High flying teen pilot Zara Rutherford beats solo round-the-world record

Zara Rutherford becomes the youngest woman to fly solo around the world after a 52-country, five-continent flight. © AFP/John Thys

Teenage Belgian-British aviator Zara Rutherford this week became the youngest woman to circumnavigate the world in a solo aircraft, flying 52,000km by microlight over 31 countries.

"It was very difficult but very rewarding," confessed the 19-year-old after completing her solo round-the-world odyssey, breaking the record set by American Shaesta Waiz in 2017.