Belgian teen becomes youngest person to fly solo around the world

A British-Belgian teenager has become the youngest person to fly solo around the world after a five-month journey that saw him battle monsoon rains, searing heat and bureaucracy.

Cheers went up as 17-year-old Mack Rutherford landed at an airfield near the Bulgarian capital Sofia after flying 54,124 km (33,631 miles) and visiting more than 30 countries since he departed from the same site in his Shark Aero microlight airplane on March 23.

His journey broke two Guinness World records, including one set by his sister Zara, 19, who handed him one of the certificates on the tarmac.

Rutherford's journey took longer than planned due to permit delays that forced him to alter his route twice and fly over Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, North America and back to Europe.

In Sudan, his solar panel system fell down because the heat melted the glue maintaining it in place combined with extreme haze. In India, monsoon rains entered his main fuel tanks and soaked his aircraft including some documents on board.

(Source: Reuters)

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