16 June 2023 , 11:41
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A squadron pilot kept a remarkably steady hand after a bird shattered through his cockpit window and into his face while flying the plane.
Ariel Valiente shared footage of the moment it smashed through while piloting the aircraft in Ecuador as he tried to keep his cool despite it obscuring his vision.
He was left covered in blood and feathers, as the huge bird - thought to have an Andean Condor which are among the largest in the sky - likely died almost instantly.
But despite the shock and horror, the skilled pilot and flight instructor had no choice but to keep his composure and was able to safely land.
Mr Valiente posted the clip online to show how pilots need to remain calm under pressure.
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The plane was hit by what is thought to be one of the world's biggest birds able to fly (Jam Press Vid)
The dead bird hangs in the cockpit of Ariel's plane (Jam Press Vid)He had been trailing over Vinces in the Los Rios province when the giant bird of prey careered straight through the glass and into him, dying on his head.
Condors can measure up to 10ft across in wingspan with adults weighing as much as 15kg, meaning it was no small feat for Mr Valiente as he continued to command the flight unfazed.
"When in a stressful situation, pilots will revert to the first thing they learned.
"That's why initial training is so important."
One person commented: "Poor bird. This is one of my worries while flying."
Ariel's uniform was left covered in blood (Jam Press Vid)Despite the blood on the back of the plane and gore stuck in the pilot's eye, Ariel looked surprisingly calm about his experience and even shared a selfie revealing his smeared face.
His uniform was also covered with bits of bird in footage taken while flying the plane during a training exercise.
While rare, birds have been known to be hit by planes while airborne.
In April this year, one passenger plane, taking off at San Andres island, Colombia, had to make an immediate emergency landing when a bird flew into one of its engines.
Terrifying footage showed flames erupt from the engine minutes after leaving the runway when it was struck.
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In 2016, a dead bird thought to have been an eagle was discovered embedded in the wing of a Saudi Arabian Airlines plane whilst still on the tarmac at Jeddah.
The bird of prey likely struck the plane while still in the air, aviation experts said at the time.