The Dulles Day Plane Pull is an annual event sponsored by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police Department. Joe Hurtuk, a retired Deputy Chief with MWAA PD, created the first Plane Pull competition in the world in 1992 at Dulles International Airport. The event was held to benefit Special Olympics athletes, raised almost $15,000 - and started a phenomenon.

Since then the Plane Pull has raised more than $2,000,000 in the past twenty-five years for athletes with intellectual disabilities throughout the state. There are similar Plane Pulls held throughout the country that benefit Special Olympics programs in those states. The event is so popular in fact, that Special Olympics has the registered trademark on all Plane Pulls ® that take place throughout the country and world. 

What is the Plane Pull?

The Plane Pull is a fun team competition to see which group can pull an airplane the fastest. The Plane Pull pits teams of 25 people against an 82-ton FedEx Airbus A320 or United Boeing 757 airplane. Participants line up along a huge rope attached to the aircraft. The starter signals the team, then starts the stopwatch. After the team pulls the aircraft 12 feet, the elapsed time is recorded as the team score. Each team is then weighed (as a group) and assembles to have their team photo taken.  $2,000 per team is donated to Special Olympics Virginia.

For more information on this year's Plane Pull visit Click here to visit the Dulles Day Plane Pull website.

Various aircraft displays at the Dulles Day Plane Pull