Paraglider tangles with eagle.

[Garfly]

I'm pretty sure this was a raptor - or vulture - attack (as happens to aircraft, too) and not a mere 'collision'.

 

Anyway, as it happens, this amazing short story turns out well for man and beast:

 

 

 

[David D]

Wow, very good reaction and level head. I hope I could keep as calm as you did.

 

 

[Garfly]

Yeah, and I love how this short video is structured (by reality) into a kind of three act play.

 

 

Everything is calm and normal at the start - we can even hear our hero (a free-flying Russian) whistling in satisfaction at the wonders of the world below; the sheer joy of flight (we've all been there). Then, bang, his outcry - just before we see the swoop - sets off the crisis. After some crazy confused action, including finally falling out of a tree, there comes a point of resolution: "I'm fine! I'm okay" he shouts (as much to himself and the universe, as to proximate companions).

 

Now the play shifts as he addresses 'us' directly. He explains calmly, though with many expletives deleted, what it is we've just seen (experienced). His act of turning our viewpoint around shifts the play's register, suddenly, our pure pov is transformed to reveal the hero as an actual 'other' character. Then he (and we) discover the antagonist, still tangled in the shrouds. Showing more sorrow than anger,though, he tries to free it. More drama ensues around the age old issue of interspecies misunderstanding (international too, in this case ;-). But finally our avian friend, too, gets to squawk "I'm fine! I'm okay!" (I'm pretty sure I heard that) and all's well with the world once more.

 

You can hardly ask more than that from a 03:75' dramatic experience.

 

(It's a bit frustrating that the cam's limited POV means we miss a key moment - the reserve 'chute popping. But hey, withholding stuff has always been a useful dramatic device. ;-)

 

Truth is stranger than fiction. Ain't that the truth in the age of action-cam/YouTube.

 

 

[uqjhiggi]

Congratulations on surviving that incident and also on your very humane treatment of the Eagle.

 

 

[Garfly]

Yes, I agree ... credit's due to that Russian chap who lived it, filmed it and stuck it on the global village noticeboard for us all to enjoy.

 

;-)

 

 

[Garfly]

Yet another aerial adventurer survives to soar another day:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkqZGaJasDc

 

(I can understand why he's disabled comments on YouTube.

 

After surviving the loch he'd have drowned in free advice.)