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🎧 Larry Welk: Veteran helicopter reporter, aviation entrepreneur, and grandson of television legend Lawrence Welk

🚁 Episode Summary

If you’ve ever watched a police pursuit in Los Angeles, chances are you’ve heard Larry Welk’s voice from above. Larry was in the helicopter for the very first televised police pursuit in L.A. history in 1992 and he’s been part of nearly every major aerial story since.

In this episode, Jason Ball catches up with Larry to talk about his remarkable journey from aviation student to pioneering TV news pilot, and how he helped shape an entire genre of live reporting from the skies. The two revisit iconic moments from the O.J. Simpson chase to the JetBlue landing gear emergency and discuss how those experiences changed the way television covered breaking news.

Larry also opens up about the crash that killed Kobe Bryant, explaining the phenomenon of spatial disorientation and the evolution of flight safety since. He reflects on how technology has transformed helicopter reporting from microwave feeds to Starlink satellite systems and what the future holds for airborne news coverage.

And in a more personal turn, Larry shares stories about his famous grandfather, Lawrence Welk, and what it was like growing up in a household tied to one of America’s most beloved entertainment families. He also talks about pivoting from news to running a power-line construction helicopter company and his surprising next dream: opening a comedy club.

✈️ Highlights

• The first-ever televised police pursuit and how it changed breaking news forever
• Covering the O.J. Simpson “white Bronco” chase from the sky
• Inside the JetBlue emergency landing that captivated the nation
• Spatial disorientation and the lessons learned from the Kobe Bryant crash
• From microwave to Starlink: how technology reshaped helicopter journalism
• Growing up a Welk — life in the shadow of a showbiz icon
• Building a business empire in aviation after leaving the news
• Larry’s next act: dreaming up a comedy club for California’s westside comics

🗣️ Key Quote

“We were there to cover someone’s worst day—and you had to remember that every time you went up.” — Larry Welk

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