Desiree Horton
Encyclopedia
Desiree Tyler Horton 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.
in North Hollywood, California
, a suburb of Los Angeles. She worked two jobs (at a car dealership and a pharmacy) for two and a half years to pay for her training. 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." She also washed local pilot/reporter Scott Reiff's helicopter in exchange for flying hours. At one point, Horton was a stuntwoman, riding horses for films.
She earned her pilot's license at 21, and since then has flown traffic watch, tours, frost control, charter, wildland firefighting, police operations, aerial construction, bank runs, medical and organ transport. She has also ferried helicopters across the U. S.
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.
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.'"
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. 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. She was featured in the August 2007 issue of Wildland Firefighter magazine, in an article detailing her flying career.
In the winter, she reports breaking news in the evening and at night for KCBS 2
and KCAL 9
in Los Angeles. She has also flown a helicopter for the city of Corona, California
Police Department.
Horton, who is on the board of directors of the Professional Helicopter Pilots Association (PHPA), has over 7,400 hours (August 2008) in rotorcraft and says her dream is to work for the Los Angeles County Fire Department
.
She has been featured in articles in Private Pilot, Air Beat, Pilot Magazine, Pacific Flyer, and the LA 411 directory. With regard to Horton, LA 411 said: "A young woman with a breezy nature, youthful looks and bright smile, it's often assumed [on a movie set] that she can't possibly be there to fly an aircraft. In fact, she's been yelled at for simply going near the helicopter."
Horton says, "I've even been told sometimes when they see me walking toward the helicopter, ‘Hey girl get away from the helicopter!'"
The May 1, 2009 edition of the Smithsonian Institution
's publication Air & Space/Smithsonian identifies Horton as "a specialized breed of aviator [that] has evolved, one adapted to the medium of live television" since the invention of the Telecopter.
She has also appeared as a model in both the Harley-Davidson
motorcycle catalog and the Harley-Davidson clothing catalog. Horton and her helicopter have appeared on camera in several films including American Icarus (2002), Showtime
(2002), and One Six Right
(2005). Horton has also worked on a number of motion pictures where the helicopter served as an aerial camera platform. She is one of just a handful of female SAG
/AFTRA chopper pilots.
In 2008, Horton was set to star in her own television series Sky Racers on truTV (formerly Court TV
). The show, which never left the development stage, was to put viewers inside the cockpit with Horton covering breaking news in the Los Angeles area. In August 2008, Horton was flying and filming scenes in Maui
, Hawaii for another truTV show, Maui Chopper, to debut on December 10, 2008. In March 2010, Horton represented Heli-Barbie in a commercial made for Mattel, Inc.'s Barbie
doll. As of November 2011, she was studying to get her license as an emergency medical technician
(EMT).
Horton has her own company, Horizon Helicopters, Inc., in Studio City, California, for production jobs.
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.
Horton spends her spare time riding motorcycles (including dirt bikes), snowboarding, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and surfing. She loves photography and takes pictures almost every day.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She is one of the few female helicopter pilots/on-camera reporters in Los Angeles television history.
Career
Horton began to fly at age 19, shortly after graduation from North Hollywood High SchoolNorth Hollywood High School
North Hollywood High School, originally called Lankershim High School when it opened in 1927, is a secondary school in North Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. The school mascot is the husky, and the school colors are blue, white and grey....
in North Hollywood, California
North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
North Hollywood is a district in the San Fernando Valley region of the city of Los Angeles, California, along the Tujunga Wash. It is bounded on the south by Moorpark Street and the Ventura Freeway, on the southwest by Burbank Blvd...
, a suburb of Los Angeles. She worked two jobs (at a car dealership and a pharmacy) for two and a half years to pay for her training. 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." She also washed local pilot/reporter Scott Reiff's helicopter in exchange for flying hours. At one point, Horton was a stuntwoman, riding horses for films.
She earned her pilot's license at 21, and since then has flown traffic watch, tours, frost control, charter, wildland firefighting, police operations, aerial construction, bank runs, medical and organ transport. She has also ferried helicopters across the U. S.
From 2001 to 2005, Horton flew and reported for KABC 7
KABC-TV
KABC-TV, channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Los Angeles, California. KABC-TV's studios are located in Glendale, California...
in Los Angeles. She was with KTLA 5
KTLA
KTLA, virtual channel 5, is a television station in Los Angeles, California, USA. Owned by the Tribune Company, KTLA is an affiliate of the CW Television Network. KTLA's studios are on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and its transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson...
in Los Angeles from April 2005 to October 2005, flying their helicopter and reporting traffic and breaking news for the KTLA Morning News.
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.'"
Los Angeles magazine's claim is debatable since on October 29, 2006, while flying for KNBC 4
KNBC
KNBC, channel 4, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, licensed to Los Angeles, California, USA. KNBC's studios and offices are located within the NBC Studios complex in Burbank, California, and its transmitter is located on Mount Wilson...
, Horton had to report the deaths of four of her fellow United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
firefighters (a fifth would later succumb to his injuries) in the arson-caused Esperanza Fire
Esperanza Fire
The Esperanza Fire was a wind-driven, arson-caused wildfire that was started in a river wash near Cabazon, California, west of Palm Springs, California. By Sunday, October 29, 2006, it had burned over 61 square miles and was 85% contained...
. 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
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is the State of California's agency responsible for fire protection in State Responsibility Areas of California as well as the administration of the state's private and public forests. It is often referred to as The California Department of...
and the U. S. Forest Service. Only about twenty women are certified by the USFS to do this. 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. She was featured in the August 2007 issue of Wildland Firefighter magazine, in an article detailing her flying career.
In the winter, she reports breaking news in the evening and at night for KCBS 2
KCBS-TV
KCBS-TV, channel 2, is an owned-and-operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Los Angeles, California. KCBS-TV shares its offices and studio facilities with sister station KCAL-TV inside CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles, and its transmitter...
and KCAL 9
KCAL-TV
KCAL-TV, channel 9, is an independent television station in Los Angeles, California, USA, owned by the CBS Corporation. KCAL-TV shares its studio facilities with KCBS-TV inside CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles, and its transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson.-Digital...
in Los Angeles. She has also flown a helicopter for the city of Corona, California
Corona, California
Corona is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 152,374, up from 124,966 at the 2000 census...
Police Department.
Horton, who is on the board of directors of the Professional Helicopter Pilots Association (PHPA), has over 7,400 hours (August 2008) in rotorcraft and says her dream is to work for the Los Angeles County Fire Department
Los Angeles County Fire Department
The Los Angeles County Fire Department , serves unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County, as well as 58 cities and towns that choose to have the county provide fire and EMS services, including La Habra. It should not be confused with the Los Angeles City Fire Department, which serves the city of...
.
She has been featured in articles in Private Pilot, Air Beat, Pilot Magazine, Pacific Flyer, and the LA 411 directory. With regard to Horton, LA 411 said: "A young woman with a breezy nature, youthful looks and bright smile, it's often assumed [on a movie set] that she can't possibly be there to fly an aircraft. In fact, she's been yelled at for simply going near the helicopter."
Horton says, "I've even been told sometimes when they see me walking toward the helicopter, ‘Hey girl get away from the helicopter!'"
The May 1, 2009 edition of the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
's publication Air & Space/Smithsonian identifies Horton as "a specialized breed of aviator [that] has evolved, one adapted to the medium of live television" since the invention of the Telecopter.
She has also appeared as a model in both the Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
motorcycle catalog and the Harley-Davidson clothing catalog. Horton and her helicopter have appeared on camera in several films including American Icarus (2002), Showtime
Showtime (film)
Showtime is a 2002 action-comedy film directed by Tom Dey and starring Robert De Niro and Eddie Murphy.-Plot:The film centers on two cops, Mitch Preston and Trey Sellars , who are paired together for a reality police show and run into real trouble with a crime lord...
(2002), and One Six Right
One Six Right
One Six Right: The Romance of Flying is an independent film about the general aviation industry as seen through a local airport. Within a short period of time, it has achieved a passionate following and presence among pilots and aviation enthusiasts worldwide who see the film as being able to...
(2005). Horton has also worked on a number of motion pictures where the helicopter served as an aerial camera platform. She is one of just a handful of female SAG
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
/AFTRA chopper pilots.
In 2008, Horton was set to star in her own television series Sky Racers on truTV (formerly Court TV
Court TV
truTV is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Time Warner. The network launched as Court TV in 1991, changing to truTV in 2008...
). The show, which never left the development stage, was to put viewers inside the cockpit with Horton covering breaking news in the Los Angeles area. In August 2008, Horton was flying and filming scenes in Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, Hawaii for another truTV show, Maui Chopper, to debut on December 10, 2008. In March 2010, Horton represented Heli-Barbie in a commercial made for Mattel, Inc.'s Barbie
Barbie
Barbie is a fashion doll manufactured by the American toy-company Mattel, Inc. and launched in March 1959. American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration....
doll. As of November 2011, she was studying to get her license as an emergency medical technician
Emergency medical technician
Emergency Medical Technician or Ambulance Technician are terms used in some countries to denote a healthcare provider of emergency medical services...
(EMT).
Horton has her own company, Horizon Helicopters, Inc., in Studio City, California, for production jobs.
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. 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.
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."Horton spends her spare time riding motorcycles (including dirt bikes), snowboarding, hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, and surfing. She loves photography and takes pictures almost every day.