Fourth Annual Plane Pull Returns to Santa Barbara Airport October 25
The fourth annual Plane Pull returns to Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) on Saturday, October 25, 2025. This fundraiser, presented by Alaska Airlines and supported by SBA and Atlantic Aviation, benefits Alpha Resource Center and their mission to serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The Plane Pull invites community members to form teams of 10 to compete to pull a 100,000-pound Alaska Airlines 737 airplane. This year’s plane will be Alaska’s special-edition Star Wars-themed aircraft, hand-painted with the Millennium Falcon and other Star Wars characters. The competing teams will race to pull this plane for a distance of 20 feet in the fastest time possible.
Teams can sign up for one of four divisions: Public Safety Division (police officers, firefighters, military, etc.), School Division (students/school-affiliated teams), Disability Division (individuals with disabilities), or Open Division (general public). Teams can include family members, friends, co-workers, gym buddies, or other community members. The event is designed for participants of all abilities and ages.
Teams in the Public Safety and Open Division are asked to raise $1,000 to support Alpha Resource Center (or $100 per person). The School and Disability Division teams are asked to raise $500 to compete (or $50 per person). All participants will receive an event T-shirt and a chance to win a variety of prizes.
“Now in our fourth year, it’s inspiring to partner again with Alaska Airlines, Santa Barbara Airport, and Atlantic Aviation as well as the many community and business teams competing in the plane pull to raise awareness of and support for Alpha’s mission of empowering individuals with developmental disabilities throughout Santa Barbara County. They’re making a significant impact,” said Joshua Weitzman, Alpha Resource Center’s Executive Director.
Prior to the Plane Pull, Alaska will host the second annual Disability Flight Experience, offering individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities a chance to practice navigating through the airport environment in a calm, supportive setting. This includes checking in at the ticket counter, screening through the TSA checkpoint, boarding a plane, and taxiing around the airfield. Space is limited; pre-registration is required.
"At Alaska Airlines, care is core to our identity, whether we're providing care to guests on our aircraft or caring for the communities we serve," said Danny Flores, Alaska Airlines’ Director of Station Operations, California. "The Plane Pull and the Disability Flight Experience play an important role in helping more members of the Santa Barbara community become comfortable with air travel, and we are proud to sponsor these beloved events for the fourth consecutive year."
All Plane Pull activities will take place on the airfield at Atlantic Aviation at 1503 Cook Place. Spectators are invited to attend the event free of charge.
Plane Pull
Saturday, October 25, 2025
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Atlantic Aviation (1503 Cook Place)
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To learn more about the event or to register a team, please visit the Plane Pull website.
Plane Pull Sponsors:
Presenting Sponsor: Alaska Airlines and Matawan LLC
Gold Sponsor: M Timm Development, Inc. and Lure Digital Agency
Silver Sponsor: Montecito Bank & Trust and Signature Aviation
Bronze Sponsors: American Riviera Bank, Cottage Health, The Oshay Family Foundation, Paul & Virginia Hernadi, Reid & Robin Cederlof and SpaceX
Venue Sponsors: Santa Barbara Airport and Atlantic Aviation
For more information about the event partners, visit Alpha Resource Center, Alaska Airlines, Atlantic Aviation, and Santa Barbara Airport. For event questions or sponsor inquiries, please contact Jeff Henson at Alpha Resource Center at (805) 683-2145 or JHenson@alphasb.org.