Microlight pilot Zara planning Wick stopover on record-breaking round-the-world trip
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A 19-year-old microlight pilot will be stopping off in Caithness next week as she makes a record-breaking bid to become the youngest woman to fly solo around the world.
Zara Rutherford starts her journey in Belgium on August 18 and is due to finish there on November 3 after circumnavigating the globe, although the dates are subject to change.
Her last destination on Wednesday before crossing the Atlantic is Wick, where she will make a brief stopover – and she is keen to meet up with any young girls who might be around to tell them that they too can do anything they want.
Zara was born in Belgium and went to school in England.
"I am planning to fly around the world solo which will make me the youngest woman to circumnavigate the globe solo as well as the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe solo in a microlight aircraft," she said. "My aim is to encourage girls and young women to pursue their dreams.
"I have just completed my A-levels in mathematics, further mathematics, economics and physics, and hope to go to university to study computer science/computer engineering. I qualified as a pilot last year and both my parents are experienced pilots.
"One of my biggest dreams – as well as flying around the world – is becoming an astronaut."
Zara added: "My aim is to inspire young women and girls to pursue whatever they may be interested in, even if that is seen as traditionally male.
"I have always been interested in two things – aviation and STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics]. Through my round-the-world trip I'm hoping to encourage other girls to start flying too and enter STEM-related careers.
"Only five per cent of commercial pilots are women, and 15 per cent of computer scientists are women. That's an extremely low number considering these are amazing careers with wonderful opportunities."
Zara will be flying a Shark Aero high-performance two-seat tandem ultralight aircraft using the most advanced technology and will be crossing 52 countries and five continents.
Her planned route will take her to countries including Iceland, Greenland, Canada, the USA, Mexico, Russia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Egypt and Greece before returning to Belgium.
She explained that one of her biggest role models is Lilian Bland, who was born in 1878 in Kent. Bland was the first woman to design, build, and fly her own plane in 1910.
Zara said: "Before that her dream was to become a jockey and race at the Grand National. She got her licence but was never able to compete due to her gender.
"She was also known for wearing trousers, which was very 'unladylike' at the time. After she had built her plane [the Bland Mayfly] her father decided to give her a car to dissuade her from flying. One year later she opened a car dealership."
