The 4th Annual Ottawa Airport/United Way Ottawa Plane Pull Challenge for Charity will take place this Saturday, September 12th at the Ottawa International Airport.

Teams of 25 will play tug-of-war with a 225,000 lb (over 102,000 kg) FedEx Airbus A310.The team that pulls the aircraft 12 feet (3.5 metres) the fastest will win bragging rights and a great prize. Last year’s winners, Ottawa Police Service “High Flyers”, will be back to defend the title and will be joined by teams from sponsors Scotiabank and ZW Project Management Inc. as well as many other organizations from the airport and the community at large.

Proceeds from the event will be split between Project Clear Skies, the Airport Authority’s charitable giving program, and United Way Ottawa.

“The Plane Pull Challenge is all about doing something fun and unique in the name of raising funds for those who are less fortunate” said Paul Benoit, Ottawa Airport Authority President and CEO. “A full roster of 35 teams confirms that’s what the community we live in is about as well. Thanks to our teams and sponsors, September 12th is going to be an outstanding day”.

EVENT DETAILS

Date and Time: Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 12:00 noon (rain or shine)

Where: Ottawa International Airport Canadair Private (please note the location is new this year – follow the signs)

What:
*Airplane Pull event
*Children’s activities
*Displays and demonstrations

Media: Will have access to the tarmac for photos and filming

Teams: See attached list

About Project Clear Skies:
To mark the first anniversary of the new Passenger Terminal Building in October, 2004, the Authority established Project Clear Skies as a vehicle for giving back to the community that has supported the airport over the years. Each year, the Authority accepts applications from registered charitable organizations for project-specific funding. Since its inception, Project Clear Skies has distributed over $0.5 million in Ottawa and Gatineau to 77 worthy projects. More information can be found at www.ottawa-airport.ca/clearskies/home.htm.

About United Way Ottawa:
United Way Ottawa (UW) brings people and resources together in a way that makes our community a better, safer and healthier place to live. By bringing people together from all parts of our community to identify, develop and provide solutions to community needs, we promise that the donations we receive go where they are needed most. In 2008, UW made a record community investment to support more than 200 projects, programs and partnerships, in more than 100 different community organizations.

OIAA operates the Ottawa International Airport without government subsidies under a 60-year lease transfer agreement with Transport Canada. The OIAA’s mandate is to manage, operate and develop airport facilities and lands in support of the economic growth of the National Capital Region.

For more information:
Krista Kealey
Ottawa International Airport Authority
613-248-2050
[email protected]

2009 PLANE PULL TEAMS

Organization - Team Name
1) Aero Mag 2000 YOW "Frosty & His Snowmen"
2) Bee Clean/OIAA "Clean Sweep"
3) Canadian Bank Note Company, Limited "Canadian Bank Note"
4) Capital Taxi "Capital Taxi Crew"
5) Chipworks "Captain Chipworks and his Nano-Powered Crew"
6) CIBC "CIBC"
7) Cormier et Frères "Équipe C Team Plane Stretchers"
8) Coventry Connections Inc. "Coventry Cabbies"
9) Drain-All Ltd. "Enviroforce"
10) DST Consulting Engineers "crankeDSTyle"
11) Ed. Brunet & Associés "Ed. Brunet & Assoc"
12) Enbridge "Enbridge Brute Force"
13) Export Development Canada "Export This"
14) FedEX "FedEX"
15) First Air "First Air"
16) Hilton Garden Inn Ottawa Airport "Team Hilton Garden Inn"
17) Impark "Impark"
18) Minto "Minto Haulers"
19) Mxi Technologies "Mxi Mavericks"
20) NAV CANADA "NAV CANADA Serving a World in Motion"
21) Office of the Auditor General of Canada "OAG Rasslers"
22) OTTAWA AIRLINE Operating Committee "AOC"
23) Ottawa Aviation Services "Ottawa Aviation Services"
24) Ottawa Police Service "Ottawa Police High Flyers"
25) PCL Constructors Canada Inc. "PCL Ironmen"
26) Pepsi Bottling Group "Pepsi Bottling Group"
27) R.W.Tomlinson Limited "Tomlinson Tuggers"
28) RBC "RBC Plane White Tees"
29) RCMP "RCMP Ottawa Airport"
30) Riverside Pub "Riverside Pub 'Pull me a Beer'"
31) Scotiabank "Scotia Tuggers"
32) Tartan Pub & Grill "Team Tartan Pub"
33) Teraflex Ltd "Teraflex Ltd."
34) Westway "Roadrunners"
35) ZW Group "Walker's Warriors"