McLean Team to Compete in Dulles Plane Pull on Saturday

A team from McLean-based LMI Government Consulting will compete Saturday in a contest to pull an 82-ton FedEx cargo jet 12 feet in the shortest amount of time.

They're among 70 teams in the plane pull event, including the defending champions from the Chesapeake Sheriff's Office, which pulled the bird 12 feet in 5.236 seconds. The teams are 25 men and women strong.

Now in its 21st year, the Dulles Plane Pull and Family Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The annual festival celebrates the airport and features live music, airplane displays, tours of active runways, a class car show, a pizza-eating contest and children's play areas and refreshments in a space larger than 20 football fields.

Proceeds from the event benefit local charities, including Special Olympics Virginia. Since its inception, Dulles Day has raised more than $1.5 million for Special Olympics Virginia.

More than 12,000 people turned out for the event last year.

A morning 5K was added this year; all 2,000 slots have been filled.

For more information, visit the event's website.