A 19-year-old is paving the way for girls in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) by attempting to set the record for the youngest woman to fly solo around the world.
Belgian-British Zara Rutherford sets off on her 51,000km journey in her bespoke Shark ultralight plane, the world’s fastest microlight, on August 11.
Once her journey is complete, Rutherford will be the youngest person to fly a microlight around the world and the youngest woman to fly solo around the world. The current world record for the latter is held by the US’s Shaesta Waiz, who completed the journey aged 30.
There is a difference in aviation between men and women. So my goal is to bring the records closer and then hopefully inspire other girls to try to beat my record and then go and start competing with the boys.
Rutherford hopes she will pave the way for girls and women in STEM and inspire others to follow in her footsteps.
“I wanted to fly around the world, have the girls see me and think, I’d love to fly one day too,” she said.
“There is a difference in aviation between men and women. So my goal is to bring the records closer and then hopefully inspire other girls to try to beat my record and then go and start competing with the boys.”
Rutherford’s parents, Beatrice de Smet and Sam Rutherford, are pilots, though her mother had mixed feelings when her daughter announced her gap-year plans.
“When she first told me about it, my heart skipped a beat. It took me a bit of time to digest. And now I’m so proud and fully, fully behind her,” she said.
The teenager will be funding the trip herself, with the help of sponsors, and hopes to complete the journey in two to three months.
— Reuters
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