(Bloomberg) — Two pilots flying aircraft emblazoned with Red Bull GmbH logos who attempted to switch planes mid-flight without government authorization — a stunt resulting in a crash in the Arizona desert last month — had their aviator licenses revoked.
The US Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday also proposed a civil fine of $4,932 against one of the pilots, Luke Aikins, “for abandoning his pilot’s seat and operating an aircraft in a reckless manner,” the agency said in an emailed statement.
The pilot admitted he attempted what the regulatory agency termed an “unauthorized Red Bull plane swap stunt” after being denied a request for an exemption, the FAA said. Aikins didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
One of the two small planes crashed on April 24. Aikins regained control of the second plane and landed while the other pilot parachuted to the ground. Red Bull, which details what it calls the “aspirational feat” on its website, also didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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