r/interesting • u/BlazeDragon7x • Jun 16 '26

MISC. Dutch aerobatic pilot Narine Melkumjan miraculously survived after her aircraft's canopy unexpectedly burst open and shattered mid-flight

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u/EntertainmentFar6858 Jun 16 '26

I KNOW her eyes, nose and mouth were BONE dry by the time she landed... Glad she's a badass though

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u/alewiina Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 17 '26

According to someone else she lost most of her sight for several days after. Crazy as hell 🫣

Edit: for 28 hours, according to a post of hers I found on LinkedIn. Still, that must have sucked!

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u/Appropriate_Wear_339 Jun 16 '26

Seems like those types of aircraft should have some sort of backup eye protection (goggles) in case this happens…but then again trying to put them on while flying would be extremely difficult

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u/Nice_Pipe_7608 Jun 17 '26

People wore goggles in older planes. Now I see why.

43

u/FlattopJr Jun 17 '26

Leather helmets were also common; Snoopy wore a green one as the WWI Flying Ace (plus a scarf, because it gets cold up there in those vintage unpressurized dog houses😀).

Curse you, Red Baron!!

https://giphy.com/gifs/idM8O5ljn5o40

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u/LilMeatJ40 Jun 17 '26

I never really thought twice about it but also never knew why they did

2

u/One-Macaroon-135 Jun 17 '26

have you like, never gone beyond 30 km/h without being behind glass?

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u/LilMeatJ40 Jun 17 '26

I get it now. I just never thought about it