(m) Job Openings at 2 Phoenix TV Stations (m)

[RumpleForeskin]

http://www.kpho.com/news/13770683/detail.html

PHOENIX -- Two television station helicopters tracking a high-speed police pursuit in central Phoenix collided in midair and crashed Friday, killing at least three people.

The helicopters collided over Steele Indian School Park while filming the pursuit for Channels 3 and 15.

KNXV-TV Channel 15 reported that one of the choppers belonged to the station. The other chopper was from KTVK Channel 3 in Phoenix.


Video from the scene showed flames and thick black smoke from where both helicopters crashed.

"I've got a helicopter down," News Hawk 5 Capt. Connie Sullivan reported on air around 12:40 p.m.

Just before the crashes, the driver of the truck police had been chasing had jumped out of the nearly disabled flatbed pickup and carjacked another truck.

The truck was riding on rims because it had run over police stop sticks.

"I was driving and heard a bang," one witness told CBS 5 News.

"I was standing out on Central Avenue and I was looking over to the park and saw the helicopters get close," Jerry Fender said. "The blue one split and went down. The red or orange one went right after it."

"Looked something like 9-11 with debris exploding everywhere," said witness Brian Kenneth.

After the crash, the motorist police were chasing drove out to west Phoenix, where he bailed out of the vehicle in the 2900 block of North 83rd Avenue, police said.

He then ran into a house and police characterize it as a barricade situation.

Police said the man could be held accountable for the deaths.

[Risa]

http://www.kpho.com/news/13770683/detail.html

Police said the man could be held accountable for the deaths.

How is it his fault that two rival news stations put ratings before safety?

He's a jackass for leading cops on a chase. If a cop or a motorist or pedestrian
had been struck and killed during the chase, yes, he should be held accountable.

But he's not accountable for anything else.

[Jay in Phoenix]

Two helicopters crash while covering chase

02:17 PM Mountain Standard Time on Friday, July 27, 2007

Associated Press reports, azfamily.com

Two television news helicopters covering a police pursuit crashed and burned in a central Phoenix park, killing four people.

A KTVK TV anchor tearfully told viewers that one of the helicopters was theirs, and that the pilot and photographer aboard were killed. KNXV-TV said the other helciopter was theirs.

The helicopters crashed in flames in a grassy area of Steele Indian School park.

The helicopters collided while covering a police pursuit of a man in a construction truck.

KNXV-TV has confirmed Craig Smith and photographer Rick Krolak were aboard. 3TV has confirmed that Scott Bowerbank and photographer Jim Cox were on board.

3TV reporter Mike Watkiss who worked with Bowerbank throughout the years called him a "great pilot." Watkiss also referred to Cox as a "beautiful artist" and "sensitive soul," saying he was one of the best in the business. Watkiss said that both had the "fire in the belly" required to work in the competititve business of television news.

"Our job is to cover the news, in this case, a chase pursuit. But as a helicopter pilot, you're not only covering the news -- you're dealing with news producers in your (ear piece), you're aware of other aircraft,” said 3TV helicopter news reporter/photographer, Hilton Metzner.

"It's like a symphony, but there's also an element of danger. It can be overwhelming at times. (I) can't believe this. We'll try to continue doing what we do, but this is surreal right now," he said.

A witness named Charles, who didn't want his last name used, said he heard a loud gunshot-like sound and heard a really loud bang and then two helicopters coming straight down.

He said they burst into flames and they were 100 yards away from him.

Sgt. Joel Tranter with the Phoenix Police Department said officers were pursuing a utility-type vehicle that was reportedly stolen from Seventh Street and Mohave sometime around noon on Friday.

An officer saw the vehicle and when the suspect saw the fully marked police car and ran into that car, which is considered assault on an officer, Sgt. Joel Tranter with the Phoenix Police Department said.

A short pursuit ensued with several media helicopters also following the chase.

During that process, Tranter said, there was a mid-air collision between the two helicopters.

A perimeter has been set up around the park.

"We had a huge tragedy here of great magnitude," said Tranter. "It's terrible for us to see this type of tragedy."

I knew and worked with Jim Cox and Rick Krolak for years. Scott Bowerbank I got to know fairly recently. Both Scott and the pilot for Channel 15, Craig Smith, were outstanding pilots. Today is one of the saddest I have known, for two of my friends and brothers in television were killed while simply doing their jobs. And doing said jobs to the best of their ability.

One thing I can promise you---Risa---is that Scott and Craig NEVER put ratings before safety. Safety was always first. I've been up in NewsChopper 3 a number of times, and the safety checks and protocals were always obeyed. The helicopters are inspected daily. I have never heard of a single incident of pilot error or pilot distraction. Yes, their goal is to cover the news, and sometimes it happens fast. However, they are in constant communication with air control, the police and each other. An eyewitness at the scene claims to have seen a rotor blade coming off one of the tails of either 3 or 15's news helicopter just prior to the crash. This hasn't been confirmed.

I am going to mourn my friends for a very, very long time.

Jay

[Dog]

Wow, if I had two friends just die an hour ago, I probably wouldn't be on here. But we all mourn in different ways. Sorry your friends crashed into each other.

[Raydah James]

RACK the fucking title of this thread.

[RumpleForeskin]

Damn Jay. That is some sad shit that you knew all of these guys. I guess you can thank your lucky stars that you weren't up there today.

[RadioFan]

Sorry for your loss, Jay.

We had a similar incident here, a few weeks ago. Link

They were lucky here that no one was killed. Covering breaking news is one thing, but filming a promo and clipping your own satellite truck and crashing the aircraft makes the guys here fairly notable idiots.

[RadioFan]

RACK the fucking title of this thread.

"I've got a helicopter down," News Hawk 5 Capt. Connie Sullivan reported on air around 12:40 p.m.

'BODE Channel 5 in Phoenix.

They'll probably spend about a whole day reporting on "this tragic crash, that has touched so many of our colleagues ..." before running promos ala,

News Hawk 5!!! THE ONLY NEWS from the AIR in Phoenix! Watch at 5, 6 and 10!!

Not that I'm just a tad cynical or anything.

[Risa]

One thing I can promise you---Risa---is that Scott and Craig NEVER put ratings before safety. Safety was always first. I've been up in NewsChopper 3 a number of times, and the safety checks and protocals were always obeyed. The helicopters are inspected daily. I have never heard of a single incident of pilot error or pilot distraction. Yes, their goal is to cover the news, and sometimes it happens fast. However, they are in constant communication with air control, the police and each other. An eyewitness at the scene claims to have seen a rotor blade coming off one of the tails of either 3 or 15's news helicopter just prior to the crash. This hasn't been confirmed.

I am going to mourn my friends for a very, very long time.

Jay

I'm sorry that your friends have died today. I'd be vomiting. I don't
know what you're doing, or how you're dealing with the shock of something
like this going down.

But I'm not there. Reading a story like that, the first thing that comes to mind is
'ratings before safety', having to Be First at all costs... even if it means a life. Or
lives. If the guy pointed a gun up at the sky, and caused them to swerve, then
he's responsible.

But I can't, in my gut, say that this guy was at fault just because his high
speed chase happened to be the one covered today. That's piling it too high
and too deep....... and it allows whoever is really at immediate fault to skate by.

If it's true about the blade coming off, what would have caused it to do so? how
often do rotor blades come off? Is there a margin that has to be kept between
aircraft, in the sky? or does that not matter when copters get out of control?

Again, I am sorry that your two friends have died today, in this way.

[RadioFan]

Ever heard of proximate cause?

Yeah, I've heard of that. The MAN likes to call them job fairs. But it's really proximate to slavery.

- Risa.

[RadioFan]

If the guy pointed a gun up at the sky, and caused them to swerve, then
he's responsible.

But I can't, in my gut, say that this guy was at fault just because his high
speed chase happened to be the one covered today.

They're still investigating WTF happened, you fucking dumbass. Stop speculating and pontificating and just fucking chill with the clueless sophistry. God damn.

[bbqjones]

i went to central high and ran that park when it was still an old abandoned indian school. brings a bit of chills and memories on a day i wish somebody other than me hit my wife in the back of the head with a hammer.

go bobcats.

[Th]

ACTUAL photo from the crash in Phoenix today:





Law of physics: Two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time.

Next question: No, the driver who was persued by the police should NOT be held accountable.

[Mike Backer]

Congrats Jay. You USED to hang out with two dickbags that were chasing a high speed chase in the name of drama. They might as well been flying for the National Enquirer. These are the same idiots that glorify Paris Hilton's herpes blisters and Lindsay Lohan's anal shingles. Your buddies are no better than a scum bag lawyers and Enron executives. They prey on people just to get a slanted story that nobody's gonna care about in 24 hours. Well guess what? Now they're the story. That's called irony, and that's fucking rich.

If somebody dies in the name of needless sensationalism, well, buh-bye.

Fuck 'em. Let 'em cook.

[RadioFan]

These are the same idiots that glorify Paris Hilton's herpes blisters and Lindsay Lohan's anal shingles.

No they aren't, dumbfuck. They were pilots, trying to do their job.

I doubt anyone hates local TV news more on this board than I do, but to equate what happened with these guys, covering a high-speed chase, to something you'd see on "Extra" or "ET," is quite simply, fucking idiotic.

Local TV news is bad, but it wasn't like Nancy Grace nor Gretta van Cuntstrain was piloting those helicopters, unfortunately.

In between watching your local news, go eat out a strange woman's ass at an airport or something. Fucking douche.

[Luther]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your friends, Jay.

Many, many times the chopper teams have assisted the police in the apprehension of all types of eluding criminals. They have helped find lost and missing people, injured people, and have provided a public service for all of us in the metro areas regarding traffic updates.

Rip City

[poptart]

Law of physics: Two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time

[Mike Backer]

No they aren't, dumbfuck. They were pilots, trying to do their job.

Jesus, how tough is it to avoid another helicopter with near infinite airspace? Darwin shoots, HE SCORES!

to equate what happened with these guys, covering a high-speed chase, to something you'd see on "Extra" or "ET," is quite simply, fucking idiotic.

Reeeeeally? And who do you think shows the compilations of these car chases? That's what I thought, dickintheass.

Local TV news is bad, but it wasn't like Nancy Grace nor Gretta van Cuntstrain was piloting those helicopters, unfortunately.

So you would have been cool if it would have been Greta or Nancy or whoever that went down, but not these guys? News flash dipshit, these victims of Darwin are, excuse me, WERE, the same type of hacks chasing down the same type of sensationalistic bullshit that your dumbass craves.

In between watching your local news, go eat out a strange woman's ass at an airport or something. Fucking douche.

If she's hot, then I'm down. Meanwhile, enjoy eating bon-bons with whatever she beast you share them with as you're crowded around the tube watching car chases on Extra.

[RadioFan]

No they aren't, dumbfuck. They were pilots, trying to do their job.

Jesus, how tough is it to avoid another helicopter with near infinite airspace?

Why don't you tell me, Mr. News Coverage?

Unless you're a helicopter pilot, or are in the news business, STFU. You are on the other side of Risa, as far as the tard spectrum goes on this one, "Mike."

to equate what happened with these guys, covering a high-speed chase, to something you'd see on "Extra" or "ET," is quite simply, fucking idiotic.

Reeeeeally? And who do you think shows the compilations of these car chases? That's what I thought, dickintheass.

Do you seriously think somebody like Rupert Murdock is behind the curtain, pulling strings and turning knobs on this? Here's a hint: He isn't, fucktard, no matter how much you "think" he might be. Believe it or not, LOCAL media, isn't affected in day-to-day operations, no matter WHO owns them. Think about it, for Christ's sake. Nobody has to "tell" them to be competative, nor can anyone do it for them. Owners don't determine headlines in papers and they sure as fuck don't determine what gets put on live TV news.

Local TV news is bad, but it wasn't like Nancy Grace nor Gretta van Cuntstrain was piloting those helicopters, unfortunately.

So you would have been cool if it would have been Greta or Nancy or whoever that went down, but not these guys? News flash dipshit, these victims of Darwin are, excuse me, WERE, the same type of hacks chasing down the same type of sensationalistic bullshit that your dumbass craves.

I crave Greta or Nancy? Look in the mirror, you fucking tard. I can't stand any of that bullshit. But as to your question, yes, pretty much -- had they gone down in this crash, I would have racked it.

These were two PILOTS who went down, not overpaid, clueless cunts. What part of that are you finding difficult to comprehend, jackass?

Like Luth said, these pilots (RIP) likely helped catch untold criminals, found missing planes and vehicles and likely caught illegal border-crossers, among many other things.

Take off the ignorant "I blame the media" goggles, you fucking moron.

If nothing else, these guys may have stopped mvscal's third-cousins once removed, from entering the country at some point.

[chargerfan]

We're gonna need some more news chopper guys, I guess.

Sin

[RumpleForeskin]

Rack poptart and chargerfan.

Outstanding

[Mister Bushice]

I make my living off the evening news
Just give me something-something I can use
People love it when you lose,
They love dirty laundry

Well, I coulda been an actor, but I wound up here
I just have to look good, I dont have to be clear
Come and whisper in my ear
Give us dirty laundry

Kick em when theyre up
Kick em when theyre down
Kick em when theyre up
Kick em when theyre down
Kick em when theyre up
Kick em when theyre down
Kick em when theyre up
Kick em all around

We got the bubble-headed-bleach-blonde who
Comes on at five
She can tell you bout the plane crash with a gleam
In her eye
Its interesting when people die-
Give us dirty laundry

Can we film the operation?
Is the head dead yet?
You know, the boys in the newsroom got a
Running bet
Get the widow on the set!
We need dirty laundry

You dont really need to find out whats going on
You dont really want to know just how far its gone
Just leave well enough alone
Eat your dirty laundry

Kick em when theyre up
Kick em when theyre down
Kick em when theyre up
Kick em when theyre down

Kick em when theyre up
Kick em when theyre down
Kick em when theyre stiff
Kick em all around

Dirty little secrets
Dirty little lies
We got our dirty little fingers in everybodys pie
We love to cut you down to size
We love dirty laundry

We can do the innuendo
We can dance and sing
When its said and done we havent told you a thing
We all know that crap is king
Give us dirty laundry!

Sometimes you kick.

Sometimes you get kicked.

[Rooster]

As a professional helicopter pilot, I can definitively say that these two pilots had no business being in each other's air space. Whether one pilot drifted down/up into the other's or they were both operating at the same altitude to begin with, I couldn't tell you, but I can promise you pilot error was involved. Under no circumstances should both helicopters be flying at the same level-- particularly since the act of following a car chase involves a great deal of looking downward at the scene instead of the airspace around and above you.

While I have no reason to believe these guys weren't good sticks or talented, one or both of them made a fatal mistake. And yes, this thread's title is exactly what most pilots immediately think when something like this happens.

All the same you couldn't pay me enough money to fly in Phoenix. NorCal's bad enough. All that plexiglass means those extreme temperatures make a cockpit unbearable for most of the day.

[Rooster]

Oh, and proximate cause be damned, because had the pilots lived through the experience, you can bet the FAA would have permanently yanked one or both of their licenses. Fed regs state the pilot in command is solely responsible for the safe operation and conduct of the aircraft. Of course, this is meaningless beyond the fact that they are dead, because proximate cause is strictly a legal issue which doesn't pertain to how the FAA places anything and everything which happens in the air on the shoulders of the pilots.

[Rooster]

For all practical reasons, the only time a blade comes off in flight when in close proximity to another aircraft is due to intermeshing rotor blades. Trust me on this, the accident didn't occur because one bird lost a blade just as another aircraft fly by. It doesn't happen that way.

[Rooster]

Lastly, the only people who call helicopters "choppers" are the people who don't fly them. That is a term universally detested by us whirlybirders.

[PSUFAN]

Darwin shoots, HE SCORES!

this made me laugh, rack it!

RIP

[Mike Backer]

No they aren't, dumbfuck. They were pilots, trying to do their job.

Jesus, how tough is it to avoid another helicopter with near infinite airspace?

Why don't you tell me, Mr. News Coverage?

I just told you jackass. Don't make me repeat myself, it makes me angry and things usually end in bloodshed.

Unless you're a helicopter pilot, or are in the news business, STFU. You are on the other side of Risa, as far as the tard spectrum goes on this one, "Mike."

Oh, so now YOU'RE the expert with all your hours of chopper piloting experience? That's rich.

to equate what happened with these guys, covering a high-speed chase, to something you'd see on "Extra" or "ET," is quite simply, fucking idiotic.

Reeeeeally? And who do you think shows the compilations of these car chases? That's what I thought, dickintheass.

Do you seriously think somebody like Rupert Murdock is behind the curtain, pulling strings and turning knobs on this? Here's a hint: He isn't, fucktard, no matter how much you "think" he might be. Believe it or not, LOCAL media, isn't affected in day-to-day operations, no matter WHO owns them. Think about it, for Christ's sake. Nobody has to "tell" them to be competative, nor can anyone do it for them. Owners don't determine headlines in papers and they sure as fuck don't determine what gets put on live TV news.

Jesus Christ. You really ARE a retard. The only thing I said was that these things are edited and crammed into one show usually shown ad nauseum on one of the lesser networks that you TiVO the shit out of, and you go off on a Wizard of Oz rant. Seriously, mix in some comprehension skills and get back with me.

Local TV news is bad, but it wasn't like Nancy Grace nor Gretta van Cuntstrain was piloting those helicopters, unfortunately.

So you would have been cool if it would have been Greta or Nancy or whoever that went down, but not these guys? News flash dipshit, these victims of Darwin are, excuse me, WERE, the same type of hacks chasing down the same type of sensationalistic bullshit that your dumbass craves.

I crave Greta or Nancy? Look in the mirror, you fucking tard. I can't stand any of that bullshit. But as to your question, yes, pretty much -- had they gone down in this crash, I would have racked it.

These were two PILOTS who went down, not overpaid, clueless cunts. What part of that are you finding difficult to comprehend, jackass?

Let me update you with facts, two pilots went down with two other dudes CHASING THE STORY. Four people died. Two because they graduated from The Radio Helicopter Piloting School for Retards, and two more because they were frothing at the mouth to report a story that no one really gives a shit about in the name of sensationalism that jerk offs like you, well, jerk off to.

Like Luth said, these pilots (RIP) likely helped catch untold criminals, found missing planes and vehicles and likely caught illegal border-crossers, among many other things.

Had any one of these been the end result, then I would have racked them. Too bad it wasn't.

Take off the ignorant "I blame the media" goggles, you fucking moron.

If nothing else, these guys may have stopped mvscal's third-cousins once removed, from entering the country at some point.

Well, if you really think about it, if you weren't jonesing for the next sensationialistic bullshit story and giving the media a forum to spew their police chases and Lindsay Lohan party whore stories, then this would have been avoided. So, I blame YOU.

Nice job, murderer.

[BSmack]

Congrats Jay. You USED to hang out with two dickbags that were chasing a high speed chase in the name of drama. They might as well been flying for the National Enquirer. These are the same idiots that glorify Paris Hilton's herpes blisters and Lindsay Lohan's anal shingles. Your buddies are no better than a scum bag lawyers and Enron executives. They prey on people just to get a slanted story that nobody's gonna care about in 24 hours. Well guess what? Now they're the story. That's called irony, and that's fucking rich.

If somebody dies in the name of needless sensationalism, well, buh-bye.

Fuck 'em. Let 'em cook.

Gotta give this a hearty RACK!

[Risa]

If somebody dies in the name of needless sensationalism, well, buh-bye.

Fuck 'em. Let 'em cook.

Gotta give this a hearty RACK!

Nobody deserves to die over this. And the dumbfuck who started the chase doesn't deserve to have these deaths added just because he's in the vicinity and some prosecutor wants to 'look good' come election time by doing this.

Rooster, folks really prefer 'whirleybird' to 'chopper'? damn why? 'whirleybird' sounds all innocuous and innocent and Norman Rockwell. 'chopper' sounds like business, war and leather. So, what will be the result of this? What changes will occur (or should occur) to prevent something like this from happening again?

"I've got a helicopter down," News Hawk 5 Capt. Connie Sullivan reported on air around 12:40 p.m.

'BODE Channel 5 in Phoenix.

[Luther]

I think one if not both helicopters that were used by their respective TV stations were called, "NewsChopper 4" and whatever the other one was might have been the same.

If you ask me, whirleybirdies sounds like something Rooster would pilot in San Francisco, Berkeley or maybe even over the Vaseline area of downtown Portland. Kind of like when people used to say Cops, then look at me like they had shit their pants and then "correct" themselves and say Police Officers. Never bothered me unless they used other descriptive terms either before or after "COPS."

Oh, and look at peoples names now. What happened to all the people named, Mike, Dave, Tom, Jeff, Pete, and Quad? Now all we hear are Michael, David, Thomas, Jeffrey, Peter and Quadravian. Seems a little light in the loafer for my tastes.

Rip City

[smackaholic]

I actually have to side with annie on this one.

These guys died because whenever something like this happens all the local news channels froth at the mouth over it.

If a cop died in pursuit of this shitbag, he's guilty. If a police helo or a news helo assisting the cops went down, he's guilty.

This was not the case. It was a case of a helo traffic jam cluster fukkk that went bad. All in an effort to get good news footage.

There needs to be some sort of laws passed that say in such a case, a police copter has the right of way. After that, maybe 1 news copter can be in the area. Also state that news footage covered by that single copter must be pooled to other local stations.

[RadioFan]

I just told you jackass. Don't make me repeat myself, it makes me angry and things usually end in bloodshed.

Go fuck yourself.

Oh, so now YOU'RE the expert

Actually, I'll leave the expertise to the NTSB, rather than assumptive asswipes such as yourself. For somebody who despises sensationalistic stories so much, you're certainly in no hurry to rush to judgement on this one. Good job KYOA.

Well, if you really think about it, if you weren't jonesing for the next sensationialistic bullshit story and giving the media a forum to spew their police chases and Lindsay Lohan party whore stories, then this would have been avoided.

Link me up to the last one of those "sensationalistic bullshit stories" I've posted in the +5 years I've been on these boards. Be sure and lock up before you leave, dumbass.

[Rooster]

I was being facetious about the whirlybird remark. The usual terms a helicopter pilot uses when refering to his aircraft is just that: aircraft or "bird." When we have a fleet of aircraft that we operate we tend towards using the tail number or the airframe type or manufacturer like "EC" (Eurocopter) or Astar. In larger corporations where there is a hierarchy of pilots, aircraft are refered to as little birds and big ships, denoting the upward status of the guy flying a more complex machine.

In the military, where I got my training, the aircraft are catagorized by the mission they fly, ie. scouts, gunships, or lift. Scouts fly small aircraft and are known as target markers, gunships are either -64 Apaches or USMC Whiskey or Zulu model AH-1s. As a former Cobra driver I was known as a gun bunny and I flew a "Snake." Blackhawk drivers, Chinook and Kawasaki pilots are known as ash & trash movers and are considered at the bottom of the heap in terms of skills, their talent having more in common with gorillas and ham fisted longshoremen than deft aviators. "Pigs and rice" was the Vietnam era term for those guys. As a rule, guys who don't do as well in flight school get sent to transport/lift helicopters, as that is what most schools use for training. Regardless of the circumstances, however, no one who flys helicopters ever refer to them as choppers, although old timers from Korea might on occasion say "whirlybirds," but that's more of a generational thing.

ENG (electronic news gathering) pilots tend to be viewed as residing on the lower rungs of the ladder in the helicopter world. This isn't an indictment against their skills so much as it is an issue of monetary compensation and flight time. Generally, these guys are flying simple aircraft, sometimes piston machines, where the most complex piece or equipment is the camera itself. The act of piloting an ENG bird is actually quite difficult. You have to have the presence of mind to have situational awareness so that you can focus on several different things at once, namely flying the aircraft, keeping the camera on the scene, talking to various air traffic controllers, other aircraft in the vicinity, sometimes police, and if the job demands it, actual face time on camera, live. Som e guys have what it takes and love it, others don't. I had a short gig doing traffic in Lafayette, LA while I was working an EMS (emergency medical provider) job for PHI, one of the largest helicopter operators in the world. Personally, I didn't care for it, but some guys dig it. You more or less just bore holes through the sky flying in circles waiting for your turn to go on-air, do a brief spiel, then wait some more for the news anchor to ask for an update. Rather boring. Also I had no interest being called "Chopper Dan" or whatever they name you and being asked for autographs at local restaurants.

[Rooster]

More than likely, nothing will develop from this accident. Right now the FAA is giving its undivided attention to the EMS field because of the accident rate we have experienced in the previous ten years. By contrast, ENG flying has a relatively low accident rate, most of those due to the operators using piston engine machines. The reason you hear about them more is because of the industry they are involved in, not because new gathering has a higher accident rate. The rules are in place and are quite explicit as to what is expected of pilots when flying in close proximity to other aircraft. The simple fact is one or both of these pilots made an error and deviated from the rules and disregarded proper spacing between aircraft. Rule #1 from the day you strap in behind the controls is fly the aircraft. Everything else is secondary-- including getting the story, picking up a patient, blowing up that tank, or delivering the CEO to his next meeting.

As for police helicopters having priority, that is most often the case, and is enforced by ATC designating considerably higher altitudes for the news helos. The only time that would not be automatic is if an accident or chase occured in a rural area outside controlled airspace. Then it becomes a matter of common sense and courtesy to let law enforcement do their job.

Fortunately for me, things like car chases mean job security since stupidity never goes out of style.

[Ana Ng]

Nothing like seeing smack board posters "lose their heads" over a helicopter crash?!

/s/ Vic Morrow

[adam-$300]

RACK "Wow, if I had two friends just die an hour ago, I probably wouldn't be on here. But we all mourn in different ways. Sorry your friends crashed into each other."

[Bobby42]

Nothing like seeing smack board posters "lose their heads" over a helicopter crash?!

/s/ Vic Morrow

Cut me some slack..Will ya.

/s/ John Landis

[Kierland]

I was at the local waterpark when it happened. I didn't see the crash happen but the black smoke was pretty heavy down the road.
It is, of course, all over the local news.

I hope something good comes from it.

[THE SYSTEM]

I hope something good comes from it.

After laughing my ass off at Mike Backer, it looks like he outed this guy:



as the retard that he is...so that's something.


Rack MB

HAHAHAHAHAHA