KOBE BRYANT Pilot Violated FAA Rules Before

By: Victoria Ivory

As we all continue to mourn the tragic death of Kobe Bryant and the other victims in this tragedy, more information is coming out about the pilot. According to numerous reports, Aza Zobayan broke the rules by flying an AS350 helicopter in May 2015 and was not cleared by the FAA. Zobayan flew through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in terrible weather affecting visibility. He took full responsibility and was reprimanded. Zobayan went to FAA counseling that included special visual flight rules (VFR) weather minimums, proper planning and reviewing weather, per the report.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration records:

“Had Mr. Zobayan properly planned and reviewed current weather at LAX, he would have been able to anticipate the required action to transit … resulting in proper coordination.”