Kobe Bryant Relied On Helicopters After LA Forced Him To Take Extreme Measures, Here’s Why

Kobe Bryant’s decision to use helicopters wasn’t about luxury. It was about something far more meaningful: family and balance. In a 2018 interview on The Corp With A-Rod and Big Cat, the Los Angeles Lakers legend opened up about why he chose this unique mode of transportation.

Living in Orange County while commuting to the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Bryant was constantly navigating a demanding schedule. Yet, he was determined to ensure that his career didn’t overshadow his role as a father.

Kobe Bryant detailed why he preferred helicopters as a mode of transport after a point in time

Sharing his daily routine on The Corp With A-Rod and Big Cat, Black Mamba shared he would wake up at 4 in the morning and lift weights at 5 in the morning. This routine was followed by him reaching home around 6:30 just in time to wake his kids up for school.

“I take them to school every morning and then drive to practice. This was before people started moving down south, so I could get to LA in thirty to forty minutes. I would stay late at practice and get back in time to pick the kids up from school.”

However, as Los Angeles traffic worsened, even Kobe Bryant’s careful planning wasn’t enough. It’s no secret that despite having so many roads, Los Angeles is known to suffer from some of the worst traffic scenarios in the US. The reason, you ask? Well, blame it on the huge population that lacks options when it comes to public transport.

An article by SlashGear mentioned that an INRIX study revealed a Los Angeles driver to lose 62 hours per year in traffic in 2021. It was a similar situation that Kobe once found himself in. “I was sitting in traffic and I wound up missing like a [daughter’s] school play. Because I was sitting in traffic,” he recalled. That moment hit him hard. How could he continue excelling in basketball while ensuring he didn’t miss the moments that mattered most at home?

Man I thought I felt everything I could feel about Kobe. But his explanation for using helicopters made me feel more. pic.twitter.com/daw7refpbF

— Kevín (@KevOnStage) January 27, 2020

The solution came in the form of helicopters. “That’s when I looked into helicopters and being able to get down and back in 15 minutes,” Kobe explained. This decision allowed him to meet both his professional and personal commitments seamlessly. Even when his wife Vanessa offered to take over school pickups, Kobe Bryant insisted on doing it himself. “You have road trips and times where you don’t see your kids. So every chance I get to see them and spend time with them, even if it’s 20 minutes in the car, I want that,” he said.

Interestingly, the helicopters also benefited his game. A 2010 GQ profile noted that helicopters were more than a convenience; they were essential for maintaining Black Mamba’s body. Avoiding long hours in traffic helped protect his knees, back, and overall performance. The only thing those flying machines could not protect was one of the most beloved basketball players.

Why was Kobe Bryant’s helicopter allowed to fly when the LAPD grounded theirs?

The tragic loss of Black Mamba, his daughter Gigi, and seven others in a helicopter crash continues to haunt many. As details from the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation emerged, one question lingered. Why was the helicopter allowed to fly when weather conditions were so poor? The crash occurred around 10 a.m. in Calabasas, California, after the aircraft collided with a hillside in heavy fog.

Adding to the mystery, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that its Air Support division had grounded its helicopters that same morning due to the dense fog. LAPD spokesman Josh Rubenstein shared that their helicopters only resumed flying later in the afternoon. This further amplified questions about why Bryant’s private aircraft received clearance to take off in such dangerous conditions.

Mar 6, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) reacts after being called for a double dribble against the New Orleans Hornets during the second quarter at the New Orleans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports

The decision ultimately came down to the helicopter’s pilot, Ara Zobayan, who requested special VFR (visual flight rules) clearance. Speaking on CBS This Morning, transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave explained in a 2020 report that special VFR allows a pilot to fly at a lower altitude and in reduced visibility, accepting a greater degree of risk.

This decision later faced heavy scrutiny, as many wondered if waiting for clearer weather might have prevented the tragedy—especially because aviation experts had raised concerns. Paul Cline, an assistant professor of aviation at York College, highlighted that visibility that day was less than three miles—conditions that should have restricted VFR flights.

Normally, pilots must rely on either their own sight under VFR or on air traffic control guidance under IFR (instrument flight rules). By requesting special VFR, Zobayan essentially declared that he could navigate the poor visibility on his own.

If only the chain of events had been different, if the decisions had been more sensible, perhaps multiple lives, including that of a basketball legend, could have been saved that day.