Dario Costa (Italy) completes a world-first aircraft landing and vertical pull take-off on a moving cargo train in Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye.
AFYONKARAHİSAR, Türkiye, Feb. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 15, 2026, Red Bull athlete Dario Costa (Italy) executed a world-first dual manoeuvre in Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye, landing his Zivko Edge 540 aircraft on a moving cargo train travelling at 120 km/h before lifting off again in a vertical pull take-off from the same container.
The aircraft reduced to a near-minimum controllable airspeed of 87 km/h (47 knots) to align with the train at its maximum operational speed of 120 km/h (65 knots). The full sequence – approach, blind landing and take-off – was completed within a 50-second window along a 2.5 km railway section.
The landing was conducted on the ninth cargo container. During the blind final approach, the platform remained outside Costa's field of vision due to the aircraft's attitude and the train's dimensions. Continuous aerodynamic corrections were required to maintain longitudinal and lateral alignment amid turbulence and unstable airflow generated by the moving train.
The Zivko Edge 540 is a mid-wing, single-seat, piston-engine aircraft powered by a 400-horsepower engine, with a wingspan of 7.5 m, length of 7 m and landing gear width of 1.70 m. No major structural modifications were made. The aircraft setup was optimised for lower-speed flight using two custom strakes and six (3+3) small vortex generators.
Preparation included aerodynamic analysis, simulation work and flight preparation, as well as cognitive "time–movement–anticipation" training at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre in Thalgau, Austria. A three-day moving-platform scenario was tested in Pula, Croatia, to refine alignment and reaction timing.
"Train Landing was one of the most challenging and demanding projects of my career," said Costa. "Landing blind on a very small moving runway required complete focus on cognitive and flying skills. It was a complex project that required precision, teamwork and trust."
This marks the first time in aviation history that an aircraft has successfully landed and taken off from a moving train at full operational speed. The achievement by Red Bull athlete Dario Costa (Italy) establishes a new benchmark in applied aerodynamics and precision aviation.
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