Pilots aboard a Toronto flight that took off from Pearson Airport last month are being praised for keeping cool and landing safely after their plane hit a 11-pound (5.4-kilogram) bird during takeoff.
The incident involved a Flair Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 operating flight FLE641/F8641 from Toronto to Winnipeg International Airport on October 24. Shortly after takeoff, the pilots declared PAN-PAN – a term used in radiotelephone communications to indicate that there is an emergency aboard a boat, ship, aircraft or other vehicle – and reported a bird strike.
A reconstruction of the events was detailed in a video on the YouTube channel ATC.
“We have a broken front windshield in the cockpit. We have a bird strike and we are not building pressure. We will request vectors to the west to stay out of the aircraft's path and prepare for our return landing,” the pilot informs air traffic control.
“We will stop on the runway. It's more likely that we won't be able to roll. The windshields are broken and we can’t see outside,” says the pilot, confirming that there are 179 passengers on board the plane.
Fortunately, the aircraft landed safely without further incident and remained on the runway for approximately 25 minutes before continuing to the gate.
The plane's pilots were quickly praised for remaining calm and communicating effectively with air traffic controllers during the horrific ordeal.
“Professionalism on display. No panic. Calm on both sides, able to assess the situation and then take necessary action,” one person wrote under the video.
“Obviously a very well-trained crew. Whether it is the captain or the first officer communicating with ATC, the voice is calm, clear and distinct. We all hope that these types of professionals will fly us to our next destination. Hats off.” “A job well done,” says another comment.
Flair Airlines confirmed to blogTO that the pilots on board the flight were uninjured and were back at work the next day.
According to reports, the bird species involved in the crash was a large crane weighing more than 5 kilograms.
“The bird struck the top of the captain's side windshield, causing damage and resulting in some broken glass on the flight deck, but there were no injuries,” the airline said in a statement.
“The pilots handled the situation professionally and returned to land in Toronto. The flight operations team ensured the safety of the crew and, as always, offered the opportunity for time off and support.”