The 19-year-old girl is about to fly a plane around the world

With a dream cherished since childhood, Zara Rutherford will make a round-the-world flight next month. After completing the flight, Zara will become the youngest female pilot in the world to set a Guinness record for flying solo around the world.

Zara Rutherford , 19, of Hampshire (UK), will make a solo round-the-world flight next month. The family has completed the preparation of fuel and necessary supplies for Zara's expected flight of more than 3 months. This is the "gap year" plan that Zara has cherished for a long time.

Picture 1 of The 19-year-old girl is about to fly a plane around the world
Zara Rutherford will set a new Guinness World Record after completing a solo round-the-world flight. (Photo: PA)

Zara Rutherford holds British and Belgian citizenship. Both Zara's father and mother are pilots. This is probably the biggest motivation and energy source that makes Zara cherish the dream of flying alone around the world. It is expected that next month, Zara will depart from Brussels (UK) and the flight may last more than 3 months.

Sharing with reporters, Zara said that the biggest challenge will be in remote places like northern Russia or Greenland, where not many people live. So if something went wrong, she could end up in a difficult situation. "I was a little nervous but full of excitement," Zara said.

"My whole family is pilots, so I spent my whole childhood living with the sky. At the age of 14, I started formal training and received my pilot's license last year. To practice For this flight, I had to convince my mother "a little bit" but in the end she agreed. And my father is very supportive and my solid logistics , " Zara said.

Zara will fly the Shark, the world's fastest light sport aircraft. The extra seat has been removed to store more fuel.

Currently, the female record holder in the category of solo flying around the world is Shaesta Waiz (USA), 30 years old. The record was recorded in 2017. Meanwhile, the youngest male record holder is currently 18 years old.

Picture 2 of The 19-year-old girl is about to fly a plane around the world
Zara Rutherford plans to begin its round-the-world flight on August 11. (Photo: BBC)

Flying around the world was originally a gap year plan

Zara shared, at first, she only planned to fly around the world as a plan for a gap year. However, she did not realize she would be the youngest woman in the world to fly and the first Belgian.

Gap year is a term used to refer to a student's 1 year break after completing high school. Teens spend a gap year doing whatever activities they enjoy before entering college.

The route will take Zara across the Atlantic, through Greenland, Canada and South America, to Alaska, then across Russia and Indonesia before heading back to Europe. This route was chosen to meet the requirements of the Guinness World Records, passing through 52 countries and crossing the equator twice.

"I'm very excited about this trip and can't wait. There will be many challenges along the way but the experiences with different cultures are the most worthwhile. I look forward to coming to the South. America and Greenland the most" , shared Zara.

It is expected that Zara will depart on August 11, 2021.