Daring Pilot Lands Racing Plane on a Moving Train Before Taking Off Again

Lori Dorn
April 16, 2026

Red Bull pilot Dario Costa made aviation history when he briefly landed his racing plane on top of a cargo train moving at 120 km/h (75 m/h) and then took off again. This feat was incredibly difficult, as Costa not only had a tiny runway but he also had to fight high winds and turbulence to keep his plane aloft and without crashing into the trees in his path.

I’m going to attempt something that’s never been done before. Landing a plane and taking off from a moving train. Not only will my landing zone be moving at 120 km/h, but I only have the back container of the train to land on. I have very little room for error.

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Costa previously set an aviation record for flying through two separate tunnels.

Pilot Sets World Record Flying His Plane Through a 1,730 Meter Tunnel in Less Than 44 Seconds

Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.