Desiree Horton

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Desiree Horton

Born May 18, 1971 (1971-05-18) (age 37)
North Hollywood, California
Residence Chatsworth, California
Nationality Flag of the United States United States
Other names "Chopper Chick"
Occupation helicopter pilot, television news reporter, firefighter
Employers California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection; United States Forest Service; Corona, California Police Department; Heli-Flite; KCBS 2; KCAL 9; truTV (formerly Court TV)
Height 5' 7"
Known for Los Angeles' only female helicopter pilot/reporter [1]
Website
http://copterchick.blogspot.com

Desiree Horton (b. May 18, 1971), nicknamed "Chopper Chick," is a helicopter pilot and television personality based in Los Angeles, California. She is one of the few female helicopter pilots/on-camera reporters in Los Angeles television history.

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[edit] Career

Horton began to fly at age 19, shortly after high school. She worked two jobs (at a car dealership and a pharmacy) for two and a half years to pay for her training.[2] She explained, "I could only afford to take lessons once a week or once every other week as I made the money to pay for them."[3] She also washed local pilot/reporter Scott Reiff's helicopter in exchange for flying hours. She earned her pilot's license at 21, and since then has flown traffic watch, tours, frost control, charter, police operations, aerial construction, medical and organ transport. She has also ferried helicopters across the U. S.[3]

From 2001 to 2005, Horton flew and reported for KABC 7 in Los Angeles. She was with KTLA 5 in Los Angeles from April 2005 to October 2005, flying their helicopter and reporting traffic and breaking news for the KTLA Morning News.[4] Los Angeles magazine says, "The most memorable and unfortunate event Horton ever covered was in 2002, when five-year-old Samantha Runnion was kidnapped from her home in Stanton [California] and murdered. 'I hate to bring this up, but I was the first one on the scene when they discovered her body in the mountains. The police hadn't covered her up yet, and with my 1,000-millimeter zoom lens I could see everything.'"[1]

Los Angeles magazine's claim is debatable since on October 29, 2006, while flying for KNBC 4, Horton had to report the deaths of four of her fellow United States Forest Service firefighters (a fifth would later succumb to his injuries) in the arson-caused Esperanza Fire. The next day, Horton herself would be fighting that fire from the air.

Horton now divides her time among several jobs: In the summer, she fights fires by helicopter for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the U. S. Forest Service. Only about twenty women are certified by the USFS to do this.[5] Horton derives great satisfaction from fighting fires because she's saving people's property and maybe even their lives. She says it also provides an additional enjoyment that comes from making full use of a chopper's unique capabilities.[6] She was featured in the August 2007 issue of Wildland Firefighter magazine, in an article detailing her flying career.[3]

In the winter, she reports breaking news in the evening and at night for KCBS 2 and KCAL 9 in Los Angeles. Recently she has been doing aerial construction flying. She also flys a helicopter for the city of Corona, California Police Department.

Beginning in January 2008, Horton will star in her own television series Sky Racers on truTV (formerly Court TV). The show puts viewers inside the cockpit with Horton covering breaking news in the Los Angeles area.

Horton has also worked on a number of motion pictures where her helicopter served as an aerial camera platform. Horton and the helicopter have appeared on camera in several films. She is one of just a handful of female SAG/AFTRA chopper pilots.[citation needed] Her films include: American Icarus (2002), Showtime (2002), and One Six Right (2005).

Horton has her own company, Horizon Helicopters, Inc., in Studio City, California, for production jobs.[3]

[edit] Popularity with viewers

When KTLA replaced Horton late in 2005, popular media-tracking weblog Innocent Bystander said it subsequently received so many "hits" from people searching the Internet for Horton that it had to post an online warning saying it might be forced to shut down for a few days. This had never happened before.[7] Due to KTLA's distribution via satellite as a "superstation," viewers from as far as Canada wrote to complain that Horton was no longer on the Morning News.

Horton maintains a blog, The Adventures of Chopper Chick!, so her fans can keep up with her activities and ask her questions. She set up the blog after learning there were so many people asking about her on the Internet. "I didn't realize how many fans I had and how many people cared [about me] until I was gone [from KTLA]," she said.[8]

[edit] Personal life

Horton, who is single, was born and raised in North Hollywood, California. She is very close to her mom. Her KTLA bio stated: "One of the most cherished people in her life is her mother." [4]

Horton spends her spare time riding motorcycles (including dirt bikes) snowboarding, and surfing. She loves photography and takes pictures almost every day.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Kodash, Dirka (April 2007). The Life of a...News Copter Pilot (magazine). Los Angeles. Emmis Communications. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  2. ^ Lee, Shirley (December 2005). Pilot Desiree Horton Reported on Traffic, but Prefers Fighting Fires. Centenial Aviation and Business Journal. Airport Journals. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
  3. ^ a b c d Horton, Desiree. The Adventures of Chopper Chick!. Blogspot.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  4. ^ a b KTLA On-Air News Talent Biography for Horton. KTLA (July 29, 2005). Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  5. ^ U.S. Forest Service certification for Desiree T. Horton. FED Aviation Resources: Pilot Search Result. US Forest Service Aviation. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  6. ^ Sassaman, Gary (November 1, 2005). Desiree Horton: In her own words. Innocent Bystander. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  7. ^ Sassaman, Gary (November 23, 2005). Bandwidth Alert (Blog). Innocent Bystander. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  8. ^ Horton, Desiree (February 9, 2006). Thanks everyone! (Blog). The Adventures of Chopper Chick!. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.

[edit] External links