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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n\u201cOnly 5% of commercial pilots and 15% of computer scientists\nare women. In both areas \u2013 aviation and STEM \u2013 the gender gap is huge. But\nduring my journey I met many incredible, talented women \u2013 pilots, engineers,\ncar racers. I believe together we can make a real change. We can encourage\nother women to be bold, ambitious and pursue their dreams.\u201d – says Zara\nRutherford.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zara is 19 years old and on the 18th of August 2021 she set\noff from Kortrijk-Wevelgem, Belgium, heading West across the Atlantic. She\nstopped in Iceland and Greenland, flew through Canada, the USA and the\nCaribbean to Colombia. Then she continued North-West, crossed the Bering Strait\nfrom Alaska into Russia and flew further to South Korea, Indonesia, India, the\nMiddle East and back home to Kortrijk in Belgium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her journey took twice as long as expected. In Alaska and\nRussia she waited several weeks in freezing temperatures for good weather\nconditions. She had to take a long detour over the sea to avoid North Korean\nairspace. In the Philippines she had to escape the super-typhoon Rai, in India\nshe avoided thick smog which significantly reduced visibility. In California\nshe faced wild-fires, in Dubai \u2013 heavy winds, and in Mexico – an earthquake.\nBut everywhere she met extremely friendly people eager to help and encourage\nher to continue her inspiring mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nHaving completed her circumnavigation, Zara can now claim two\nGuinness World Records (GWR). The previous youngest female record holder,\nShaesta Waiz, was 30 at the time of her flight. With this flight Zara has\nreduced the gender gap for the record by more than a decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zara was flying a Shark, one of the fastest ultralight\naircraft in the world, specially prepared for such a long journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n