visibility conditions. It is also my opinion he never had a plan B or kept in mind that a turn to the right while climbing would have been over lower terrain if he transitioned to his instruments. He apparently, after going full IFR, tried to look for visual contact to the ground and lost control.

[@adamdunlaptv]

gary grant Gary! Thank you for sharing. I have a question. I heard the helicopter was dropping at 4,200 ft per minute. At that descent would the pilot and/or passengers know they were descending? Could the pilot have gotten disoriented and not know he was descending? Thank you for the insight 🙏

[@jed-henrywitkowski6470]

I'm not a veteran or piolt. However, it is my understanding the piolt of Mr. Bryant's chopper was experienced with the area. From experience, I can say experience can become tainted with over confidence, which can result in personal injurt, equipment damage... fatalities at worst. Though in my case, a damged MTB (Mountain Bike) and and minor injuries was my consequence.

[@canadiancinderelly3518]

I have friends who are Vietnam veterans.....

[@ironhorse4231]

@@adamdunlaptv excellent questions, I have been wondering the exact same things. I hope someone can answer them!

[@ironhorse4231]

@@jed-henrywitkowski6470 indeed, it seems likely this was a contributing factor.

[@adampincente209]

I’m 34 and thought I was getting old. These guys have been high school buddies since before I was born. Thank you for making me feel young again.

[@hotrodray6802]

Wait til you've had your commercial ticket for 50 yrs. 😁😁😁

[@igot99problemsbutmyaltaint81]

Yea i read this same post on a previous video

[@januszj.8547]

You grounded ,now clean up you room and go to bed.

[@JohnRodriguesPhotographer]

You're younger than my kids. Juan would be my little brother

[@navigator3744]

A lot of you youngsters don't understand or appreciate the value of experience. Us old guys, if we still have all our senses and haven't dulled them with 50 years of alcohol, tobacco, self-deception, pussy whipping, and age-related mental complacency, have seen it all and registered it all in the computer so that we see all the possibilities coming; the best old guys among us prepare for EVERY possibility (because those who didn't are dead by now), calculate a probability for each possibility, make a choice on the most likely., and ALWAYS be right (because they're still here). You youngsters see "through a glass darkly," but us old guys see "face-to-face."

[@therealcagefamily8957]

This pilot told the Truth.. You can tell in his face he didnt want to say but he kept 100.... The pilot lost control

[@jaedenjav4997]

Yap is true stupid pilot I don't believe the news said he was the best helicopter pilot

[@benringenberg2367]

@@acemurphy2 that's pretty solid proof actually.

[@paige4128]

Exactly! Everyone else has been skating around the fact that something was amiss with the pilot, but this guy kept it real.

[@jraney69]

Well, he could have been flying the heli in control but blindly, and hit terrain. Thats the question. As they say, he was ii (and instrument instructor). Since he dropped altitude so fast may mean loss of control, but could also mean he thought he was flying level in a 180 turn, and didn't feel they were dropping. Thats my main question. Which one happened?@@acemurphy2

[@nasirashakiraabdullahtalib2582]

There is something real spiritual about the ending of this video ...😇 ... you know the whole part when he got into the plane .. from starting it up as you watch the propeller start to spin in position to the man actually going down the path runway and taking flight into the air ... I watched this whole video discussion and found it to be one of the most important and interesting and factual straight to the point interviews ... bless both of these men for coming up with the take into flight scene ...I cried when I watched it ... the take off sets a brief picture and puts a memory in your mind about the last time Koby Bryant and the little girls 👸👱‍♀️👩‍🦰...the women 🙋‍♀️🙎‍♀️👩‍🦱and fathers🤴🧔 and pilot 👮‍♂️took their last flight 😥😭 ... may they all rip and may God bless all of their friends and families. 🙏

[@careyleroux3784]

You guys are really good together explaining all the facts about flying and are entertaining. Thank You kindly for this video.

[@fotografiasromero]

Not sure if entertaining is the right word in the grand scope of why they are doing this video.

[@1handsmoke565]

Enerio Romero Well they are not BORING 😳 They got my Attention.... I was listening the entire time entertain can be considered funny/good /bad/ etc suspense and so on nowadays. Entertaining someone who is inspired and wants to be a pilot or entertaining of how something is played out and the entertaining within the conversation of what actually took place.

[@fotografiasromero]

@@1handsmoke565 not trying to be critical just the PR guy in me 🤣🤣

[@ErnestoHerreraLegorreta]

Congrats on a great interview! Scott obviously doesn't need a "degree" to make it very clear to anyone listening that he is a top-of-the-line, extremely qualified, no-nonsense professional in what he does for a living.

[@stiboost21]

Has a 2 year degree...solid SA there champ.

[@ljfinger]

That guy (Scott) was really clear and really right-to-the-point. I liked him a lot.

[@thehistoryprof6750]

I'll take a 2 yr degree or no degree pilot with demonstrated competence and experience over lesser experience college degree pilots all day long. I have 4 degrees and retired out of the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. Some of the most competent people I worked with had no degrees and heavy ojt and experience. We also had many graduate and PhD folks, none better, some knuckleheads. Great discussion, thank you both for your service and expertise.

[@billythekid56]

Thehistoryprof I work for Pharmerica and agree.

[@kentbullard6917]

Just goes to show you that college isn't the only place to get an education. And not all college educations really mean anything. Education often comes from those who have learned the hard way through many years of hands on practical learning.

[@Joel-st5uw]

This is incredible. THIS is what journalism should aspire to accomplish. Scott is such a knowledgeable, reasonable and rational guy. His calm, matter-of-fact, no sensationalism perspective was truly a joy to watch. I can't effectively describe how good this video is. Wow.

[@productrecall5183]

Same! Loved it! Learned so much.

[@jraney69]

Hell yes!!!

[@demef758]

And Juan is an excellent "moderator" for an interview like this, quickly injecting things like what this or that acronym means. To the non-pilot like me, it greatly aids my understanding of the technical discussion.

[@vivavidadela]

Watched it already more than 10 times🙈 it’s so enjoyable.

[@Tennessee-Tuxedo-g61]

As a former US Army Master helicopter SP/IFE with over 5600hrs, this was right on point! Thanks for taking the time to inform the masses with the right knowledge! There is just so much speculation as to WHY the pilot but not enough questions as the WHAT! You now have a new follower!

[@narviee3365]

Its Good to hear from all of You guys that are professional's...

[@thevolume4257]

Thank you for your service good sir.

[@tuanngnt]

No one on earth can beat the mother of nature. The best solution is delaying or canceling the flight; otherwise, you are risking your life.

[@richardmorris7063]

Why didn't they just fly up the coast following the beach instead of going across lax & van Nuys airspace?

[@mikeb.5039]

You risk your life every time you leave the house...Good judgement and training rules every time.

[@1vaultdweller]

Richard Morris Why didn't they fly slow when there is a heavy foggy weather?

[@jon-claudnix8290]

@@joestuehmer7967 It all adds up. There is little confusion - just a sorting of details - amongst those with the requisite knowledge. Leave all the stupid conspiracy theories at Alex Jones's house.

[@KB-re4ku]

@Joe Stuehmer Why is it a setup?

[@leemark63]

I have absolutely no knowledge of how flight works but am able to get a general idea thanks to this video.

[@adroper62]

Without a doubt the most educational discussion from an aviation perspective about the tragedy. Well done!

[@josephkelley8641]

A privilege for novices like myself, thanks again guys. .

[@EffortlesslyEgypt]

I just learned more about this crash and helicopters then combined watching all the mainstream news outlets 😬

[@Alvan81]

Thank you for all you do to provide QUALITY, non sensational, information!

[@gordonbruce2416]

Fantastic edition Juan, thank you. I trained as a low level bomber pilot in the RAF many moons ago and we practised endlessly for low-level VFR to IFR pull ups. They were hard work and a major emergency in our very congested controlled airspace. You might just be on the correct track with your Recency and Competency line of thinking.

[@deandanielson8074]

Thanks, Juan, for a great discussion with Scott. Scott's a pro who tells it like it is. Much needed and much appreciated. I knew the pilot in the tragic accident was instrument qualified and also an instrument instructor but did not realize how infrequent he flew in actual IFR conditions. We will probably hear how little experience he actually had achieved. Very sad. Dean from Minnesota

[@bml3408]

The most calm sit down I’ve seen so far explaining everything that could and did happen. Love that you don’t jump to conclusions. Thanks for all this info!

[@garyharper2992]

I am a fixed wing pilot and this is absolutely invaluable information from an experienced helicopter pilot. Great stuff.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

Same here. Never liked helicopters especially ones the Army maintained. I always say there are no unnecessary parts on chopper and they all need to keep working with each other to keep the thing in the air. Or as ANG pilots I knew liked to say-- a chopper is just parts flying in formation.

[@dfcvda]

im a helicopte pilot and its news to me thats not a negative comment, its a learning curve

[@switchAE86]

Oldsmobile69 Which is why he said an EMT pilot has to do a check ride on your instrument rating every six months. Don’t use it you lose it.

[@jimarcher5255]

LuvBorderCollies Ditto. My experience as an artillery forward observer in a helicopter was sitting in the damn thing and watch the screws vibrate out. This was in piston helicopters and don’t know if it applies to turbine powered. Seems it was 4 hrs of maintenance for one hr of flying.

[@jogoldcoaster2847]

Gary Harper a , , . ., ":

[@sharontorgerson2556]

Thank you, Juan and Scott, for letting us listen in on your conversation. The distinctions in your training and experience underscore again that there are such a huge number of variables that are faced by pilots, requiring second-by-second responses.

[@adpsucks]

Another excellent discussion with excellent content. Thank you!

[@timgallagher1041]

Wow - talk about the polar opposite of our current 'sound bite' or 'Twitter' culture. Think about how many tweets would be needed to convey the thoughtful, content-rich and genuine conversation here - 100? 500? This demonstrates what we all hoped the internet could provide - clear information from people who know what they are talking about. I think we need to somehow push these very high-quality content-producing shows to the fore-front. I think it is up to us viewers...

[@garrisonchilds2610]

This comment cannot be anymore true. Thank you for pointing this out.

[@bobsmith6906]

great observation

[@josephkelley8641]

"Content-rich" love it. .

[@mercurygirl6897]

So so true!!! Both so obviously experts in the field yet....all we hear is .... NOTHING... static, noise! These 2 are amazing! I was sorry it was over!

[@7viewerlogic670]

Agree!

[@richardlathrop1851]

Great interview. Thanks. As a pilot and instrucor for 55 years I have to comment on the judgement part of flying. Pilots don't accidentally fly into IFR weather conditions. They can look out the window and decide to turn around or proceed. It's a judgement call, and is influenced by ego, and a "gotta get there" attitude. No amount of training or regulation can offset a poor decision by the pilot. It's tragic for the passengers and their families.

[@amxoso]

Fantastic interview....please do more with this guy...covering many topics in aviation.. great work thanks for sharing.

[@SomeTechGuy666]

First class reporting/educating the public. Who needs CNN, ABC, NBC... when we have this ?

[@prisonmike3605]

Koski Co I don’t think he was intending to belittle him. He was just speaking facts lol. Take it easy.

[@vivavidadela]

Prison Mike it either was unnecessary or he wanted to point out that you can still go this career path even without finishing college.

[@Whitebear329]

Juan I continue to be impressed by your knowing exactly what is important for this channel. This is one of the best of the best of insight episodes you have produced. Keep the real insights coming you are a master at this...... Scotty

[@rayg9069]

One of your best Juan, you are kicking it to a whole new level. The interview format with specialists in their fields is very interesting to us non aviation types. Scott seems to be a top bloke and like you quite humble, utube needs a button beyond thumbs up, it's just not adequate enough.

[@wrangler870]

I agree this more slowly paced discussion of the accident by two different pilots was excellent at giving understanding and insight. It's apparent the questions were planned and sequenced in a manner that added to our understanding without creating additional questions. Being a fixed wing pilot with just a little rotor craft experience I give them high marks. They explained where they positively knew answers, cautioned where there were possibly more than one answer and totally refused to commit to answers where it couldn't be know with current data. Well done.

[@alyssaswann9784]

You two are great together u should do more videos

[@donschlessinger9367]

Juan I enjoyed your conversation with Scott regarding this accident. I'm a retired offshore helicopter pilot, dual rated ATP. I found interesting his comments about lack of proficiency in IFR operations for many helicopter pilots. In the offshore industry IFR operations are used daily with most of the medium and large helicopters. There is a well developed offshore IFR system. Pilots flying IFR offshore get gobs of actual since the highest altitudes flown are below 10,000 feet. I agree with Scott when he said the pilot of the a/c was not in control when it hit the ground, as many have labeled this a CFIT accident when it wasn't. A sad accident that could have been avoided. Thank you for your coverage of the accident and thanks also for Scott and his input.

[@heloflyer88]

You're right, in fact the Gulf of Mexico off shore work is the best place to gain real IFR that's where I got the majority of mine flying the S-76 and the ECC-225 Puma.

[@karmenk7081]

don schlessinger so this could of be avoided

[@jwenting]

Different operating areas I guess. Offshore rig flying is a lot different from sightseeing tours for celebrities...

[@specforged5651]

Karmen K ..Yes it could have been avoided had he not proceeded into that situation. Just like what Scott said, this really was not avoidable after he positioned the aircraft in that particular situation....slow or attempted hover (at which time he would not have known whether he was going forward, backwards or side to side) with terrain obscuration. Could he have pulled it off? Yes, he could have absolutely got lucky, but again as said, that’s not the way you can look at these things. You have to tell yourself...if I get myself into this situation we are going to crash. You can’t look at it as a percentage of maybe or getting lucky. If that type of mindset doesn’t kill you that specific time, it absolutely will eventually, and almost certainly sooner than later.

[@matthewellis8626]

Exactly you don't guess with other lives at stake.

[@BeechComer]

Juan, you have really outdone yourself this time! I laughed, I cried, it was awesome! You and Scott together were _great!_ Scott's flyaway and the end music chosen, with it's slow, thoughtful demeanor gives a professional polish that pushes the whole production, and you, into a whole new kind of _great._ Just wow.

[@alexalexandrakis8205]

BeechComer I fully agree with your comments. Just awesome production, Juan, you are really good at what you do and this channel is source of good common sense aviator knowledge and lessons to be learned by all of us (aviators). Well done!!

[@josephkelley8641]

Awesome comment BeachComer.

[@roadrageburleson]

As usual you have provided an incredible amount of detail you can't find anywhere else. Also pulling in an expert with his wealth of knowledge was a fantastic thing to do. Thank you for enlightening everyone.

[@duster0066]

I was thinking the same, and wondering how this accident sounded in the msm. Good for me I don't know how they covered it.

[@invernessity]

@@duster0066 You certainly are not missing anything! But the good news is that the MSM is taking some responsibility for its errors (which, unfortunately, Kobe's family said have added to their pain) by holding journalists accountable who misreported critical info. One, for example, was Matt Gutman at ABC who was suspended after erroneously reporting that all four of Kobe's daughters died in the crash. And several outlets have actually summarized reporting errors made in the initial hours after the crash - emphasizing how important it is to wait for fact verification. This is one of the very few times that I've seen the MSM actually take appropriate responsibility for some of its misreporting!

[@jeffr6280]

This was a great interview. Every idiot in the media covering this story should be required to watch this. On a side, I'm wondering how often Scott get's mistaken for Donald Sutherland working around Ca.

[@kendemers8821]

I was thinking the exact same thing; Scott does look like Sutherland.

[@CMDRSweeper]

Surprise, it is Donald Sutherland... Scott is just his cover life, flying EMS on his offduty :D

[@georgec9590]

I thought Scott Monroe was great and so very interesting. He gave fearless and terrific insight into the probable cause of this accident. Fantastic work!

[@veritasetlibertas7889]

Thank you gentlemen. This is what is all about. To judge is for God, to learn is for pilots. Hats off! A very honest conversation.

[@TakeDeadAim]

Great stuff as usual Juan! Just plain no BS information from two professionals who KNOW what they're talking about rather than a bunch of hot air from those who've never really walked the walk! Also, it's 100% correct that flying IFR IS a perishable skill. Even flying fixed with and flying needles takes regular practice. Flying the helo and having to literally "balance" it within a small margin with no visual cue is EXTREMELY difficult if you're not doing it regularly. Very nice V Tail! I've flown one for a friend who wanted to come to Air Venture but had a scheduling conflict at the last minute so he flew it to Rockford where I flew it up with the mass arrival then he came up a couple days later.

[@belliott538]

True enough... but the Real Monster lurking in the mist, is the immediate transition from VFR to IMC...

[@ChuckBeefOG]

Do they not have a yaw indicator or whatever its called like a plane? Shouldnt matter if your blind or not, your artificial horizon will tell you if your levelled out.

[@TakeDeadAim]

@@ChuckBeefOG However when you're hovering there's no real instrument which tells you if you're slipping fwd or to the side. Remember, balancing a helicopter is much more difficult than a fixed wing aircraft. As mentioned, once you're below 30kts or so, almost all of the flying is done visually using cues outside the cockpit unless you're flying a very specialized (and usually military) helo.

[@TakeDeadAim]

Although not a helo pilot, I spent some time in CH-46's in the Navy as an extra for a few flights during any down time and while conducting VERTREP ops ship to ship. I learned how delicate that balance is and how critical having very good hand-eye-foot coordination is.

[@carlosqdeguzman]

I had no idea about IFR and VFR till Kobe's helicopter crashed. Probably watched everything about it. This one is the best.

[@JimForeman]

I was faced with a similar situation a few years ago. I was at John Wayne and going to San Luis Obispo with a stop to pick up a passenger at Camarillo. It was clear at John Wayne but socked in over downtown LA with the top at about 3000 feet. Some of the locals said I should go special VFR and follow I-5 to 101 and follow it, said they did it all the time. I declined and filed IFR. Took about twice as long but I felt safe.

[@ko9446]

Myself and a friend took off from John Wayne and the weather closed in at Camarillo. I told my buddy flying it was at minimums, we were on a current IFR plan. He responded that it was way below his minimums then. We landed at Van Nuys, my wife picked us up.

[@fyrman9092]

@@ko9446 sometimes it requires the courage to recognize where the line is and stick to it depsite the pressure to complete the mission. Human nature is not to inherently fail or give up easily. Trying to explain that to a client in rapidly changing conditions can be difficult when one is trying to get out of a serious situation.

[@bookwormdoe1522]

KOBE'S pilot could NOT file for IFR, the company didn't allow it, so maybe he should have just bagged the flight, if not at John Wayne airport then certainly at Van Nuys airport.

[@fyrman9092]

@@bookwormdoe1522 hindsight is usually 20/20. It's sad and unfortunate that someone experienced failed to recognize limitations to turn back...

[@Darryl_Frost]

Juan, I have to say this channel is just going from strength to strength, thank you so much for your insight and compassion and passion, you tell it how it is, and you get great people like Scott on who share and complement your knowledge and passion for aviation, and life in general.. Thankyou..

[@ChrisBullock1978]

just listening I have to applaud the coast guard rescue people who fly and hover while swimmers and all are out the door while in rain and winds.

[@C0bbler_J0nes]

Right!

[@bryanguilbeau5636]

Yes indeed...

[@jeromegarcia5396]

You would think it Proves that fog is a cakewalk...

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@@jeromegarcia5396 (1) USCG helicopters are _well equipped_ for the kind of flying they do. (2) Beyond a certain distance offshore, USCG helicopters have to have another USCG aircraft - usually a fixedwing asset - flying with them for when they are down low over the water, especially when hovering.

[@jeromegarcia5396]

@@Allan_aka_RocKITEman so nobody has answered my question, maybe you can, Is it possible the pilot had a medical emergency like a heart attack or stroke and possibly calapsed on the panel creating the turn, or possibly Kobe or someone trying to get control? Could that have been the pilots last effort was witnesses said it was almost hovering, probably looking for a place to land, but didn't before passing out?

[@mynameismyname5124]

It took me a while to be able to watch this video, I'm glad I did, good information for someone like me that knows nothing about helicopters or aviation. Thanks for your time guys. My heart is still hurting, I wish the outcome was different, thanks again for your prospective without being disrespectful to the deceased.

[@spectremuffin]

Congrats on the recent medical diagnosis Juan! Hopefully you'll be back in the air real soon! Thanks for the input on this crash, very sad but another learning experience for all of us.

[@spectremuffin]

@Phil M I had seen something on his facebook account about it.

[@mmeiselph7234]

Fantastic interview. Everyone reporting on this in the press needs to watch this.

[@robertbennett6697]

Everyone in the press needs to watch the part about exaggerating a situation just to make a story.

[@peterrocan2542]

Why? The average American has the attention span of a 2 year old, and unable to absorb more than 7 word sound-bites--and thinking for themselves is an entirely foreign concept.The old adage "if it bleeds, it leads" has never been more true than today.

[@dougdrvr]

Especially the ones that are exaggerating the role of Special VFR which had nothing to do with the accident.

[@patwillcox]

Doc Kaiser yep!

[@patwillcox]

Also it. Was not a CFIT accident!

[@topfuelfan]

This has to be my favorite episode. Two great friends talking and teaching us. great job! 👍

[@vstol]

Thank you Juan, for introducing Scott Monroe . He is a credit to his profession. It was my privilege to listen to his and your comments.

[@bishopscore]

I love to hear experts talk. So refreshing.

[@SueBobChicVid]

Thank you, Scott! Great insight. Very interesting to get information from professionals who know what they are talking about.

[@Mark.Brindle]

Absolutely brilliant! Thank you so much for a balanced discussion. I received my PPL at 16, the following two years I did my cross country, night VMC and Instrument rating. I just turned 60 and still current. Not a commercial pilot although I did start it once for fun. Personal minimums I believe are extremely important. I have been with a group of friends who have decided to risk it on a leg that was below my personal minimums. Although they have made it, an extra night somewhere does not worry me when it's my safety and that of my passengers I may have with me. I'm not flying for a living but for the fun of it and going below my personal minimums would not be fun. What's the old saying "it's better to be on the ground wishing you were flying than being in the air wishing you were on the ground". New subscriber.

[@coleytoons]

Well... I don't speak pilot but I wasn't confused by what was being said in this video. So 👍👍👍👍

[@ninaharper5872]

Nicole Clark me to. It will help reading some of the post.. There are pilots here that was posting comments in layman terms.

[@Wuisini]

RIP KOBE and GIGI and everyone involved.

[@Ktaurus26]

Purple Flower nonsense. They’re straight forward and to the point. To suggest they don’t have empathy for the victims is foolish. Apparently you haven’t watched any of his other videos on the incident.

[@kodiak4240]

Thank you for the discussion . As a MediVac Pilot, ATP, CFI, CFII, IGI, I truly appreciate your educational discussion . I agree with all of the points brought up. Every Pilot knows it is a skill that requires constant attention to be proficient .

[@kirstenglae]

So much more comprehensible now, I appreciate your help. In times like these, I think it’s just human nature to want to understand the why. Listening to the complicated nature of everything involved gets so confusing, thank you for making it digestible.

[@RICHGREENNOW]

VFR in IMC in any machine is a very dangerous situation. I remember my FI telling me, There are old pilots and there are bold pilots. But there aren't any old, bold, pilots. Always err on the side of caution. It isn't a guarantee of safety, but it sure does increase your odds to fly another day.

[@bookwormdoe1522]

and I might add, to live another day! Absolutely, he should have been going slower into that area, then as it began to get foggier, he could have either turned around or hovered and landed, PERIOD.

[@Sweetpea1128]

I love this guy!! Thank you for having him on. I learned a lot that I will never use, but still enjoyed learning about it. Very personable and truthful as well as entertaining. 😁👍🏼

[@billmoran3812]

Great interview! If only the “professional “ media could put together accurate concise reporting like this. And Scott was excellent. He said it like it is. So refreshing. Most non pilots don’t understand how perishable an instrument rating can be if you don’t routinely use it. When I got my fixed wing instrument rating, I purposely extended my training over more than a full year in order to gain experience in all types of weather, rain, low viz, snow, icing etc. it was invaluable. I think often pilots who have the rating, but no experience, are more likely to get into serious trouble if they encounter IMC.

[@jmac838]

Bill Moran Your thought provoking comment clarified for me that “Professional Media” serves a different master and purpose (Ratings / Dollar$). Professionally, These guys motives and values are more noble AND Valuable.

[@dougdrvr]

Rating vs real experience is like a surgeon that has only operated on a frog.

[@77leelg]

“Training issue!” Pretty much sums up most of the problems in aviation today. Awesome interview!

[@amywoodman993]

🔥

[@LuvBorderCollies]

I don't think that's unique to today.

[@deanregan7011]

Training issue equals money.......more training?..more money. Company sees training as less profit.

[@stephen5147]

This accident was not caused by a "training issue." It came about due to a poor judgement issue... poking his nose into somewhere he should not have.

[@FLJAMESFL]

Awesome to see a true friendship, so hard to find these days. Two great guys.

[@chiefof]

Wonderful interview Juan. Lots of real info by two friends that are professionals. Thank you both for the no BS information. Lets hope that the FAA listens to pilots like you two and amends the IFR training requirements to include periodic refresher IFR flights- under actual IFR weather conditions- witnessed by an FAA examiner.

[@jscorp681]

Will Cushman I have a customer who has flown for Northwest for over 25 years and we were just discussing this crash yesterday at my store. He said the EXACT same things the gray haired guy was saying. Practically word for word. Really interesting info.

[@cardinaloflannagancr8929]

@Robert Slackware Very correct I remember one commercial jet that got lost knew it and didn't go above potential terrain to get bearings. There were mountains with multiple valleys and they used the wrong waypoint during flight, and both saying check. Neither looking at the computer. Ended up almost clearing a mountain except they did go around power with full speed brakes on. This was after a landing clearance involving an emergency dive which they tried. Which alone should have tipped them off we can't be where the tower thinks.

[@bobroberts2371]

I wonder if the pilot had a medical issue causing the craft to nose over.

[@raoulcruz4404]

Robert Slackware As pointed out in the conversation and other sources, the pilot was very familiar with the terrain along the 101, having flown that route often. I suspect his mental map was quite accurate. My guess is that familiarity lead him to think he could get through.

[@juliemarkey-]

Robert Slackware... nothing is funny about this tragic accident.

[@brianhilligoss]

Please get him on again. Love learning about helicopters.

[@brentspang9092]

This was great, he really cleared up a lot for me. It was refreshing to listen to someone who clearly has a wealth of knowledge and is willing to give us his informed opinion. Not that you don't Juan!

[@kenjohnson6573]

As a retired helicopter pilot with over 17,000 hours in a lot of helicopters, this is a very good interview. As an IFR captain of the S76 A++; C+;C++ and S92, I can tell you we had a "RIG APPROACH" in the S92. This had a Doppler indication which activated below 55 kts and was the only way you knew if and how much you were moving. This allowed you to operate offshore in 200 ft and 1/4 mile to land on an oil platform.

[@thomasbrinkley9430]

What an insight from an humble professional. What a breath of fresh air ,as opposed to the usual hype!. i'm impressed.!.

[@bliztix2]

Thank you glad you enjoyed it

[@georgiapatriot4575]

Juan, I also wanted to send a big thank you for your videos and for knowing your limitations of knowledge and bringing Scott in to fill in the rotorwing specific details. As a fixed wing pilot, I learned some stuff here and I'm finding myself sharing many of your videos on social media because you are doing a great job dispelling the misinformation out there about aviation. I know a lot of the fixed wing stuff, but you do this stuff for a living, so I prefer you do the speaking on this stuff.

[@charltongioprepena9325]

Coriolis illusion happens when you're in a constant turn long enough for the fluid in your ears to stop moving. As we mentioned before, when the fluid in your ears stops moving, your brain thinks it is 'straight-and-level'. At this point, if you move your head too quickly, such as looking at something in the cockpit, you can start the fluid in your ears moving in an entirely different axis. This makes you feel like the airplane is maneuvering in a way that it isn't, and if you aren't careful, you can put your plane in a dangerous attitude. How to prevent it: Never move your head quickly, and if you feel like you're getting disoriented, focus on your instrument scan pattern and bring the airplane to straight-and-level flight.

[@4thegloryofthelord]

Charlton Gio Prepeña - I hope this is taught in flight school. Very scary to think that this could have easily been the reason for the accident.

[@AhmadEdinHodzic]

You cant prevent a heart attack and a stroke!

[@raoulcruz4404]

4thegloryofthelord It is taught or it was. Also, they would put you in the vertigo chair.

[@davidwhite8633]

Charlton Gio Prepeña There’s no such thing as Coriolis Illusion. What you are describing is a somatografic effect.

[@rigilchrist]

I'm a heli flyer (though with nothing like Scott's experience or skill). I thought everything he had to say was very well expressed.

[@indylovelace]

In reading the other comments, I would have to agree, the format of sitting in the hanger talking shop worked well. The back and forth, the camaraderie of flying professionals, discussing the issues that are present in the field, good stuff. Well done.

[@GlennHamblin]

The day the music died. How well does that fit! Wiping a tear from my eye. Thanks Juan.

[@christingonzalez9642]

La Bamba! Takes me back to being 5 years old.

[@buckmyers519]

Scott is spot on, he said it several times to slow down to take a peek at the unknown conditions. There was nothing about this incident that was an inadvertent entry into to the fog and clouds, It was daylight, pilot knew the area and hills were obscured, yet he was flying 150 mph (would you drive the 101 with fog at that speed?) 7000# clean helicopter has a lot of energy, probably take a mile to slow down to 30. IMO he was not looking for the sheriffs pad, could not made any type of a reasonable approach to land at 0 airspeed. He made the rapid climb (vfr flight should have never left the road) became disoriented did a modified split S to the ground. With 8000+ hrs he did not leave a way out.

[@markaoslo5653]

@Buck Myers - In short, _"(vfr flight should have never left the road)"_ in this case.

[@richprice5434]

Fascinating insight to a tragic tragic event , feel so sad about this and this has helped understand what actually happened

[@chuckeberth4370]

That was literally a plethora of information on helicopter operations in IMC conditions. Thank you Scott and Juan.

[@SmittySmithsonite]

What an EXCELLENT interview, Juan! This is one of the best videos you've ever done right here! So much valuable information for everyone from seasoned aviators, to the general public. You wouldn't see this kind of detail on mainstream news in 1,000 years! This made it clear to me that there's another factor in quite a few aviation accidents - MONEY. That's the root cause of the 737 MAX fatalities as well. Boy is that a blood-boiler!! There is a price tag on human life these days. So sad. Had this pilot been mandated to stay current in his IFR skills, I'd bet 9 people would still be walking this Earth, and we'd be discussing something else today. That is really friggin sad, to say it PG-rated. What pisses me off even more, is we have government busybodies mandating crap that goes against the very Founding of this great Nation, when that energy could be better directed into causes exactly like Scott's suggestions. So much money wasted on frivolous B/S, like the impeachment trial - imagine what could be done, not just in the aviation world, but in nearly EVERY aspect of life with that money, instead of this political 3-ring media circus! What a time we're living in! 😡😡 To change the mood a bit, I loved Scott's description of his time flying for media! Exactly what I expected! Glad he made it through that time, and moved on to better things. Sounds like he's putting his skills to work for humanity - what an honorable way to live! I expected nothing less - "Ye shall know them by their fruits". Any friend of you, Juan, is a friend of mine. THANK YOU, yet again!! 👍🍻 Oh, and I just wanted to mention, back in the late 50's, my dad hung around the local airport (long since paved over for a biotech park) watching all the planes fly. He said one pilot got tired of seeing him every day (his words), and offered to take him up in his brand new V-tail Bonanza! My dad was just telling me this around Christmas - can tell he remembers it like it was yesterday. He was about 12 years old. Then I figured out why he never became an aviator - he told my grandmother about the flight, and she MELTED DOWN! There was a bit of a reason behind that. My grandfather had been a co-owner of an aircraft, and was supposed to take a couple up for a scenic flight, but he got in a motorcycle accident with a hay wagon at dusk. Nearly scalped him. So the other owner took the couple up. Something happened and there were 3 fatalities. My dad said grandpa never talked about it. Must be why my grandma reacted the way she did. Anyway, hate to end on a sad note there. My dad ended up in the Navy on the Constellation, and had plenty of time around aircraft on the flight deck. I seem to have rekindled his interest lately - he turned 79 a couple days ago. 😎

[@bobshaw4063]

I'm an Air Force Veteran like Juan & a Scott's Fellow Veteran . Please thank your dad for me for his Navy Service .

[@Fingermunch]

First time I’ve watched your channel and I was hanging off every word. What a great guy Scott is, very knowledgeable. Thank you and stay safe in the air !

[@annemacleod1421]

Sensitively presented. Thank you Juan, Scott. Always hard having to breakdown aspects of an accident as it involves your peers and colleagues.

[@firemedicjm911]

Will never forget the phone call from the flight center, Christmas 2003 when we lost a ship in night time operations, Storm, IMC. Pilot was extraordinarily experienced, turned around after aborting a mission, and flew into a hillside. Last pilot I thought would have ever done that. Scott will know what incident I am talking about. It was heartbreaking to lose that crew. Loved all of them.

[@Blue-hf7xt]

FiremedicJM Sorry for your loss.

[@SteveHiemstraAKAspeg]

N25RX

[@MIGGYME1]

Did they find out what caused the wreck?

[@MrGTO-ze7vb]

Juan Browne is the BEST Reporter on KZbin..!

[@glennholland2431]

This was a GREAT broadcast!! I loved the discussion and the finish shot with your friend leaving and the music playing left me feeling nostalgic. Thank you.

[@marclawrence715]

Even though I was only able to understand about 40% of what you're saying, this video was 100% more informative than any of the MSM reports. Thank you for this.

[@jjmarz1001]

You and Scott have to do this type of chat on a regular basis. 'Shooting the shit with Scott' or something to that effect. I could listen to you guys talk about anything.

[@demef758]

What a fantastic, insightful interview this was. I don't know anything about flying, but this channel explains a lot to the layman like me. Thank you, Juan (and Scott)!

[@davidetcheverry944]

Thanks Juan, means alot to us at this time and in future charter choices and the questions to ask. very noble to explore this.

[@captainnice9698]

Buddy Holley, Jim Croce, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Tony Lima, Patsy Cline, Otis Redding, Carol Lombard... there are SO many more artists all lost to aircraft accidents

[@magnetshakur6911]

Captain Nice ritchie valens

[@bigbaddms]

Ricky Nelson, Lynyrd Skynyrd (3 members), Big Bopper. Plus all the pilots, and other passengers. Don't forget 8 others besides Kobe, including 3 kids!

[@robertstevens9089]

Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1977

[@lizj5740]

Glenn Miller and flight crew, travelling to France from UK to make arrangements for entertaining troops in Europe, 15 December 1944, lost over the English Channel. RIP to all aboard.

[@anitabracy7533]

Airline, train, car fatalities are all horrendous. No one knows the hour/manner of our last day. Be nice if we all could go peacefully. Sadly 😔😢 not all will. Rest In Love.

[@TILEBOSS]

Another great show Juan ! You need to have your buddy on more often if possible.. He knows his stuff ! Thanks again Juan

[@ezcare5075]

Man listening to this tells me flying a helicopter is hard and dangerous

[@yopappy6599]

Well seeing as you don't even know the difference between flying and driving, I would have to agree and say it would difficult for you especially.

[@spoons27]

Data and voice recorders should be mandatory on all chartered rotary craft.

[@msnpassjan2004]

And terrain avoidance/warning

[@MikeJones-rk1un]

I don't think that would show fog or low ceiling. Maybe some Gopro's

[@albing1397]

Heck, just a Go-Pro running might help.

[@radinsyah1574]

Stephen Huxtable It’s clear as day that they should, but imo the corruption that prevails says there’s not enough money in it unfortunately.

[@bookwormdoe1522]

I don't agree. Not necessary as long as the pilot does not take 'VISUALLY LIMITED" chances.

[@jock699]

Been following since the Oroville days...you are consistently producing the best videos. Just wanted to let you know we appreciate the content and the effort you put into these!

[@carlosmatos9848]

The point he makes at 8:00 is so true. I drive 2.5 miles to work every morning and the density of the fog between home and work varies drastically, there's points where I can see the cars 100-200 feet ahead of me, and there's points where I'm relying on the fog line just to stay on the road. I'd assume the same is true for helis flying at low altitude to a point.

[@animenut69]

Reminds me of dealing with michigan fog or going through clouds in the appalachian mts. Crazy how dense that stuff gets and basically becomes a white out

[@carlosmatos9848]

@@animenut69 Yep, I live in Southeast Wisconsin and it's crazy how fast dense fog can roll in at certain areas. I'm not trying to say this is what happened in Kobe's case, but fog can be very unpredictable at times, and there's times where I'd rather drive in sleet or snow than heavy fog.

[@pilotdane1]

My God Juan - this conversation was soooooo informative. Watched EVERY minute. As a pilot, I have many comments, but I will just say - there is a HUGE difference between being "current" and being "proficient"......

[@pieterjlansbergen6988]

Excellent video. Thank you. You made me finally understand why IFR conditions are particularly tricky for an helicopter pilot.

[@truthfreedom3737]

Thank you guys so much. This video provided the only realistic and most likely cause of this tragedy. I like many others are still heartbroken over this crash and finally i feel like i have at least some answers now. Again, thanks for taking the time. Im sure im not the only person who truly appreciates it...

[@sixtoes2313]

Juan. Thank you for bringing in your friend "Scott Monroe"...Great show !....Scott, (News Boss) Don't you come back until you find Godzilla.

[@johnkoz34]

Excellent interview. Best analysis of all the media out there.

[@alexanderohman1707]

Awesome interview. Main stream media can't tell up from down on a helicopter. You and Scott are a great source of information!

[@GotFreight]

Thank you Juan! You and Scott are awesome together and you should have him as a guest again sometime or better yet regularly. Thank you both for the very informative video.

[@jkbichsel]

JB - This by far has got to be one of my favorite episodes! - Thanks Juan!! "keep the rubber side down"

[@joeyo4163]

I live in the San Fernando Valley about east of Calabasas and it was really foggy out that Sunday morning, the thing is that usually the further west you go towards the ocean the foggier it gets.

[@kasialeparska2480]

Joey O yup! Especially in the winter months, like now-January.....! Too bad this accident had to happen ..... 😞

[@onlytymewilltell]

THANK YOU! While i don't live anywhere near California(Tennessee) I can't say what the weather is usually like when it comes to fog the closer you get to the ocean but based on the story BEFORE he ever even took off and common sense says when he left flying conditions were fine for him to proceed but the closer he got to Calabasas the worse the fog got and according to reports from ppl who actually live in that area said the weather/fog progressively was getting worse that morning. So the pilot did nothing wrong *as far as* his judgement to fly that day was concerned. Anything beyond that is anyones guess!

[@bookwormdoe1522]

Exactly why the pilot should NEVER have entered the hilly region as he ascended UP the hill on FWY 101. Or he could have gone inland more and around, OR if that would make them too late, just land before the foggy area and let KOBE's DRIVER come and get them or hell, just take a dang car as quick as possible and drive the rest of the way. This pilot was hell-bent and it doesn't matter how experienced he was, he had NO COMMON SENSE to know when to quit before he got into a jam.

[@bobwhite5440]

very deep and sad closing moments of your vid (as your friend flies away in a v-tail) about holly, valens, the bopper and all the many others who've lost their lives flying in bad weather conditions. very informative vid.

[@cardinaloflannagancr8929]

JFK Jr was another case never should have taken off as the flight would end with vfr. The radar shows a horrific long demise, up, down, rolls. With the musicians I believe it was a near nosedive in disorientation.

[@wowguy3562]

Im glad I wasn't the only one who noticed the significance of the v-tail departure at the end, thoughts of the doctor killer aircraft gave me chills

[@WillBravoNotEvil]

WoW Guy "Doctor killer" is absurdly cynical and wholly inapplicable here. We’re celebrating training, competence, mutual support, scientific curiosity...and some hey-look-at-me dickweed gotta toss a concern troll grenade. 100% unhelpful.

[@raoulcruz4404]

The aircraft carrying the musicians, also a v tail bonanza, was flying at cruise airspeed and was in a shallow descending turn.

[@skierman64]

@@raoulcruz4404 and only 6 miles from the departure airfield.