Sixteen year old Mack Rutherford takes off from a runway in Sofia, Bulgaria in his bid to be the youngest solo around the world pilot, March 23 2022. PHOTO BY BEATRICE DE SMET/SWNS
A young brother and sister have won a top award after both setting records for flying solo around the world.
Zara Rutherford, 21, is the youngest woman to fly solo around the world.
Her brother Mack, 17, is officially the youngest person ever to circumnavigate the planet alone in an aircraft.
The pair will be presented with the Segrave Trophy at a special lunch ceremony at the Royal Automobile Club (RAC), Pall Mall, London, on July 11.
The trophy is awarded to Brits who show “Outstanding Skill, Courage and Initiative on Land, Water and in the Air.”
The prestigious award is named after Sir Henry Segrave, the first person to hold both the land and water speed records simultaneously.
Some previous holders of the award include Brian Trubshaw, who test-flew the Concord, and Sir John Forster “Sandy” Woodward, captain of the flagship HMS Hermes during the Falklands War.
Zara first made headlines on January 20, 2022 when she completed a solo flight around the world at just 19, five months after setting off from Kortrijk, Belgium.
Mack soon followed in her footsteps, setting off from Sophia, Bulgaria, in March and completing a near identical flight just months later on August 24, 2022, under the name Macksolo at just 16.
Their trips took them across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America, flying over perilous straits like the Bering Strait and the North Atlantic.
The pair each flew “Shark” light aircraft in their expeditions: a high-performance ultralight aircraft manufactured in Europe.
It is one of the fastest ultralight aircraft in the world with a cruising speed reaching 300 km (984252 feet) /h (186 MPH).
The siblings are the children of aviators; their father Sam is a professional ferry pilot, their mother Beatrice is a private pilot.
Both had spent years flying with their father prior to their expeditions, including several Trans-Atlantic crossings.
Speaking after his successful circumnavigation, Mack said: “I have been fortunate to have had a family that has been able to help me progress in my flying.
”But no matter what background you have I believe it is never too early to work towards your dreams and you shouldn’t limit yourself by others’ expectations.”
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
Edited by Saba Fatima and Asad Ali
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