A Ravenair pilot traced the words 'I'm bored' across the sky above the Dee Estuary on the England-Wales border during a test flight on Saturday, July 13, 2026. The message was captured on Flightradar24, a flight-tracking website, showing the aircraft's path forming the blunt two-word statement.
Flight Path and Details
The Piper Tomahawk took off from Liverpool and flew over Southport, Ormskirk, Wirral, Cheshire, North Wales, and the Dee Estuary during a two-hour journey. The pilot spent approximately 20 minutes carefully tracing the words in tight, angular loops over the water between Talacre and Greenfield, with the message clearly visible on the flight path. The aircraft was at an altitude of around 1,100 feet and traveling at speeds just under 100 knots.
Pilot's Motive and Reaction
Ravenair's operations manager, Wayne Barrett, told the BBC that the pilot was a flying instructor in his 20s who had taken the plane out for a test flight after a replacement part was fitted. Barrett said, 'I think the pilot was literally a bit bored, as it was just a test flight. Mind you, it was pretty skilful flying.' He confirmed the pilot would not face any punishment, adding, '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.'
Skill and Concentration
Despite the unauthorized route, Barrett praised the pilot's skill: '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.' Aaron Rheins, a flight tracking blogger on TikTok, commented, 'I've never seen a pilot saying he's bored by writing it in the sky.'
