'A lot of nerves': How it feels to pilot a Eurofighter Typhoon over Darwin

The roar of fighter jets has filled the skies above Northern Australia for Exercise Pitch Black, the nation's largest international aviation war games. Among the elite aircraft is the Eurofighter Typhoon, piloted by Spanish Air and Space Force Captain Jaime Molina Cegarra. This jet, the fastest in the exercise, can exceed 2,400 kilometers per hour and climb to altitudes twice the height of Mount Everest. For Captain Cegarra, flying such a powerful machine is an experience filled with "a lot of nerves." He explained that training teaches pilots to manage these nerves, focusing on concentration and taking things one step at a time. "Practice makes perfect," he noted, emphasizing a calm, methodical approach to complex maneuvers.

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We learn through our training how to calm those nerves, so they're always there, but you concentrate and you focus and you push on.

Captain Cegarra shares a personal connection with Australia, having studied in Canberra over a decade ago. This familiarity made participating in the exercise feel special. Since joining the Spanish air force in 2015, he has undergone rigorous training to withstand extreme G-forces, enduring up to nine times his body weight. "The jet can go even higher, but you practice that and you train and you go to do this special maneuver where you strain your body to keep the blood from flowing down to your legs," he said. This intense preparation is crucial for combat fighter pilots.

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You keep your mind busy, but take everything one step at a time [and] try not to rush it … and practice makes perfect.

Despite flying over crocodile-infested waters in the Northern Territory, Captain Cegarra finds Darwin's vast and uncongested airspace ideal for training. Unlike the saturated skies of Europe, the area offers a clear training ground. He described the experience of flying over the desert at night as being in a "big, black void," relying solely on instruments to maintain orientation. The sheer scale and lack of air traffic in Darwin provide a unique and valuable environment for pilots like Cegarra to hone their skills during Exercise Pitch Black.

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It was a great time when I was living here and I really hold Australia close to my heart.