Air Force cadets under fire for drawing NSFW flight patterns during training mission

A group of trainee pilots in the Finnish Air Force is facing consequences after straying from their assigned flight paths during a training mission and creating inappropriate shapes in the sky.

The incident took place on April 13 around 7:30 a.m. local time, near Jyväskylä, a city roughly 170 miles north of Helsinki. During the exercise, at least four aircraft altered their routes in a way that formed two large crude images, along with two heart shapes. The patterns were visible in real time on the flight-tracking platform Flightradar, and screenshots quickly circulated online.

Finnish media outlets reported on the unusual display, drawing widespread attention. In response, the Finnish Air Force confirmed that the aircraft involved were operated by cadets enrolled in a reserve officer flight training program. Officials made clear that the behavior did not meet military standards.

According to the Air Force, the trainees were promptly disciplined, and an investigation into the matter has been opened. A spokesperson emphasized that personnel are expected to follow proper conduct at all times and that any violations are addressed accordingly.

Despite the misconduct, authorities noted that the flights themselves remained within a designated training zone and did not interfere with civilian or commercial air traffic.

This type of incident is not without precedent. In 2017, a U.S. Navy crew flying an EA-18G Growler created a similar image in the sky over Washington state using contrails, reportedly for amusement. While disciplinary action was initially considered, the crew ultimately received formal warnings instead.

More recently, in 2022, a U.S. Air Force pilot flew a pattern over waters near Cyprus and Lebanon that resembled a similar shape, though officials later said it was unintentional. In 2023, a helicopter operated by Malta’s armed forces also traced a flight path over Comino that appeared to form the same kind of image.