Red Bull athlete Dario Costa (Italy) has made aviation history with a world-first dual maneuver in Afyonkarahisar, Türkiye, landing his race aircraft on a moving cargo train before lifting off again in a vertical pull from the same container.
This is another one of those projects that will echo in eternity. I am deeply proud of every project where my photographs witness history in the making. In this case, it was Dario Costa who redefined what is possible in aviation by completing something no one before him had even dared to attempt.

The Italian pilot executed a blind landing on a 2.5km track in heavy turbulence and shifting airspeeds, with only centimeters of margin for error, and a 50-second window to make contact and take off. The aircraft reduced to a near-stall airspeed of 87km/h (47 knots) to match the train travelling at its maximum operational speed of 120km/h (65 knots). Known as Train Landing, the project follows months of engineering analysis, simulation work, flight preparation, and safety protocols, combining synchronized speed matching, aerodynamic control, cognitive training, and millimeters-accurate timing.
This historic moment will continue to live long into the future through photographs and other materials that we captured. It was an honour to be part of something happening for the very first time ever. Now, with some distance from the event, I can say it fills my heart to look back at it and see how fantastically the project came together.
But I have to be honest and say that this was one of the most demanding projects I have ever worked on. Aircrafts and aerial photography are nothing new to me, and I can say the same for the spectacular endeavors in which athletes are performing something for the first time. However, the level of uncertainty on this project was something completely different. Projects like this test every skill a photographer possesses. Technical knowledge. Instinct. Experience. Calm under pressure.

THE BIG UNKNOWN

The challenges were immense and surfaced daily. And as is often the case when attempting something unprecedented, the most critical obstacles appeared on Day D.
No one knew exactly where along the 4-kilometre track Dario would manage to land the aircraft. That uncertainty added another layer of complexity to an already extraordinary operation. Five photographers, myself included, were positioned along the track. We all knew that without perfect synchronization, we could easily walk away without a single usable frame. For safety reasons, we had to remain well clear of the rails, and we relying heavily on long lenses which were an unavoidable necessity. The same goes for remote control cameras.
And then there was the weather. Outdoor projects always demand flexibility, but during those days we experienced constant shifts between sun and clouds, light was changing constantly. All that forced us to adapt in real time in the outdoor studio where conditions are dictated by nature.

TEAMWORK FOR SUCCESS

Lens selection, strategic positioning, and meticulous planning were critical. I say this often, but in this case, without excellent preparation there would simply have been no result.
Equally essential was communication between us photographers. Seamless coordination allowed us to function as a true team, and that teamwork is what ultimately made the documentation of this historic moment possible.

Remote-controlled cameras played a crucial role, both for safety and for capturing perspectives that would otherwise be impossible. Throughout the entire operation, I worked simultaneously with three cameras, each pre-calculated, positioned, and trusted to perform in a split second. And in the end – they did. When history accelerates past you at full speed, there is no room for hesitation. Only preparation, precision, and belief in the plan. This time, the plan was right.
And the results speak for themselves.

TECHNICAL AND AERODYNAMIC COMPLEXITY

Landing on a moving runway requires exact speed parity. In this case, Costa aligned the Zivko Edge 540 with the 9th and final container of the cargo train travelling at its full operational speed of 120km/h (65 knots). Meanwhile, he reduced the aircraft to its minimum controllable airspeed of 87km/h (47 knots).
During the manoeuvre, the train created significant wake turbulence and unstable airflow over the container, resulting in continuous adjustments to maintain longitudinal and lateral control. This decreased the airspeed over the container by 33km/h (18 knots), increasing the complexity of the feat.
Approaching from south-east to north-west, the aircraft synchronised precisely with the train’s direction and velocity. Even a minor mismatch of a few centimetres could have caused longitudinal or lateral overshoot from the narrow container surface.

Because of the aircraft’s design, attitude (that is, the position of the aircraft’s nose and wings with respect to the horizon – approximately 8 degree pitch-up), and the train’s dimension, the platform remained outside Costa’s field of vision throughout the approach. The pilot relied solely on cognitive training and skill to achieve alignment.


“Train Landing was one of the most challenging and demanding projects of my career. There were so many variables to measure, but the greatest test was learning to land blind on a very small moving runway – relying only on cognitive and flying skills. Despite the difficulty, it was a great experience. For the first time, an aircraft successfully interacted with a moving train, bringing together the oldest motorised transportation with the newest. It was a complex project that required precision, teamwork, and trust – and I’m proud we executed it as planned” – said Dario Costa.

INNOVATIVE PREPARATION AND TESTING

Ample aerodynamic studies were conducted to estimate the precise turbulence and airspeed reduction caused by the train.
Costa underwent cognitive preparation at the Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre in Thalgau, which included specialised “time–movement–anticipation” training, which proved critical to executing the blind landing.
Prior to the feat in Türkiye, a three-day moving-platform scenario was tested in Pula, Croatia, in collaboration with Rimac Automobili. Using their all-electric Nevera R hypercar as a precision-moving platform reference, Costa refined alignment and reaction timing.

INSPIRED BY TURKEY

Following Costa’s 2021 world-first project in Türkiye, Tunnel Pass - in which he flew through two highway tunnels outside Istanbul - the Italian pilot returned to the country to explore the feasibility of a new aviation concept. During that visit, he encountered a nostalgic passenger train in Kars, in the northeast of Türkiye, prompting him to consider unconventional landing concepts beyond static environments.
Extensive analyses and field studies ultimately identified Afyonkarahisar as the optimal location due to its railway infrastructure, operational conditions, and geographic characteristics, enabling the project to be executed in a controlled and secure environment.

WHY IT MATTERS

Executing a landing and take-off on a moving container represents a step change in applied aerodynamics and pilot skills. Completing the feat at full operational train speed and the lowest aircraft speed demonstrates how data-driven preparation and precision flying can expand the boundaries of controlled flight in non-traditional environments.

ABOUT DARIO COSTA

Dario Costa made his first solo flight at the age of 16, having developed a fascination with flying as a child. He took his interest seriously enough to study physics at university, then graduated to a job as an apprentice in an aerospace engineering company. At the of age 21, he began teaching aerodynamics in his former high school, as well as pilot theory courses at the Bologna’s flying club, L’Aeroclub di Bologna.
In 2003 he saw a Red Bull Air Race video and was so captivated that he decided to focus on acrobatic flying. He said, “I will never forget that moment. In less than a second an obsession took over everything else.” Once he’d mastered the techniques he taught them in Italian flying schools from 2008 to 2013, making him the youngest acrobatic flight instructor in Italy.

In 2011 Costa was the Contest Director for the 26th World Aerobatic Championships, held in Foligno, Italy. In 2013 he moved to Salzburg to join the Red Bull Air Race team as Flight Operations Manager and development pilot on the Extra 330LX and Zivko Edge 540. In 2016 he realised a dream when he became the first Italian to get the Red Bull Air Race Super License. In 2017 he was part of the elite Flying Bulls aerobatic display team.
In 2018, 15 years after watching that fateful first race, Costa’s ‘obsession’ became a reality as he made his debut in Red Bull Air Race’s Challenger Class, becoming the first Italian pilot ever to do so and claiming his first podium place in only his second race.
The following year, he made history when he became the first pilot to perform and include in his display routine a barrel roll in formation flight together with a helicopter (flown by Mirko Flaim).
In over 20 years of flying, Costa has clocked more than 5,000 flight hours in more than 60 different aeroplane models (check out his epic Formula One-inspired flight that featured in 2020’s Drum the Bull).
As an aerobatic stunt pilot, Costa has pulled off an array of incredible feats over the years, including his 2021 Tunnel Pass and the legendary Streif course preview four years later. In 2026, Costa added another world-first to his list of accolades, when he landed his plane on a moving train in Türkiye, then took-off again. His favourite aircraft is the Zivko Edge 540, which he uses for competitions and performances.

INSIDE THE PHOTOSHOOT WITH PREDRAG VUCKOVIC

Predrag Vuckovic brings extensive experience in photographing a wide range of aircraft, particularly race aircraft, having served for years as the official photographer of the Red Bull Air Race Championship.
His background in high-speed aerial photography is just one part of a broader portfolio built on extreme sports, outdoor projects, and complex, high-performance environments. Yet the Train Landing project demanded something beyond experience alone. This world-first manoeuvre pushed every aspect of Vuckovic’s expertise to its limits.

The complexity extended far beyond capturing speed or precision in motion. It required a rare combination of technical mastery, sharp instinct, strategic positioning, deep field experience, and complete composure under pressure – all executed in real time.
When history unfolds in unpredictable conditions and within a matter of seconds, every skill a photographer possesses is tested simultaneously. From operating multiple remote-controlled cameras and calculating precise angles along kilometers-long railway track, to selecting optimal lens configurations and making split-second creative decisions, there was no margin for error.

Equipment used for this project

  • Cameras: 2x Nikon Z9 cameras, 1x Nikon Z7 II
  • Lenses: Nikon Z 24-70mm f 2.8; Nikon Z 70-200mm f 2.8; Nikon Z 35mm f 1.2; Nikon Z 180 – 600mm f 5.
  • 3x remote controls PocketWizard Plus III
  • 4x GoPro Black 13
  • Accompanying equipment: different mounts and a lot of additional equipment.

The images documenting this project were not captured by luck, they are the result of preparation, experience, and strong composure in a moment where precision was everything.