Photo by Janet Silvera
Air Jamaica pilots, flight attendants and Jamaica's Minister of Tourism, Aloun Assamba, were on hand to welcome Barrington Irving. From left (front row) are Maureen Henry, route operations supervisor; young Christopher Irving; Kay Chong, community relations manager. In the back row are Sheryl Haye, Minister Assamba, Captains Maria Ziadie Haddad and Paul Atkinson, first officer Peter Rigg and Marcia Smith, route operations supervisor.

Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Barrington Irving, the world's first black man and the youngest pilot to fly solo around the globe, has been labelled 'Superman' by Miami-Dade County Commissioner Barbara Jordan.

Presenting him with the keys to the City of Miami, while proclaiming June 27 'Barrington Irving Day', Jordan lauded the 23-year-old aeronautical Jamaican genius, who grew up in Florida, shortly after he touched down his Lancair Columbia 400 aircraft at the Opa-Locka Airport last Wednesday morning.

"I am so proud of your parents who have set the catalyst for who you've turned out to be," she said, as the colours of black, green and gold waved in unison and the voices of the people in the audience deafened every second word that was said.

Not only was Irving back home as a hero after 97 days spent circling the globe, but he was standing pretty - holding two world records to his name - The youngest person to perform this feat and the first person of African descent to ever fly solo around the world.

And guess what? He is Jamaican!

Experience Aviation Inc.

At age 21, Irving founded Experience Aviation Inc., a non-profit organisation designed to motivate youth and address the significant shortage of younger, technically skilled professionals in aviation, aerospace, and other related career fields.

By completing this historic flight, he was able to excite, inspire and motivate minorities and youth of all ages to reach for their dreams, said his mentor Captain Gary Robinson.

Still very much a senior, majoring in aerospace at Florida Memorial University, young Irving traded in his cap and gown for a brown flight suit on March 23, climbed into a single-engine plane he calls 'Inspiration' and embarked on the historic flight.

Tired

Mentally and physically tired, he returned to thunderous applause and the sound of a praying clergy that surrounded him right in the middle of the tarmac.

"Praise the Lord!" said many in the audience.

Jamaica's Minister of Tourism Entertainment and Culture, Aloun Assamba, who attended in the absence of Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, read the poem 'Jamaica Wanderers'.

"When Barrington Irving decided to fly around the world, he was following in a deep Jamaican tradition."

She said Jamaicans have always soared to grea and he has done so with distinction. All Jamaica is proud of this extraordinary son of the soil who has brought glory to his country and who has demonstrated what Jamaicans can achieve.

"His spirit is quintessentially Jamaican: dogged, determined and daring."

Barrington Irving's trip was made possible by the kind support of Miami Executive Aviation, Chevron, Universal Weather and Aviation, Miami Dade Empowerment Trust, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Avidyne, Teledyne Continental Motors, NASA, Miami-Dade County and many more companies that believed in his dream.

- Janet Silvera's trip was sponsored by Air Jamaica.