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Record-breaking teenager Lachlan Smart was among the crowds that gathered at Watts Bridge Memorial Airfield over the weekend for the inaugural Brisbane Valley Air Show.
Smart is the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe solo in a single-engine aircraft, having completed his 24,000nm journey in a Cirrus SR-22 on Friday August 26, when he landed at Sunshine Coast Airport aged 18 years, seven months and 21 days.
The seven-week attempt began on July 4 and included stops in 24 locations and 15 countries.
The previous youngest person to fly solo around the world in a single engine aircraft was Matt Guthmiller from the United States at 19 years, seven months and 15 days.
“The support I have received from family, friends, the local Sunshine Coast council and community and people around the world that I have never even met has been incredible from the first moment we spoke about this journey,” Smart said in a statement on his “Wings around the world” website that chronicled his journey.
The two-day Brisbane Valley Air Show at Watts Bridge Memorial Airfield near Toogoolawah, about 110km north west of Brisbane, featured a mix of RAAF jets, warbirds and other vintage aircraft, general aviation aircraft and aerobatics flying displays.
(Read more about Lachlan Smart and his solo flight around the world in the October edition of Australian Aviation.)
paul
says:Well done Lachlan.U would be great in the RAAF.Good luck mate.
Sam
says:This kid needs to calm down a little. The flight suit with 4 bars! Please!
Andymac
says:If Sam has read anything about around the world flights he’ll understand why the 4 bars are worn. How about reading a book, aviation magazine etc rather than a comic book. At least the young fella is not lying in bed til midday, he’s out the doing stuff. Always some flog wanting to criticise someone doing something they haven’t got the balls to do them self.
Sam
says:Andymac, I don’t read comic books in my spare time, generally just my airline’s FCOM.
TrashHauler
says:I work for an airline too, but I try to avoid reading FCOM in my spare time and prefer flying light aircraft instead. Have some fun Sam, congratulate the kid, not criticise 🙂
Tony
says:4 stripes are generally needed to cut through red tape in certain countries. Being seen as a Captain tends to make life easier with customs.
G4george
says:Sam nothing worse than the older generation knocking the young ones, take a Bex and a nanna nap.
Sam
says:G4george, I’m only 3-4 years older than this kid. Hardly an older generation!