Aurigny host charity plane pull

Saturday 23 June 2018

People power will replace propeller power when teams battle it out in today's 'Great Aircraft Pull', a charity event to help celebrate Aurigny's 50th anniversary.

Aurigny is teaming up with two charities, Channel Islands Air Search and Friends of Sri Lanka, to host the event at Guernsey Airport that will see teams compete to pull a 13.5 tonne ATR-72 aircraft across the tarmac.

Aurigny public relations manager Paul Ainsworth said it seemed like the perfect kind of event to help celebrate the airline's 50th anniversary: "Straight away we wanted to make this possible. it sounded like such a unique and fun event to be involved in and something complete different for the island.

"How often can you say you've got the chance to pull a turboprop aircraft?"

Organisers believe the event to be the first local aircraft pull for several years, with the last similar event occurring in January 1988 when a team of 60 from a local running club pulled a BAe Whisper Jet on the runway to raise funds for Channel Islands Air Search.

Founders of Friends of Sir Lanka Graham and Nicky Queripel expressed their thanks to everyone who helped to make this remarkable event possible: "We are delighted to be part of Aurigny's 50th anniversary to raise much needed funds for both charities in this unique funding event".

Funds raised from the event will go to upgrading facilities at 'The old mamas home' in Hikkaduwa, including a new kitchen, new bathroom facilities and the implementation of a stair lift.

David Hugo of the Guernsey Friends of Air Search said: "We are very pleased to have been chosen alongside Friends of Sri Lanka as one of the charities to benefit from the funds raised through the aircraft pull.

"We are very grateful to the team at Aurigny and the many other companies and organisations who have made this exciting event possible".

Money raised will also go towards assisting in the running of Channel Islands Air Search, which is operated by a purely voluntary crew on a 24 hour, 365 days basis, in all weather conditions.

The event is being held between 9pm and midnight tonight.