Aviation Stunts: A History Lesson

Almost from the start of aviation, well before the advent social media, people have been pushing the boundaries of aircraft.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, April 26, 2022 at 03:22 PM ET

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John “Auggy” Pedlar has a seat on the wing. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

Aviation stunts, defined as unusual and daring feats primarily for attention, have a long history dating back to the early 20th century, predating social media and regulatory bodies like the FAA.
Early stunts like barnstorming and wing walking involved perilous aerial maneuvers, often performed by pilots like Charles Lindbergh and daredevils, and frequently lacked safety measures, leading to injuries and deaths.
Famous historical figures such as Douglas Corrigan ("Wrong Way Corrigan") and Howard Hughes gained notoriety through aviation stunts, some of which involved deliberately defying authorities or claiming accidental success to achieve fame or prove aircraft capabilities.

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A stunt is defined as an unusual or difficult feat requiring great skill or daring, especially one performed or undertaken chiefly to gain attention or publicity.

Recently, we’ve seen two “stunts” involving aviation—the YouTuber who intentionally crashed his airplane for video views and the Red Bull midair airplane swap. The FAA has taken a dim view of both events, and there have been discussions that the stunts were encouraged by social media. However, stunts involving aircraft go back to the early days of aviation, well before the invention of social media, the computer—and the FAA.