“Television is called a medium because it is neither rare nor well done.” - Ernie Kovacs In the newsroom, they called her “Sky Queen.” The nickname was clearly a riff on the black and white TV series from the fifties, which was about a rancher who used his Cessna to rescue hikers and help capture bad guys. The aircraft was named “Songbird” and his niece Penny was often a part of the successful outcomes of Sky’s adventures.
Have been following you for about a year now, Jim, and decided to chime in. I probably made a hundred chopper flights for one meaningless story or another. There was a period when I was going up every day just to get a weather shot! There were several terrifying moments, especially when inside the little Robinson R22...which you once described to me as a "Volkswagen Beetle with a propeller on top..." and then went on to tell me that the very aerodynamics that keep a chopper in the air are also trying to tear it apart. Wish I'd had the courage to say "no more" as you did. Really enjoy your stuff!
Quite a story, Jim. We repped KCNC TV/Denver for quite a while during my TV ad sales career with Katz Media. Your ability to provide so much back story is always appreciated. Take care and be well. JGS
Wow! Thank you for this story. I hadnt heard of her. But I remember those days. I worked for a few stations that used choppers and small planes like news taxis. In 1983, four days after I had flown with him, KHOUs pilot went down flying a private charter assignment. You are right; hubris and misplaced values caused us to take unnecessary risks with our lives to enrich those corporations.
Whilst on paid vacation as a truck driver in '04, I was waiting to make a delivery in Dallas. Parked across the street from a nondescript warehouse, not an airport. I heard the whip-whip-whip of an approaching helicopter just over head. I thought a crash was immanent. It just landed in the empty parking lot outside one of the big doors. Like you described, a bubble with a seat. The pilot got out and walked inside. About the time its' blades stopped spinning, he came out the door with a floor jack, pumped it up, and pushed it inside. About thirty minutes later, a different pilot, with a floor jack, pushed another "bubble" out fired it up and took off. Traffic reporters, I'll assume.
As a TV news reporter from back in the day when Karen Key was Sky Queen, I understand the risks she took. I was a TV news reporter at WFAA TV in Dallas, young, blonde and ready to roll just like Karen, eager to prove that as women we could easily compete with men. Although I was not a helicopter pilot, I flew on them, eager to get the story first. In November of 1980, WFAA's news helicopter -- returning to Dallas from Waco with video of the Baylor-Texas football game -- crashed killing all three aboard, including the photographer I had befriended and worked with regularly. When I heard the news that weekend, I dropped my head and cried as my stomach flipped. I whispered to myself, "There but for the grace of God go I." And to what end?
Have been following you for about a year now, Jim, and decided to chime in. I probably made a hundred chopper flights for one meaningless story or another. There was a period when I was going up every day just to get a weather shot! There were several terrifying moments, especially when inside the little Robinson R22...which you once described to me as a "Volkswagen Beetle with a propeller on top..." and then went on to tell me that the very aerodynamics that keep a chopper in the air are also trying to tear it apart. Wish I'd had the courage to say "no more" as you did. Really enjoy your stuff!
Another great story, thanks for sharing...
Quite a story, Jim. We repped KCNC TV/Denver for quite a while during my TV ad sales career with Katz Media. Your ability to provide so much back story is always appreciated. Take care and be well. JGS
Wow! Thank you for this story. I hadnt heard of her. But I remember those days. I worked for a few stations that used choppers and small planes like news taxis. In 1983, four days after I had flown with him, KHOUs pilot went down flying a private charter assignment. You are right; hubris and misplaced values caused us to take unnecessary risks with our lives to enrich those corporations.
Another winner JB.
Whilst on paid vacation as a truck driver in '04, I was waiting to make a delivery in Dallas. Parked across the street from a nondescript warehouse, not an airport. I heard the whip-whip-whip of an approaching helicopter just over head. I thought a crash was immanent. It just landed in the empty parking lot outside one of the big doors. Like you described, a bubble with a seat. The pilot got out and walked inside. About the time its' blades stopped spinning, he came out the door with a floor jack, pumped it up, and pushed it inside. About thirty minutes later, a different pilot, with a floor jack, pushed another "bubble" out fired it up and took off. Traffic reporters, I'll assume.
As a TV news reporter from back in the day when Karen Key was Sky Queen, I understand the risks she took. I was a TV news reporter at WFAA TV in Dallas, young, blonde and ready to roll just like Karen, eager to prove that as women we could easily compete with men. Although I was not a helicopter pilot, I flew on them, eager to get the story first. In November of 1980, WFAA's news helicopter -- returning to Dallas from Waco with video of the Baylor-Texas football game -- crashed killing all three aboard, including the photographer I had befriended and worked with regularly. When I heard the news that weekend, I dropped my head and cried as my stomach flipped. I whispered to myself, "There but for the grace of God go I." And to what end?