A Somerset podcaster flew in fighter jets with one of the world's best aerobatic teams.
Louis Skupien, who is also an entrepreneur and content creator, was invited by the Baltic Bees to fly in L-39 Albatros fighter jets.
The Baltic Bees are a civilian aerobatic display team based in Latvia that is known for their "jaw-dropping precision" and "close formation flying."
On Tuesday, March 25, the Talk4 podcast host took part in two full-formation aerobatic missions and one advanced training sortie.
He flew in the lead jet with team leader Artyom Soloduha, and together they performed a full airshow sequence, pulling up to 6G force and executing loops, rolls, and tight formation maneuvers as they would in the airshows.
Mr Skupien said: "Flying in formation with the Baltic Bees was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
"Imagine looking out of your canopy upside down 5,000ft up in the sky and seeing two other jets’ wings just feet away on either side of you, looping in perfect unison—so close you could almost reach out and touch it—all while climbing vertically, rolling, or looping at 500mph.
"The choreography, trust, and control involved is beyond words."
"We even recreated scenes inspired by Top Gun: Maverick, with the team stacked behind me while I led the formation upfront—it was pure cinematic magic."
According to Mr Skupien, the adrenaline of pulling 6 Gs and staying locked in tight formation with three other jets was "physically brutal and mentally razor-sharp."
He said: "I had to focus intensely while everything inside me was telling me to hold on.
"It was exhilarating, cinematic, and completely surreal.
"Leading the formation and seeing the jets sweep in behind me as we recreated Top Gun-style sequences was a personal highlight I’ll never forget."
The project is part of a new aviation documentary Mr Skupien is producing, combining aerial footage, behind-the-scenes access, in-depth interviews, hangar operations, and never-before-seen moments of life at 500mph.
He said: "What made this even more special was the rare access I was given.
"The Baltic Bees don’t often open their doors to content creators—this was a true one-in-a-million opportunity, let alone in a full formation practice where the pilots all come together for it.
"They invited me to their home base in Jurmala, Latvia, and trusted me to tell their story from the cockpit out.
"The result is set to be one of the most immersive and visually spectacular aviation projects I’ve ever made, thanks to cutting-edge camera tech, cockpit footage, and powerful storytelling."
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