Since March 23, the 17-year-old has been chasing the world record. British-Belgian Mack Rutherford would become the youngest person to fly solo around the world in an ultralight aircraft. On Wednesday, he landed the Shark plane in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, which was also the starting point of the trip, thus putting an end to more than five months on the wings. When Rutherford took off he was still 16 years old. He thus breaks two world records, both for being the youngest solo pilot to fly around the world, and the youngest to do so in an ultralight aircraft. Mack Rutherford with his two brand new world records. Photo: STOYAN NENOV / Reuters It was CNN that mentioned the case first. Slo sister Mack’s flight route went through 52 countries. The plane has a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour. – I want to use the opportunity to meet young people who are doing incredible things, making a difference to their communities or even to the world, Mack Rutherford told CNN ahead of the world record attempt. He could only fly during daylight, and the size of the plane meant he had to land when the weather got too bad, according to Guinness World Records. Mack Rutherford has met many people on the way to becoming the world’s youngest person to fly solo around the world in an ultralight aircraft. Photo: Virginia Mayo / AP It wasn’t just anyone who had to see themselves beaten by Mack Rutherford either. The former holder of the two world records was none other than Mack’s sister, Zara Rutherford, according to Guinness World Records. Got his pilot’s license as a 15-year-old Flying is in Rutherford’s blood. In addition to the sister being a former aviation world record holder, several other family members are pilots. Zara Rutherford had to see herself beaten by little brother Mack, when he beat both of her world records on Wednesday. Photo: Virginia Mayo / AP Mack Rutherford took his pilot’s license as a 15-year-old, and with it became the world’s youngest pilot, according to CNN. – When I was 15 I got my license and was the youngest in the world at the time. And then when my sister flew around the world, I thought, well, that’s something I can actually try to strive for and achieve,” he told CNN earlier in August.
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