Pilot Spells ‘I’m Bored’ With Flight Path During Test Flight, Amuses Internet
A routine aircraft maintenance flight in the United Kingdom turned into an online sensation after a Ravenair pilot used the aircraft's flight path to spell out the words “I’m bored”, delighting aviation enthusiasts who followed the journey on FlightRadar24.
The pilot was flying a Piper Tomahawk on a standard post-maintenance test flight after engineers replaced a component on the aircraft.
The plane departed Liverpool at about 11:30 a.m. and spent roughly two hours flying over the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire and parts of North Wales before returning safely to Merseyside at around 1:30 p.m.
The unusual flight pattern quickly went viral after it appeared on the flight-tracking platform, with many social media users praising the pilot's creativity and the precision required to trace the message.
Ravenair Operations Manager Wayne Barrett said the pilot, a flying instructor in his 20s, was carrying out a routine maintenance check following the replacement of a cylinder on the aircraft.
“I think the pilot was literally a bit bored as it was just a test flight. Mind you, it was pretty skilful flying,” Barrett said.
He explained that the test flight was necessary to confirm the aircraft was functioning properly after maintenance.
“When this happens, we take the plane up for a test run to make sure everything is OK, which it was,” he said. “He was a bit bored, but he probably had to concentrate a lot in the end to spell out the words, so he was probably anything but.”
Barrett added that the pilot has not faced any disciplinary action despite the widespread attention generated by the stunt.
“He’s not in trouble, but we have had a lot of attention from it. The plane is now safely back in the hangar and the pilot is on his day off.”
According to Ravenair, the aircraft successfully completed all required maintenance checks, and the playful flight path had no impact on the safety or purpose of the mission.
The pilot was flying a Piper Tomahawk on a standard post-maintenance test flight after engineers replaced a component on the aircraft.
The plane departed Liverpool at about 11:30 a.m. and spent roughly two hours flying over the Wirral Peninsula, Cheshire and parts of North Wales before returning safely to Merseyside at around 1:30 p.m.
The unusual flight pattern quickly went viral after it appeared on the flight-tracking platform, with many social media users praising the pilot's creativity and the precision required to trace the message.
Ravenair Operations Manager Wayne Barrett said the pilot, a flying instructor in his 20s, was carrying out a routine maintenance check following the replacement of a cylinder on the aircraft.
“I think the pilot was literally a bit bored as it was just a test flight. Mind you, it was pretty skilful flying,” Barrett said.
He explained that the test flight was necessary to confirm the aircraft was functioning properly after maintenance.
“When this happens, we take the plane up for a test run to make sure everything is OK, which it was,” he said. “He was a bit bored, but he probably had to concentrate a lot in the end to spell out the words, so he was probably anything but.”
Barrett added that the pilot has not faced any disciplinary action despite the widespread attention generated by the stunt.
“He’s not in trouble, but we have had a lot of attention from it. The plane is now safely back in the hangar and the pilot is on his day off.”
According to Ravenair, the aircraft successfully completed all required maintenance checks, and the playful flight path had no impact on the safety or purpose of the mission.
