I bet we all have once dreamed of becoming a pilot and flying a plane just like Tom Cruise in the action film ‘Top Gun’, and while this might only be just a dream to some of us, there are youngsters out there who are actually currently pursuing this career.
Meet 17-year-old Mack Rutherford, the world’s youngest teenage pilot to have ever flown worldwide, all on his own.
"I want to show that young people can make a difference. You don't need to be 18 to do something special," he told The Telegraph.
Born to British parents, Mack and his older sister Zara, have both British and Belgian nationalities as they have lived their entire lives in Belgium. The siblings, whose parents are both professional pilots, were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to start flying when they were little, often times flying hundreds of hours with either one of their parents. Now that’s pretty cool.
Following in his family’s footsteps, Mack earned his microlight pilot’s license at the age of 15. A year later he set off from the Bulgarian capital on March 23 2022 for a journey around the world. After a five-month voyage, the young aviator has finally come back home, after flying in his Slovakian light-sport aircraft called the Shark UL, across 52 countries on 5 continents, flying over two Trans-Atlantic crossings, through Europe, Asia, Africa, and the US.
"I started in Sofia in Bulgaria. From there, I flew to Sicily, which was quite nice. Then I went to Crete. After that, I went to Alexandria and Cairo, where I actually got to see the pyramids from the sky, which was quite cool," he says.
How hard was the trip around the world?
Having the skills and the ability to fly a plane is perhaps one of the coolest things one can boast about, however, many might not know the actual behind-the-scenes and terrors of each one of those flights.
The young pilot had to face numerous mishaps, and deal with all kinds of weather changes, which made his flying challenging. For instance, as he flew over the ruins of Sudanese Ancient Meroe Pyramids, the duct tape which was holding his plane’s solar panels together, was slowly melting away due to the scorching Saharan sun.
Perhaps Mack’s most unexpected story would be about the time when he was faced with horrible weather, with pouring rain and low clouds, which forced the young pilot to sleep in a random shed beside a runway, on an uninhabited island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I could never.
Talent Runs In The Family
With 5 generations of aviators in the family, it is not a surprise that the entire Rutherford household can all fly a plane. Sam Rutherford, Mack’s father, is a former army helicopter pilot who is now running Prepare2Go, meanwhile, Mack’s mother, Beatrice De Smet, holds a Private Pilot’s License.
And guess what? Zara Rutherford, Mack’s one and only older sister is a record holder herself for being the youngest female to ever solo fly around the world, which has inspired her younger brother to do the same.
Zara, who is now 19 years old, began her circumnavigation on 18 August 2021, having more than 60 stops across five continents. What initially was expected to be a maximum 3-months journey, soon took an extra 2 months due to numerous weather delays that have grounded her in different countries. Other setbacks included the malfunction of her instruments, mechanical blocks, having flat tires, flying through wildfires, and dealing with tricky bureaucracies in certain countries, where she had to stay back a couple of days due to the lack of necessary paperwork.
"I'm looking forward to telling people about my experiences and encouraging people to do something crazy with your life,” she told CNN.
Speaking of flying solo…
Have you ever heard of Amelia Mary Earhart?
If you have not then this is the time for you to learn about the American aviation pioneer.
Born July 24 1897 in Kansas, U.S, Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. From a fairly young age, she developed a passion for thrill and adventure, and soon when she reached her twenties, she learned how to fly.
What made her famous?
In 1928, accompanied by a male pilot, Earhart became the very first female to cross the Atlantic by airplane, which was never done before in the history of aviation. A few years later she piloted an airplane all on her own, making a nonstop solo transatlantic flight thus becoming the very first woman to ever do so.
As one of the most inspirational female figures in aviation, 80 years later after her presumed death, Amelia Earhart’s legacy is still commemorated to this day, as she has paved the way for women in aviation today, including Zara Rutherford.
Hoping these stories will inspire the youth to keep chasing their dreams! Do share your thoughts and let us know in the comments.
*Sources: Visual and Reference Credits to Social Media,BBC & various cross references for context.
FOMO much? Follow our Facebook and Instagram for more updates.