07-05-2025
Pilot Asks for Friend's Location—Nobody Prepared for What He Does Next
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
In a video that has stunned viewers across TikTok, a young pilot pulled a surprise on his friend that soared far beyond expectations.
During flight training, Dylan, a 23-year-old pilot student, surprised his friend with a stunt as he was lounging by the pool of a South Florida clubhouse.
In the viral clip, shared in April under the username @wildflys which has so far racked up over 467,100 views, Dylan, who is flying a Skycatcher 162, asks his friend to look up at the sky in 20 seconds so he can say hi.
As the video transitions to the second half, Dylan, accompanied by a certified flying instructor, flies right over his friend chilling at the clubhouse, which can be identified by the sparkling pool and palm trees right beneath.
"POV [Point of view]: you share locations with your pilot friend," he writes in the clip.
"My friend in the pool knew I was having a flight lesson that day, and they were tracking my flight on ForeFlight, waiting for me to pass by the neighborhood clubhouse on my way to the practice area," Dylan told Newsweek.
Screenshots of the viral video show Dylan flying over his friend lounging by a South Florida hotel pool.
Screenshots of the viral video show Dylan flying over his friend lounging by a South Florida hotel pool.
wildflys
The clip was filmed using Meta Ray-Ban glasses, a hands-free POV [point of view] recording device that allowed the student pilot to capture every thrilling second of his cockpit perspective while ensuring no distractions from his role.
The aviation industry is attracting young talents at a rising rate. In its latest aerospace forecast released last year, the Federal Aviation Administration says that in 2023, it issued 69,503 student pilot certificates, about 24 percent more than the previous year.
The number of passengers flown by air carriers also increased by 13.9 percent, to about 1 billion in 2023.
Air travel is still by far the safest means of transportation, followed by rail and bus travel. Cars and motorcycles pose significantly higher risks to passengers, according to TK Injury Lawyers.
Planes are getting even safer. Data shared by Statista says that while back in the '90s planes would experience about one fatality in 1.3 million passengers boarding, now that number has shrunk further down to one fatality in 13.7 million.
The video proved popular on TikTok, receiving over 104,500 likes on the platform.
One user, Vibez, commented: "The way I'd be closer circling like a bird."
B4ts4for1f3 said: "This is gonna be the type of stalker ima be if I become a pilot."
Sav added: "Bro takes I see you to the next level."
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