The first attempt at an in-flight Plane Swap proved unsuccessful.
According to a report from USA Today, Luke Aikins and Andy Farrington of the Red Bull Air Force were unsuccessful in completing the “plane swap” Sunday night over the Arizona skies, as one plane spiraled out of control as the two pilots were thousands of feet in the air.
Both pilots were safe with no reported injuries.
You can read the full report here.
Just to start, my opinion is that anyone who destroys an airplane purposely deserves the death penalty. They figured out most of the stunt. The part they missed is what happens if something went wrong (that last one percent). With all the prep, they could have included an airplane parachute. They are available. If they did that then the FAA might have said yes. They went ahead anyway despite the no from the FAA, and now must pay the price. But for me it is not severe enough. RIP C182 🙁
I love airplanes as much anyone, but the death penalty? I hope that was just hyperbole.
Red Bull may challenge based on deploying materials from a C-130. Or the recovery of target drones I worked with for Beech Aircraft, which at times were lost from controller view in populated areas or were being tracked by radar with no ground view at White Sands.
The FAA will pursue enforcement action against both pilots. No question. I have contacts within the FAA that affirm this. You need to get a waiver at the very least, this one was denied. Imagine a desert hiker was injured/killed by an uncontrolled aircraft that the pilot left voluntarily! Again, no question.
Glad only thing damaged was a C-182. OTOH:
“The agency (FAA) also said that on Friday it “denied the organizer’s request for an exemption from Federal regulations that cover the safe operation of an aircraft.”
(Flying Magazine)
There’s no way FAA isn’t going after a 91.13 Careless and Reckless violation, at a minimum. If they don’t pursue this, I think they’re sending the wrong message to a whole demographic that sees stuff on YouTube & decides they can get famous also.
Of course, they probably thought Bob Hoover was careless & reckless too, but at least he stayed in his own plane & kept his seat belt on.
Interesting how Red Bull is spinning it (no pun…), maybe they should stick to only sponsoring guys that fly through tunnels.
The duel were in fact successful in swapping one aircraft. An apparent technical malfunction resulting in an unpredictable flight path prevented the second pilot/skydiver from entering and recovering the other airplane.
Congratulations to these two pioneering adventurist and their entire team..
Without such men we would still be in caves.
No one was hurt……………this time.
The Feds took certificate action against the parachuting publicity seeker that wrecked the Taylorcraft.
Any word on ramifications for this wreckless stunt?