An Australian teenager, who did an overnight stop over in American Samoa, during his attempt to become the youngest person in history to fly around the world in a single engine plane, has achieved that goal after landing in Australia over the weekend.
Eighteen-year old Lachlan Smart, fresh out of high school, arrived in Pago Pago the afternoon of July 5th in a single engine propeller driven aircraft after departing Queensland, Australia on July 4 (July 3 local time) with a stop in Fiji.
Speaking at a news conference while in Pago Pago, Smart told reporters that planning the “Wings Around the World” trip began two and half years ago and the cost is around $350,000, which includes in-kind donations from various sponsors and supporters.
From American Samoa, Smart flew to Kiribati, then to Hawai’i before heading to the US mainland and other global destinations and landed safety back at Sunshine Coast in Queensland at 7:30a.m on Aug. 27th (Aug. 26th local time), where he was welcomed by a large crowd.
Asked about some of his memorable moments during the solo flight around the world, Smart told Samoa News that “there were many memorable moments during the journey however a standout experience would be the departure from the Great Britain. Flying out of an airfield that my great grandfather did in WW2 over the White Cliffs of Dover after a good rest, and seeing some family was a phenomenal experience.”
“The Grand Canyon [on the US mainland] was also an incredible sight as well as some of the Pacific islands e.g. American Samoa,” he said via email yesterday from Queensland.
Asked what this solo flight meant to him, Smart responded, “The flight was created to prove to the younger generation that anything can be achieved through hard work, determination and self belief.”
“I am a normal teenager from the Sunshine Coast in Australia and over 2 and a half years I managed to turn this dream into a reality,” he said. “There is no reason that other young people can’t get out there and achieve their dreams too.”
Being back on the ground and at home in Australia “is excellent... after accomplishing this journey,” he said.
“There were many challenges and many highlights and everyone of those who added to the adventure that was Wings Around the World,” he points out. “I am really hoping that the public will help me continue to spread this message that ‘anything is possible, you just need to start with a goal’.”
Asked about his next adventure, Smart said, “I will be continuing to spread this message of youth achievement whilst furthering my study in both aviation and possibly business. No other round the world flights or similar ventures planned at this stage.”
BACKGROUND
Smart told reporters in Pago Pago that the around-the-world journey of seven and a half weeks, covering 45,000 kilometers (about 30,000 miles), 24 locations in 20 countries on five continents.
He says his journey is not only a trip around the world but is also meant to make a difference in the lives of young people.
“I want to see more young people get out there and achieve their dreams and go for their goals as well, because as a generation of young people, often we tend to get sidetracked and lose that motivation and self-belief, and that's what stops us from achieving our dreams," he said.
See Samoa News edition July 7 and July 11 for more details.