What is the heaviest plane pulled by one man?

There are some pretty heavy planes in the world, and they're not really meant to be pulled along the ground by a human. Remarkably, the heaviest plane to ever be pulled by a man is a true beast. Let's take a look.

Airplanes are giant, heavy vehicles, and this dude pulled one along the ground.
Airplanes are giant, heavy vehicles, and this dude pulled one along the ground.  © Collage: IMAGO/YAY Images/News Images

No one would expect to find themselves on the tarmac of an airport, strapped up to a giant airplane, desperately trying to pull it across the ground with nothing but their bare strength. After all, planes are designed to be pushed by a tug or pulled by engines, not navigated by a dude with a rope.

According to one man, though, it's perfectly reasonable to put some true sweat and grease into the pulling of an airplane. Indeed, Kevin Fast is the world record holder for having handled the heaviest airplane to ever be pulled by a human.

Heaviest airplane pulled by a man

In September 2009, Canadian man Kevin Fast pulled a 188-ton (416,299 pounds) airplane 28 feet and 10 inches across the tarmac. The plane, a CC-117 Globemaster III, was a military jet located (at the time) at a Canadian Air Force Base in Trenton, Ontario. This is also where Kevin Fast became a Guinness World Record holder.

The C-17 Globemaster III is a giant military transport plane that was originally developed by the United States Air Force. Built by McDonnell Douglas, the enormous plane is used to tactically airlift personnel, equipment, and vehicles. It features four incredibly powerful Pratt and Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines which allow it to reach a maximum altitude of 45,000 feet.

One of the most successful and remarkable aircraft to ever be developed, these beasts can travel at the equivalent of 520 miles per hour and can comfortably carry more than 170,000 pounds when fully loaded. They are commonly used by the American Air Force, as well as the Canadian, Australian, Indian, and a variety of other air forces around the world.

Considering how enormous and heavy the Globemaster III is, it is truly extraordinary that Kevin Fast managed to pull it almost 30 feet with nothing but his physical strength.

Who was the man who pulled the heaviest plane?

Kevin Fast has achieved more than just one world record over the course of his life. A reverend, Fast is considered not only the strongest priest in the world but possibly the priest with the most world records as well. His strength is so insane that he believes it to be "a gift from God".

In an interview with the Daily Mail UK in 2014, Fast said, "I have set many records over the years. I've pulled planes, trucks, ships, and trains. Just about everything you can pull... About the only thing I haven't pulled has been muscles."

As recently as 2020, Kevin Fast set a new world record for the heaviest sleigh to ever be pulled by a man (while dressed as Santa, of course). His 2009 achievement, as a result, is but one of many he has accrued over the years. That being said, it is still quite possibly his most impressive.

"I was pulling and pulling the plane for about 45 seconds before it even started to move... I was completely exhausted - I couldn't feel my muscles anymore, but my mind just took over. I pulled with everything I was worth and eventually it started rolling."

What is the heaviest plane ever pulled by people?

The world's heaviest plane is the AN-225, a giant Soviet monster that made very few flights over the course of its life. At a whopping 628,300 pounds, this enormous plane featured six enormous engines and was designed to literally carry spaceships. It now presides in Ukraine, despite being out of service for many, many years at this point.

In August 2021, eight men set out to achieve a new world record. They wanted to beat a record set nearly two decades earlier that saw 10 strongmen pull the plane about 50 feet. While they didn't quite manage it, with fewer people, their achievement was a fitting celebration of Ukraine's 30th independence anniversary.

Remarkably, these incredible competitors managed to pull the giant jet nearly 15 feet over a period of about 1.5 minutes.

Why is the AN-225 the heaviest plane?

The AN-225 held more than just a record for the heaviest aircraft ever built. This giant plane also featured the widest wingspan of any aircraft and was one of the most powerful pieces of machinery ever built in human history. Only one of these sky beasts was ever built.

Developed by the Soviet Union specifically to transport the Buran orbiter, the Russian Space Shuttle, the AN-225 was capable of carrying the spaceship high up into the atmosphere. As a result, it needed to be huge, incredibly powerful, and needed to have giant wings to provide plenty of lift even at high altitudes.

Considering just how enormous the AN-225 was, it is truly remarkable that people were able to pull it along the ground with nothing but their physical strength. Still, eight people are less impressive than one, right?

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO/YAY Images/News Images

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