IRVING

Fifty-four days after his highly publicised takeoff from Miami in his Columbia 400 single-propeller aircraft, Inspiration, Jamaican-born pilot, Barrington Irving, is halfway to his historic dream of becoming the youngest pilot and first black man to do a solo flight around the world.

Irving, according to the latest update on his experienceaviation.org flight tracker, arrived in Calcutta, India, on May 14. This symbolised the halfway mark for the young pilot's round-the-world trip.

The expedition, which was initially expected to be completed in 40 days, was prolonged after several setbacks including snow, sand and tropical storms in Canada, Egypt and India, respectively.

However, Irving noted on his flight blog that amid the harsh weather conditions he has been facing at various legs of his voyage, his "round-the-world flight has certainly been filled with adventure" and his current stay in Calcutta, is no exception.

Inspire fellow youths

He noted that he greatly believed his mission will inspire fellow youths from low socio-economic backgrounds to aspire to their dreams even as he, coming out of those circumstances, is now realising his.

Barrington Irving was born in Jamaica and moved to Miami at age six. An encounter with Captain Gary Robinson, a Jamaican airline pilot, while working in his parents' bookshop would change Irving's life as it was hereafter that his passion for aviation was sparked.

Irving was invited by Robinson to view the cockpit of a Boeing 777 aircraft that he flew, and the rest was history.