Finnish air force trainees drew phallic shapes during routine flight exercises

The Finnish Air Force has confirmed that conscript pilots accidentally created phallic shapes in the sky while practicing turns during a training flight, Yle reports.

On the morning of April 13, a formation of Grob G 115E basic training aircraft took off from Tikkakoski Air Base as part of daily operations by the Air Combat School’s Fighter Squadron 41. The planes dispersed across Central Finland for exercises, with their flight paths later appearing as phallic shapes on the Flightradar24 tracking service.

In a statement to Yle, the Air Force clarified that the pilots were reserve officer trainees and that the patterns were a byproduct of practicing turns. “The purpose was to practice turns. Flight paths can form shapes, either intentionally or by coincidence,” the statement read.

The aircraft remained within their designated training area and followed assigned routes, posing no risk to other air traffic. The Air Force has addressed the incident internally, speaking with the instructors involved.

While the Air Force did not specify disciplinary measures, it emphasized that deviations from conduct standards are met with “appropriate action.” The incident was first reported by Iltalehti and Yle on April 17.