Pilot Flies Blind, Lands Safely After Hailstorm Badly Damages Plane

Aug 15, 2019 by apost team

Flying a plane is no easy task. Conditions aren't always optimal. Even the most experienced pilots find challenges when the weather takes a bad turn. Hail storms, in particular, are among the worst weather hazards to suffer through. Hail not only creates visibility problems by its mere presence but it can be destructive.

Recently, a pilot suffered through a complete nightmare situation. Hail destroyed the windshield on the plane and the front of the nose. Miraculously, the pilot was able to fly the plane to safety.

Alexander Akopov found himself in a disastrous situation. The pilot was flying a commercial jet from Turkey to Cyprus when a hailstorm occurred according to The Telegraph. The combined speed of the hail and the plane created a tremendous force of impact. The hail wrecked the plane's nose, and the windshield experienced massive shattering. Akopov could not see through the windshield. He now had the lives of 121 passengers and six crew members on his shoulders.

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Pilots must know how to fly and land a plane using only the instruments. Doing so, however, comes with challenges and risks. The only time a pilot would rely exclusively on instruments would be in the extreme situation Akopov found himself.

Technical knowledge about reading instruments isn't the only skill a pilot must possess. The incredible stress and fear deriving from a potential plane crash situation can cause a panic. Akopov didn't succumb to panic. He continued to pilot the plane to safety, an amazing accomplishment. Afterwards, Akopov said to The Telegraph,

“I have been flying for 30 years. Well, did you see the plane landing? Was it OK? The passengers are alive. It is normal. This is our professional reliability.”

A tale about thriving and surviving during an impossible situation inspires all.

Watch it in the video below:

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