Mack Rutherford, a 16-year-old schoolboy who is currently on a quest to be the youngest person to fly around the globe solo, landed his plane in Nairobi, Kenya on Wednesday, May 18.
The 16-year old’s journey began near the Bulgarian capital Sofia in March.
Mack who has both British and Belgian nationality, is looking to secure a Guinness World record that is currently held by compatriot Travis Ludlow, who was 18 when he completed his solo global tour last year.
“I’m hoping, with this journey, to inspire young people to follow their dreams,” Rutherford said after clambering out of his two-seater single prop ultralight aircraft, at Wilson Airport.
However, Shark Aero, who manufactured the plane, deemed the journey too risky and refused to partner with Rutherford’s project.
“Mack is no doubt a skilled pilot. However, we do not feel comfortable pushing the age limit to the lowest possible point for journeys where a certain level of risk cannot be avoided,” the company said on its website.
Nonetheless, Mack Rutherford’s journey will see him visit four more African and Indian Ocean countries, before heading to the Middle East, Asia and North America and finally returning to Europe.
The young pilot comes from a family of pilots. His first time taking control of an aircraft was at the age seven sitting alongside his father.
Moreover, he became the youngest pilot in the world at the age of 15 and is now following in the footsteps of his older sister Zara, who is the youngest woman to fly around the world at age 19.
Rutherford said that visibility was a challenge while he was flying across the Sahara Desert, but the scenery more than made up for it.
“It hasn’t let me down, I’ve absolutely loved the views both around the Sahara Desert and in Kenya,” he added.
