As widely reported, Sunshine Coast teenager Lachlan Smart recently became the youngest person to complete a solo circumnavigation of the world in a single engine plane, and the remarkable achievement will see him enter the Guinness World Records book.
Lachlan departed the Sunshine Coast on Monday, July 04, and after stopping at 24 locations in 15 countries, made headlines when he returned seven weeks later on Saturday, August 27. Final movements included a stay at Longreach and Bundaberg, aswell as visits to Broome and Darwin upon returning to Australian shores.
To welcome Lachlan to Bundaberg, local planespotter Micah S took time out of his busy schedule on Thursday, August 25, and gathered with local media and other aviation enthusiasts to watch the young adventurist touchdown at the rum city from Longreach. Micah also commented he thoroughly enjoyed attending Lachlan's presentation about his world record breaking flight at the Hinkler Hall of Aviation the following day.
With commitments satisfied at Bundaberg, the city where the young aviator done much of his flight training, Lachlan departed on the final albeit short leg home and arrived at Maroochydore / Sunshine Coast Airport in front of a large crowd that naturally not only included family & friends, but official partners, government officials and Ryan Campbell, the young Australian aviator who set the same record in 2013.
As part of the homecoming celebration, Lachlan was proudly handed the 'Keys to the City' by Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson, and a handwritten letter by Bert Hinkler, passed on by a relative of the aviation icon.
Of interest, Lachlan's age when setting the new world record was 18 years and 7 months, Ryan was aged 19 years and 7 months.
Here at Air Queensland.blogspot, we would like to congratulate Lachlan Smart for his outstanding achievement in setting a new world record.
All photo's contributed by Micah S.
