F-16 redirects aircraft from mar-a-lago

An F-16 fighter jet was dispatched on Friday (04 April at 10:50am ET) to redirect a civilian aircraft out of restricted airspace over Mar-a-Lago, where President Donald Trump was spending the weekend. The maneuver which the pilot executed is called a “headbutt”, where the jet flies aggressively towards the other plane, crossing in front of the nose and directing the other pilot to follow.

It is not clear what aircraft was entering the restricted airspace, but it was successfully led away without further incident.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) puts out Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) to air crews, enforced by NORAD. TFRs are typically put in place during presidential visits.

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ABOUT THE MANUEVER:

Typically, the “headbutt” maneuver is preformed when communications with the other aircraft are unsuccessful. These maneuvers are done without forcing the other pilot to fly though a violent or dangerous wake. The two aircraft also do not make physical contact with each other.

“Every pilot that’s gone through basic pilot training to get their license should have been exposed to the FAA rules on what to do when intercepted by an air defense fighter,” Shaw Air Force Base says. “Turning across your nose means to follow the fighter because you’ve entered some kind of restricted airspace.”

11 April 2025