Heaviest Plane Pulled by wheelchair
users-DBFA sets world record
ALTON, Hampshire, UK -- The British
Disabled Flying Association (BDFA)
recruited 50 disabled people, seated in manual wheelchairs,
to pull a 65-ton aricraft 100 metres along the main runway
at Lasham Airfield-setting the world record for the Heaviest
Plane Pulled by wheelchair users.
Mike Miller-Smith, BDFA
chief executive, said: "It was an amazing achievement for
each of the participants, who pulled the equivalent of 1.3
tonnes each. (enlarge
photo)
The BDFA is committed to providing opportunities
for disabled people in aviation. "
"This world record is a great way to show that,
when given the opportunity, people living with a disability
can achieve the seemingly impossible."
The open day raised money for the BDFA
charity, which offers free trial flying lessons for
terminally ill and disabled people and subsidised flying and
training for other disability charities across the UK.
A volunteer pilot flew the Boeing 757 from delivery
firm DHL's UK aviation base at East Midlands Airport to Lasham
Airfield.
Paul Bishop, managing director of DHL Air, said:
"We were very happy to help out such a worthy charity. The
sight of a 65-tonne DHL cargo plane being towed down a runway
by the BDFA plane-pulling team was very impressive."
Related:
Largest
gathering of wheelchair users on ice-world record set by Leanne
Grose
Sunday, September 7, 2008
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