5th Annual Plane Pull FAQs

 October 24, 2026, at  

Santa Barbara Airport 

1503 Cook PL
Santa Barbara, CA 93117 

 Yes! We welcome volunteers to make this event run smoothly. Please reach out to Jeff Henson at jhenson@alphasb.org. 

A plane pull is a team competition where teams of 10 (min) to 25 (max) compete to pull a real Alaska Airlines plane 20 feet in the shortest amount of time. Similar to a tug-of-war competition. Teams will use a rope to pull a plane from a stopped position to a marker 20 feet ahead.  Teams will compete by category as well as overall.

Anyone can participate. Form a team of family members, friends, coworkers, gym buddies of all ages and abilities. First and foremost, this is an opportunity to have fun while supporting Alpha Resource Center. Of course, you can also compete for prizes and bragging rights. 

No, this will be a safe event in every way. The plane will have a pilot in the cockpit, making sure it stops after it reaches the marker.

Tentative Plane Pull Day Schedule

10:00  am – Onsite Registration opens
10:30 am – Opening Ceremonies/Ceremonial First Pull
10:45 am – First Pull
2:45 pm – Awards Ceremony (this could happen earlier than 2:45 pm) 

 All teams will be able to select their pull time window once they have at least 10 members registered on their team! A team's suggested event arrival time will be based on the scheduled pull time. 

 We encourage you to stay for the entire event! It's not just about pulling the plane; there will be plenty of cheering and fun in the festival area! 

 No need to check bags when coming to IAD for the Plane Pull! Due to the high security of the event space, bags are not allowed unless for emergency or medical care purposes. Participants should leave all bags inside their car or at home if taking the metro. If participants need to bring in a small 5x7 bag or clear bag, they should build in extra time as it will need to be searched at security at the event entrance.

In addition, hats and sunscreen are encouraged. If there is rain in the forecast, ponchos and umbrellas are a must! 

 Anyone can create a team! A company, a club, a school, etc. That said, individuals cannot participate with a team with which they are not connected. If you are interested in the event but cannot create a team, please reach out to learn about volunteering! 

Ask Jeff

This event is rain or shine, but the event may be canceled due to extreme weather for your own safety. Any schedule updates will be posted to the homepage. 

The magic number of people we know who can successfully pull this plane is 25. Teams are welcome to come with a minimum of 10 people. 

Please note that teams of 25 or fewer are considered "competitive teams" and are in the running to win the fastest pull competition. Teams of over 25 members would be pulling just for fun, which many teams choose to do. 

Yes! Every person who plans to pull the plane must register online with their team prior to arriving on-site at the event. This will ensure that your team can pull on time and not miss your window. Anyone who shows up on the day of the event and has not already registered will be required to register at the event, which can slow down the check-in process. If your team needs assistance with the registration process prior to the event, please reach out to jhenson@alphasb.org

Teams with a minimum of 10 members must raise at least $1,000 to participate in the Plane Pull (or $500 for the School and Disability divisions). This amounts to just $100 per person for regular teams and $50 per person for the School and Disability divisions. 

Additionally, any extra team members must raise $100 each to compete ($50 for the School and Disability divisions).  

For example, if your team has 25 members, you would need to raise $2,500 so everyone can participate in the Plane Pull. This breaks down to $100 per person for the first 10 members, then $100 per additional member. If your team is in the School or Disability division, you would need to raise a total of $1,250 ($50 per person). 

Any checks or cash can be mailed or dropped off at our CatOaks Campus.

Att: Jeff Henson

4501 Cathedral Oaks Rd

Santa Barbara, CA 93110

Please indicate if the donation goes to a specific participant or team.

If your team doesn’t raise the full amount, you can charge the remaining balance to a team member’s credit card or check.  Alpha can charge your card 30 days after the event to give your team additional time to fundraise the remaining balance, if you choose, so nothing may need to be charged to the card! 

 If your team raises the partial or full donation amount but does not compete, your current donation amount on the day of the event will still be collected to support Alpha Resource Center’s participants and their families. Thank you! 

All funds raised by the Plane Pull go towards Alpha's programs and services that empower individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout Santa Barbara County.

Minors are welcome to participate in the Plane Pull if approved by the team captain and their parent/guardian. Please note that all minors must be registered for the event by their parent, and they count toward the 25 team members if a team is participating in a competitive pull. 

All the information you need to register your team and start raising support for Alpha Resource Center is on our event site: https://secure.frontstream.com/alpha5thplanepull2026