A viral video shows a pilot covered in blood after a large bird slammed through the plane’s glass and into his cockpit. The footage shows the bird’s remnants dangling from the cockpit. The pilot remained cool while he documented the state of the blood-splattered cockpit. Despite the hit, Valiente was able to keep the plane stable.
While the bird’s species has not been confirmed, it is thought to be an Andean Condor, which has a wingspan of up to 10 feet. The bird perished moments after the collision.
“When in a stressful situation, pilots will revert to the first thing they learned,” commented a Twitter user who described himself as a flight instructor. That is why beginning training is critical.”
“In the Los Ros Province of Ecuador, a pilot safely lands his plane after a large bird strikes his windscreen.” Another person who shared this video said, “Ariel Valiente was not injured during the incident.”
