Two representatives of the World Strongman Federation faced off against a 40-tonne Airbus A220-300 passenger plane at the Vasil Levski Airport in Sofia on Tuesday. Each of them managed to pull the aircraft a distance of up to 15 metres on their own.
Hristo Muskov, a multiple Republican champion and winner of four world and four European powerlifting titles, commented after his successful attempt that this was the heaviest thing he had ever lifted. “People have attempted to pull buses weighing 15–20 tonnes, but no one has ever pulled a 40-tonne airplane before. This can be considered a record of sorts,” he said.
He said that the idea of pulling an airplane had come about spontaneously. “It all started as a bit of a joke, but with the support of Sofia Airport and Bulgaria Air, we were able to make it happen. I thank them for the opportunity they gave us,” he added.
Muskov revealed that the attempt will be submitted to the Guinness Book of Records. “We hope to receive feedback on the requirements next year and make an official attempt,” he said. The athlete added that the most difficult part was getting the plane moving due to the cold, wet weather.
The second participant, Velizar Mitov – also a national powerlifting champion and experienced strongman competitor – said he had been preparing for the challenge for about a month and a half. “I gained 24 kilograms to be more stable. I pulled on one leg today because of an injury, but I wanted to show that with determination, anything is possible,” he said. He dedicated his efforts to everyone watching the event and said that “anyone can achieve their goals if they don’t give up”.
Plamen Kovachev, the pilot of the aircraft from Bulgaria Air, pointed out that it weighs around 40 tonnes and is usually powered by two engines that enable flights at altitudes of up to 12,000 metres and speeds of around 900 km/h. It has a flight range of up to 6,700 km, which is enough to cover the entire European continent.
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