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

Spanish fighter pilot on what it takes to fly a Eurofighter Typhoon, the fastest jet at Exercise Pitch Black In short: Spanish Air and Space Force Captain Jaime Molina Cegarra flies a Eurofighter Typhoon jet, the fastest aircraft at this year's Exercise Pitch Black in Darwin. He is one of thousands of military personnel from 21 nations who have been training in the major aviation war games. Captain Cegarra says with its sheer size and lack of traffic, Darwin's airspace is a prime training ground for fighter pilots. Over the past three weeks, dozens of high-powered fighter jets have dominated the skies above Northern Australia as part of the country's largest international aviation war games, Exercise Pitch Black. With the ability to reach top speeds of more than 2,400 kilometres per hour, the Eurofighter Typhoon is the fastest jet in the training exercise, capable of climbing double the height of Mount Everest. For Spanish Air and Space Force Captain Jaime Molina Cegarra, the privilege of flying such a plane comes with "a lot of nerves". "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," he said. "You keep your mind busy, but take everything one step at a time [and] try not to rush it … and practice makes perfect. "So, just breathe in, breathe out and move on to the next thing." Captain Cegarra has a prior connection to Australia — more than a decade ago, he spent three years studying at St Edmunds College in Canberra, making the country his second home. "It was a great time when I was living here and I really hold Australia close to my heart," he said. After joining the Spanish air force in 2015, Captain Cegarra said he spent six years learning to battle extreme acceleration G-forces of up to nine times his own body weight while training to become a combat fighter pilot. "We can go up to nine Gs but that's just because it's the human limit for us," he said. "The jet can go even higher, but you practice that and you train and you go to do this special manoeuvre [where] you strain your body to keep the blood from flowing down to your legs. "With nine Gs it can go up to nine times your weight. So imagine your head could weigh between five to 10 kilos, so multiply that [to] just imagine the force on your neck when you're pulling those G [forces]." In just 30 seconds, Eurofighters can travel the speed of sound before climbing to a maximum height of 55,000 feet. Despite flying over crocodile-inhabited waters in the Northern Territory, Captain Cegarra said Darwin's sheer size and lack of traffic made the area's airspace a prime training ground. "It's very easy going out and coming back, and then in the fighting airspace you don't really have to worry about different altitudes or airliners coming in and out, which is a real big problem in Europe, given the air space is so saturated," he said. "Out in the desert there are no cultural lights as we call it, no city lights, nothing — so you're just flying in a big, black void. "You've just got to keep your instruments in mind to make sure you're not flying upside down when you think you're flying straight and level." Back home, Captain Cegarra performs heart-stopping aerobatic manoeuvres as a part of the Spanish Air and Space Force's flying demonstration team. Despite enjoying the Mindil Beach flyover last month, he said he would like to see the NT air display incorporate more thrilling stunts in the future. "It's really fun flying low and very fast, upside down, doing rolls, loops, all the good stuff," Captain Cegarra said. "I was enjoying it myself a lot from down at the beach, especially the flare dispenses, that was really cool. "We don't get to do that [kind of demonstration in Spain] and it's always nice to see a sunset show, and the flares were just the cherry on top."