For the first time in Bulgaria: Two strongmen successfully pulled Bulgaria Air’s new Airbus A220

On November 4, a one-of-a-kind event took place at Vasil Levski – Sofia Airport, unlike anything ever seen before in Bulgaria. Two of the strongest men in the country – Hristo Muskov and Velizar Mitov – each performed an impressive feat by single-handedly pulling the newest aircraft type in the national carrier Bulgaria Air’s fleet – the Airbus A220-300.

Despite the challenges of the autumn day – piercing wind, cold rain, a wet runway, and temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius – both athletes persevered, overcame the difficult conditions, and achieved a spectacular success by each pulling the nearly 40-ton aircraft over a distance of 25 meters.

The event drew the attention of media representatives, aviation enthusiasts, and sports fans, who witnessed a true display of human strength and determination by Bulgaria’s strongest athletes. Among the spectators on the runway was automotive expert and vlogger Filip Lazarov, founder of the YouTube channel Bri4ka.

The Airbus A220-300, registered as LZ-LON, is part of the newest generation of aircraft in Bulgaria Air’s fleet – offering outstanding efficiency, fuel economy, low emissions, and high passenger comfort.

Among the event hosts was Plamen Kovachev, First Officer on the Airbus A220, who shared more about the advantages of the new aircraft and the honor of piloting it. He congratulated the two strongmen with a handshake and expressed his admiration for their successful 40-ton challenge.

“We are proud to have united the strength of the human spirit and the power of modern technology in one event. The new Airbus A220-300 symbolizes the innovation and sustainability that Bulgaria Air is bringing into its fleet, and today’s demonstration proved that the Bulgarian spirit knows no limits,” said Bulgaria Air pilot Plamen Kovachev after the successful pulls.

The two athletes are among the top representatives of Bulgaria’s strength sports. Hristo Muskov is a multiple national champion, four-time world and four-time European powerlifting champion, and holds the title Strongest Man of Bulgaria. Velizar Mitov is a powerlifting champion and a longtime Strongman competitor, with participations in international tournaments from the Strongman Champions League series.

The organization of this extraordinary competition, which showcased the limits of human strength and determination, was carried out with the support of Dinko Zhelyazkov – national and absolute bodybuilding champion and host of the popular podcast Abnormal.

The event at Vasil Levski – Sofia Airport not only demonstrated the power and perseverance of Bulgarian athletes but also highlighted the innovation and advanced technology that Bulgaria Air is introducing into its fleet with its seven new Airbus A220 aircraft. From the Airbus factory in Canada to the airline’s home base in Sofia, these modern airplanes have become the main wings of Bulgaria Air’s regular domestic and international operations over the past two years.