There are several ways to move an airplane on the tarmac : by using its engines, which we are all used to seeing, or, a powerful V8 Japanese 4x4, or again, more simply by putting your muscle power to the test.
On 23rd., June at Vienna airport in Austria, the challenge was taken up by the 1.89 metre ( 6 ft 2 1/2 in. ) Franz Mullner, weighing in at just 140 kg ( over 308 lbs. ). This 44 year-old muscle-man, dubbed the ''Austrian rock'', by force of arm and leg muscles, pulled an Austrian Airlines, 142 tonne, Boeing 777 over a distance of 14.50 metres ( 47 ft. 6in. ). Enjoy the show.
To set this new world record, the strongest man in the country had to train six hours a day for five months, which makes him now the title holder of 16 records, because, as you can imagine, Franz Mullner does not just tow planes; he also prevents sports cars from moving, rotates Ferris wheels by hand, and even serves as a helicopter landing pad when required.
In short, if you are looking for someone to help you with your next move, you know who to contact. And if he's not available, you can always call the Canadian Kevin Fast, who in 2009, towed, admittedly over a shorter distance of nearly 9 metres ( 29 1/2 ft. ), an even heavier aircraft : a 188 tonne C-17 Globemaster. When you love something, sometimes you really have to put your back into it – or anything else you might have handy.
