As of: 01/20/2022 3:46 p.m
At 19, Zara Rutherford is the youngest woman to have flown around the world alone. 155 days after taking off, the Belgian-British pilot has landed safely in Kortrijk, Belgium.
At the end of her journey, Rutherford was escorted by more aircraft – in a V formation, towards her home airport of Kortrijk in south-west Belgium. Upon landing, Rutherford was greeted by cheers from crowds, and even a rainbow appeared in the sky.
Five continents, 41 countries
In total, the 19-year-old pilot flew more than 52,000 kilometers, making stopovers on five continents and in 41 countries. “People were amazing everywhere,” Rutherford said. Her circumnavigation of the world took more than five months, she had actually planned only three months. But bad weather and visa problems prevented them from continuing their flight for weeks.
Rutherford first flew from Belgium via Great Britain to Iceland, then via Greenland to Canada. It flew south along the US east coast to the Caribbean, crossed through Colombia and flew north again along the US west coast to Alaska. From there, the pilot flew to Russia, followed by China, Indonesia, India and Egypt, among others. In Europe, Rutherford traveled via Greece and Bulgaria to Germany. She made her last stop near Frankfurt/Main.
There were incredible moments on my journey, but there were also moments where I really feared for my life.
The most spectacular were the overflights over New York and over an active volcano in Iceland.
Entry in the Guinness Book of Records
Rutherford’s parents are both pilots. At the age of six, the daughter flew in small planes. Rutherford was 14 when she took the controls on an airplane for the first time. At 19, she is the youngest woman to fly around the world solo. She replaces the American Shaesta Waiz, who was 30 years old when she circumnavigated. With her new world record, Rutherford is now entered in the Guinness Book of Records.
The 19-year-old pilot’s world record is entered in the Guinness Book of Records.
Image: AFP
With her record, she wants to inspire girls and young women to fly and thus contribute to women studying subjects that are important for flying.
Boys learn through toys, street names, history classes, and movies that they can be scientists, astronauts, CEOs, or presidents. Girls, on the other hand, are said to be beautiful, kind, helpful, and sweet. With my flight, I want to show that young women can be courageous and ambitious in realizing their dreams themselves.
The dream of the youngest pilot to circumnavigate the earth alone is now to become an astronaut.