The Czech Flying Bulls Aerobatics Team made aviation history by completing a world-first inverted group loop around Montenegro’s Mala Rijeka Bridge, the highest railway bridge in Europe. This groundbreaking achievement, executed in challenging conditions, is a milestone not only for the team but also for aerial stunts in general. Projects like these are my favorite, because I get the chance to photograph something unprecedented. Also, it took me back to the place where over a 15 years ago I photographed another historic accomplishment with attribute “world-first”.
Flying Bulls executed the inverted loop with four planes in a tight diamond formation, navigating upside down through the steep canyon beneath the 500-metre-long Mala Rijeka Bridge. This attempt was demanding on multiple fronts. The team faced the challenge of maintaining a tight diamond formation while performing the loop, enduring intense negative G-forces in a restricted environment. These conditions required extraordinary skill, precision, and trust between pilots. The location also posed a difficulty. The steep canyon and towering structure of the Mala Rijeka Bridge created a demanding setting with no room for error, making the successful execution of the maneuver even more remarkable.
For me as a photographer, capturing this project was equally challenging. The extreme conditions, combined with the need to show the whole scale of their accomplishment, required a careful strategy. I relied heavily on shots from a helicopter, remote-controlled cameras, and cameras mounted directly on the aircraft to capture the most incredible angles and highlight the project’s epic moments. A key element in projects like this is the close bond I share with the athletes – in this case, the Flying Bulls pilots – who I’ve worked with before. This mutual trust and understanding made communication at the highest possible level, allowing us to achieve the shots we imagined.
This project holds special meaning for me, not only for its historic value but also because it took place in Montenegro, my neighborhood. I know the Mala Rijeka Bridge and its surroundings well, as it’s featured in my book, Montenegro from a Different Perspective. This bridge also brings back fond memories from 2008, when I photographed Cedric Dumont’s historic BASE jump here, another pioneering feat that opened new chapters in adventure sports history. The four-member Flying Bulls team – comprised of Stanislav Čejka (leader), Jan Tvrdík (right wing), Jan Rudzinskyj (left wing), and Martin Špaček (slot) – took off from Montenegro’s Nikšić Airport before approaching the bridge. The maneuver demanded precise coordination and timing, as each pilot was required to follow the leader’s every movement while skimming past rugged cliffs and flying within meters of the towering structure.
Upon completion, team leader Stanislav Čejka noted: “This kind of move is rarely done even in open skies. To do it in a canyon is something that hasn’t been attempted before,” The team’s skill was evident; even the slightest error could have resulted in disaster in such an unforgiving environment. “We had to block out everything – the rocks, the bridge – and concentrate solely on following Stanislav’s lead,” said Tvrdík. Months of careful planning preceded the attempt. The technical demands of flying in formation, compounded by the psychological challenges of performing in such treacherous surroundings, meant the pilots had to calculate risk and prepare for every eventuality. The bridge’s massive concrete pillars and rough geography added complexity, offering no margin for error.
“The rocky terrain and the fact that a straight approach was only possible from one side made this [flight] exceptionally complex, especially in formation,” explained Čejka. Originally, the Czech Flying Bulls Aerobatics Team scouted several locations in the Czech Republic for this project, but nearby high-tension wires posed too great a risk, forcing them to look further afield. Montenegro’s Mala Rijeka Bridge proved to be the ideal setting – a remote, towering structure in a dramatic landscape spanning a deep canyon that would test every ounce of the team’s skills.
Although they had planned to include additional aerobatic elements, such as a double mirror pass under the bridge – where one plane rolls while the other mirrors the movement, creating a symmetrical and visually striking effect in the air – weather conditions on the day limited their options.
With numerous records and titles to their name, the Czech Flying Bulls Aerobatics Team continues to redefine the limits of formation flying. This latest world-first adds to their long list of accomplishments, solidifying their reputation as one of the best aerobatics teams in the world.
Thanks to their relentless pursuit of excellence, they are poised to push the boundaries of aerial performance even further; and as they look ahead, the sky is no longer the limit. It’s just the beginning.