A global adventurer

This 23-year-old Florida man says he is the youngest to fly solo around the world.

By ASSOCIACTED PRESS
Published June 28, 2007

A 23-year-old pilot landed his single-engine plane Wednesday in Opa-locka in Miami-Dade County as hundreds of onlookers cheered, becoming what he says is the youngest person to fly solo around the world. Barrington Irving, an aerospace student at Florida Memorial University, also says he is the first black person to complete the journey alone, though it was unclear how to verify the record. The National Aeronautic Association, the aviation record-keeping authority in the United States, does not track pilots' age, sex or ethnicity, said Nathan Rohrbaugh, who helps coordinate records at the organization.

27, 000 Miles pilot covered in trip around the world.

$300, 000 Worth of donated parts to build Barrington's plane.

97 Days it took the pilot to circle the globe. It was supposed to take 39, but weather forced delays.

82 Solo round-the-world trips tracked since 1929 by EarthRounders.com.

[Last modified June 28, 2007, 01:06:29]