This pilot couldn’t be ruffled.
Terrifying video caught Ecuadorian aviator Ariel Valiente keeping his cool after a massive bird smashed into his cockpit.
The bird is seen dangling in front of him as he holds the stick before turning the camera to show his bloodied face with his air filter mask hanging to the side.
“In Vinces, Los Ríos province of Ecuador, a huge bird struck through the windshield of a crop duster plane mid-air. Fortunately, the pilot Ariel Valiente managed to control the situation,” aviation news outlet FL360aero said on Twitter.
A self-described semi-retired flight instructor wrote: “When in a stressful situation, pilots will revert to the first thing they learned. That’s why initial training is so important.”
Pilots are taught to adhere to the axiom “aviate, navigate, communicate” – to first fly the plane, then navigate and finally to speak with air-traffic control when the emergency is under control.
It was unclear what kind of bird was involved in the frightening incident, but some people suggested it may have been an Andean Condor, which can have a wingspan of up to 9 feet.
The video of the horrifying encounter quickly went viral.
“Damn straight outta horror movie. Love how calm the pilot is looking, badass,” one person said on Twitter.
Another summarized the midair collision succinctly.
“Pilot 1. Bird 0,” @GrotonPilot wrote.
