Today in Los Angeles, at 10am local time, the Staples Center will host a memorial service for Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. Like many people, I’ve gotten to thinking about helicopters and fog safety in the wake of the tragedy. I’ve flown in many helicopters, and the only time that I was really nervous was when I was in one on New Zealand’s South Island. We were filming my Hot Spots 2012 show for Travel Channel. We had the same pilot that Peter Jackson used when scouting locations for The Hobbit. After taking off and flying for about 30 minutes, though, we found ourselves in serious fog. I freaked out because I was sitting in the front seat and I could tell that the pilot was a little disoriented as he started to look for gaps in the clouds so we could land at our destination. Eventually, of course, we made it safely to the ground.
Another story also comes to mind (I know it has nothing to do with helicopters but it involves fog): Growing up in Connecticut, I was known as Johnny Jet Ski because I loved to jet ski. I was pretty good at it. But once, I was jet skiing on Long Island Sound when heavy fog rolled in. Within seconds I had no idea which way to go. I panicked and started (unknowingly) moving away from shore—just as a good size boat came out of nowhere and went right by me. Fortunately, a break in the clouds followed soon after and I was able to make my way back. But fog is scary, and it can mess anyone up. I knew the area well and I still got disoriented.
If there’s a lesson to be taken from the terrible story of Kobe, Gianna and the seven others onboard with them, for me it’s that heavy fog is no joke when you’re in any kind of vehicle that requires that the operator have visibility. That means not only helicopters but small planes, boats and cars, too. It’s not worth the risk, no matter how good your driver or pilot is—or in the helicopter scenario, how safe helicopters truly are (they’re pretty safe). It drives me nuts when tour operators (cruise, boat, helicopters, adventure…) don’t cancel tours due to weather, even when they know the experience won’t be as pleasant. Do your research first, of course, but if you don’t like the fog or other weather you see, don’t be afraid to cancel or reschedule.
More fog safety tips
In the air, on the water or on the road, fog safety starts with knowing when you shouldn’t go at all. But there are also more specific tips to keep in mind, as either a passenger or an operator. A few links to such tips are below. If you have your own fog safety tips (or scary experiences like mine), please share them in the comments below!
- Ocean safety in fog
- Road safety in fog
- Helicopter safety in fog (mostly for pilots)
Have your own tip? Email it to whitney@johnnyjet.com!
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