Pilot Makes Aviation History After Landing Plane on a Moving Train

On February 15, 2026, Italian aerobatic pilot Dario Costa completed a maneuver never attempted before. Flying a Zivko Edge 540, he landed on the ninth container of a cargo train traveling at 120 km/h, then lifted off again into a vertical climb from the same platform. The sequence took place in Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye, and required exact coordination between aircraft and train.

The train maintained its maximum operational speed while Costa slowed his aircraft to 87 km/h, near its minimum controllable airspeed. A mismatch of only a few centimeters in alignment or a slight speed difference could have caused an overshoot. The landing surface remained outside his forward view because of the aircraft’s 8 degree nose-up attitude and the height of the container. He relied on timing, spatial awareness, and airflow cues rather than visual references.

Managing Turbulence and Speed

A moving train generates unstable airflow. As the aircraft approached, turbulence over the container reduced effective airspeed by approximately 33 km/h. Costa made constant longitudinal and lateral corrections to maintain stability. All three wheels touched down on the narrow steel surface before he accelerated and pulled into a steep vertical climb.

The Edge 540, powered by a 400 horsepower engine, was optimized for lower-speed control using small vortex generators and custom strakes. No structural modifications were made. Precision depended on aerodynamic setup, pilot input, and coordination with the train crew over a 2.5 km track, leaving a 50 second window to complete approach, touchdown, and departure.

Preparation and Execution

Planning began in early 2024. Engineering teams used simulations to model wake turbulence and airflow disruption. Because repeated live attempts on a moving train were impractical, Costa trained using controlled moving-platform tests in Croatia with support from Rimac Automobili and its Nevera hypercar as a speed reference. He also completed cognitive timing drills at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre in Austria.

Costa previously flew through two highway tunnels in Türkiye during his Tunnel Pass project. This new maneuver extended that concept into synchronized motion between aircraft and rail transport. It demonstrated controlled flight at minimum airspeed in a dynamic environment shaped by mechanical turbulence and narrow margins.