17-year-old teen pilot making history flying around the world on his own
Mack Rutherford is proving to everyone that the sky is not the limit.
The 17-year-old pilot from Belgium has already flown across Eastern Europe and landed Monday into Southern California.
Rutherford made a pit stop at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana on Monday for fuel and lunch.
The teenager, whose entire family are aviators, is on track to become one of the first minors to fly around the world on his own.
The teen from Belgium began his quest at the end of March in Bulgaria. Rutherford told CBSLA Reporter Michele Gile he hopes to complete his circle around the globe and become the youngest solo pilot to ever achieve such a huge endeavor.
"I was in Japan and it's a huge leg toward the U.S. so I had to add extra fuel tanks just for that one stop and I did a 10 hour flight over to Attu Island which is completely uninhabited," Weatherford said. "Not a single person and I landed there safely and everything was fine."
Rutherford got his pilot license at 15-years-old. He is flying a European ultra light plane. So far, one of the most harrowing parts of the trip was flying through a sandstorm over the Egyptian desert.
After the Orange County pit stop, Rutherford took off for Cabo San Lucas. If all goes as planned, he'll set the Guinness World Record in a few weeks when he lands back in Bulgaria.
"The point is not topping it it's just something I've really wanted to do so I do it. I'll see what the next challenge brings me. It might be more challenging, it might be less but as long as it's what I want to do, I'll be happy," Rutherford said.
Ultimately, Rutherford's goal is to inspire other teenagers and youth that anything is achievable with a little dedication, curiosity and commitment.
You can learn more about Mack's story by going to his personal website, macksolo.com.