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Famed pilot Chuck Yeager calls wrong stuff on aerospace firm

Posted On: Sep. 19, 2019 12:45 PM CST

Chuck Yeager

Chuck Yeager, the retired U.S. Air Force pilot who broke the sound barrier, is suing aerospace company Airbus SE saying it is using his name and likeness without permission to promote a new high-speed helicopter, Reuters reported on Thursday.

In a complaint filed on Wednesday, the 96-year-old Yeager objected to a June 2017 promotional piece on Airbus' website, touting its plan to make the Airbus Racer a fast and cost-effective way to fly, according to the wire service.

"Seventy years ago, Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier," and Airbus was now "trying to break the cost barrier. It cannot be 'speed at any cost,’" the promotion states.

Yeager in his suit, accessed by Reuters, accuses Airbus of trademark infringement and taking away his right of publicity through "fraudulent" conduct, where it deceived the public into believing he endorsed it.

The retired pilot also called the company a "tainted brand," citing legal issues involving Airbus and its planes. Airbus did not immediately respond on Thursday to requests for comment, according to the wire service.