KPHL Ronald McDonald Plane Pull Contest

Rob Schaffer

Cleared for Takeoff
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
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Green Lane, PA
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CLR2TKF
Yesterday I had the opportunity to support the local Ronald McDonald house by raising money over the past few weeks and arriving at KPHL yesterday to participate in the 3rd Annual Plane Pull! The goal was to raise 40,000 dollars for the Ronald McDonald House / Camp / and Programs, which we exceeded, raising a total of 43,516 dollars.

Initally, the challenge is to have 20 members of your team pull a Southwest Boeing 737, like they have the past two years (shown below).
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We arrived to find that due to scheduling or another snafu, there was not a 737 available. Luckily, Atlantic Aviation and another corporation came forward and allowed the use of N724DB, a Gulfstream G-IV, loaded with fuel, weighing in at 73,000 lbs for use to pull. Not quite the same intimidation factor, but it was tough!

Ronald McDonald warmed us up with some stretching excersises and then the teams were off to the tarmac one at a time to challenge their strength and pull the G-IV from a stop, to across the red tape 50 feet away.

First team set the mark, being the firemen and women, even in their fire clothing and boots! We (PRMH Volunteers) held second for a while with 14.12 Seconds. Near the end, Phili Witt would re-take 1st and bump us to 3rd with 13.21. That put three teams in the finals for a pull off, which Phili Witt pulled the best with 13.00, we followed in second with 14.3, and the Fire Company fell to third with 14.9 seconds.

Lots of fun, and I look forward to trying again next year in hopes that the 737 will be available.
 

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This is awesome. I start lessons next week to become a tail dragger, but these people showed up that day to be 737-draggers.

Neat photos.
 
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