Jerry Foster was an icon of mine as I grew up in metro Phoenix, AZ in the 1970s and 1980s. He wasn’t the first news helicopter pilot in the early ENG, or Electronic News Gathering, business….that goes to Los Angeles station KTLA: but he was the first for Arizona. Flying for KOOL radio/rv initially, Foster spent the bulk of his career at KPNX-12, flying the very well known Sky12 helicopter.
As there were very few law enforcement helicopters during the 1970s, Foster was often called upon by county sheriff offices and police depts to aid in search and rescue efforts, especially in remote areas of the state and the lakes surrounding the metro PHX area. Foster has many, many rescues and medevac missions to his credit. I met Jerry numerous times in my life, two different times when he landed at my elementary school, outreaches that he did often, and a few times at KSDL, when I was flying traffic watch planes and he was at the end of his career.
Foster had a home up in Cave Creek, north of SDL, with his own helipad, and KPNX allowed him to take his Hughes 500D home with him, where he could respond to quickly and either get the news, or become part of it.
Foster was a controversial figure who wasn’t without his own personal troubles, having had run-ins with the FAA, but also having been awarded one of the nations highest aviation honors, the Harmon Trophy in 1982. Eventually, Foster got in trouble for drug possession during the end of his career, not knowing what to do with his life as retirement was coming up and the excitement would no longer be there. Foster quietly retired from the public life he had so long lived within, being a guest in many people’s living rooms every night, with action aerial news coverage.
I became Facebook friends with Jerry long ago, discussing with him different times of AZ history that he was involved in and that I remembered, and he posting all kinds of memorabilia of photos and the like. He eventually wrote an autobiography, a really good book about his the different events in his life and the back story of the aerial news business, as well as the politics of it in the Phoenix market. Last year, Jerry entered hospice care for complications of lung cancer, and just 2 months ago, he took one last flight in an R66 helicopter as a passenger, having not been airborne in a helicopter in nearly 30 years, to take a tour around his old stomping grounds: Phoenix and much of Arizona. To see how big the metro valley had grown since his time, to see how Arizona has developed in those years. From the Grand Canyon to old town Bisbee, and from low deserts of Lake Havasu City to mountain country of St Johns. Jerry got to experience it from a helicopter one last time.
Today, Jerry’s wife Linda announced his peaceful passing at age 82. Thank you for being there and thank you for being an inspiration to a kid who was just one of many that saw the work you did and watched in awe….a guy who was bigger than life and who I though back then, would probably live forever. Though your life may have been complicated, you made everyone feel like they were a member of your family. Thank you for that.
Slow salute to you, sir.
View: https://youtube.com/watch?v=9lOzstYKktU
1979 documentary on Jerry Foster
View: https://youtube.com/watch?v=qhmvonysSPM
Jerry Foster’s final flight:
View: https://youtube.com/watch?v=4Xc8RBbyVTY
As there were very few law enforcement helicopters during the 1970s, Foster was often called upon by county sheriff offices and police depts to aid in search and rescue efforts, especially in remote areas of the state and the lakes surrounding the metro PHX area. Foster has many, many rescues and medevac missions to his credit. I met Jerry numerous times in my life, two different times when he landed at my elementary school, outreaches that he did often, and a few times at KSDL, when I was flying traffic watch planes and he was at the end of his career.
Foster had a home up in Cave Creek, north of SDL, with his own helipad, and KPNX allowed him to take his Hughes 500D home with him, where he could respond to quickly and either get the news, or become part of it.
Foster was a controversial figure who wasn’t without his own personal troubles, having had run-ins with the FAA, but also having been awarded one of the nations highest aviation honors, the Harmon Trophy in 1982. Eventually, Foster got in trouble for drug possession during the end of his career, not knowing what to do with his life as retirement was coming up and the excitement would no longer be there. Foster quietly retired from the public life he had so long lived within, being a guest in many people’s living rooms every night, with action aerial news coverage.
I became Facebook friends with Jerry long ago, discussing with him different times of AZ history that he was involved in and that I remembered, and he posting all kinds of memorabilia of photos and the like. He eventually wrote an autobiography, a really good book about his the different events in his life and the back story of the aerial news business, as well as the politics of it in the Phoenix market. Last year, Jerry entered hospice care for complications of lung cancer, and just 2 months ago, he took one last flight in an R66 helicopter as a passenger, having not been airborne in a helicopter in nearly 30 years, to take a tour around his old stomping grounds: Phoenix and much of Arizona. To see how big the metro valley had grown since his time, to see how Arizona has developed in those years. From the Grand Canyon to old town Bisbee, and from low deserts of Lake Havasu City to mountain country of St Johns. Jerry got to experience it from a helicopter one last time.
Today, Jerry’s wife Linda announced his peaceful passing at age 82. Thank you for being there and thank you for being an inspiration to a kid who was just one of many that saw the work you did and watched in awe….a guy who was bigger than life and who I though back then, would probably live forever. Though your life may have been complicated, you made everyone feel like they were a member of your family. Thank you for that.
Slow salute to you, sir.
1979 documentary on Jerry Foster
Jerry Foster’s final flight:
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