Watch fighter jet pilot conduct impressive maneuver to avoid hitting birds
A Spanish jet pilot had to drastically change direction after spotting a flock of birds. The speedy maneuver left onlookers gasping.
A Spanish aircraft narrowly avoided contact with a flock of birds by performing an “evasive maneuver” in the middle of an air show.
Onlookers were in awe at the sight of an F-18 whizzing past, almost somersaulting its way around a flock of birds during the Gijon Air Festival over the weekend.
The aircraft, piloted by a member of the Spanish Air and Space Force, was one of a dozen airplanes participating in the three-day event that’s been held annually in Gijon, Spain, since 2006.
According to the event website, it is “currently the most representative air festival in Spain” and the lineup includes “civilian, military and institutional” aircraft.
Footage captured by an attendee shows the F-18 rotating slightly, quickly dropping altitude and approaching the shore before swooping back up skyborne.
Watch Spanish jet avoid bird-on-plane casualty at air show
The Spanish Air and Space Force addressed the incident on social media, after a flurry of questions from the public about what prompted the pilot to take such dramatic action.
“As you can see, one of our F-18s carried out an evasive maneuver upon detecting a flock of birds in its trajectory,” the agency wrote in a July 28 post. “This action was part of a standard protocol that preserved the integrity of the pilot just as it did the safety of the public.”
The agency noted that its pilots, including the one seen flying in the clip, are trained to react to any unforeseen event in a matter of milliseconds.
The Spanish Air and Space Force applauded its pilot, who it said showed “exemplary speed and professionalism” by avoiding a possible collision without compromising the rest of the show.
“Safety is and will continue to be our highest priority in each and every aerial demonstration. Thanks to all attendees for their enthusiasm and trust,” the agency said. “Let’s keep flying together.”