TUKWILA, Wash. — A 17-year-old is trying to break the record for youngest person to fly solo around the world, and one of his stops was at the Museum of Flight in Seattle over the weekend.
"In plane you can basically go anywhere you go there's very little airspace you have to go around," said Mack Rutherford, who arrived at the Museum of Flight on Friday afternoon and is staying with a host family in Seattle.
The teenager has gone to places some people can only dream of.
"You're actually able to see all the land that goes past you, so I've been able to see every single part of the world that I've been through from the air, so India, Africa, U.S. everything, it's so special to see all these different places," said Rutherford.
Rutherford has been a licensed pilot since he was 15. Now, Rutherford’s trying to become the youngest person to fly solo across the world. He's been flying in an ultralight aircraft since March 2022, when he started in Bulgaria. He's since traveled to more than 20 countries. His desire to reach new heights runs in the family.
"Once my sister became the youngest woman to fly solo around the world, I knew that I too wanted to fly around the world," said Rutherford.
Both of Rutherford's parents are pilots as well.
“That's how my passion grew, when I was 10 years old I started flying a lot with my dad and that's really when I started loving flying," said Rutherford.
Rutherford is taking a quick pitstop this weekend at the Museum of Flight. He still has a way to go and plans to finish his world-record journey by next month, returning to Bulgaria where it all started.
"It doesn't matter how young or old you are just follow your dreams and worked towards them and eventually they'll come through, it may be hard sometimes, but if you keep pushing through they will come true," said Rutherford.