Bryant, who lived in Newport Beach and Los Angeles, was known to keep a chartered helicopter at Orange County’s John Wayne Airport. Kurt Deetz, a former pilot for Island Express Helicopters, told The Times he flew Bryant from 2014 to 2016. Bryant favored the model, which is preferred by celebrities for its comfortable interior and solid safety record, Deetz said. Parts of Southern California were enveloped in thick fog as the helicopter made its way from Orange County to Los Angeles. A visual flight rules flight “is based on the principle of see and avoid.” When operation of an aircraft under visual flight rules isn’t safe, often because of inclement weather, a pilot can opt to fly under instrument flight rules.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 27, 2020 15:11 UTC