Look: 15-Year Old Pilot Lands In UAE During Attempt To Fly Around The World

A teenage pilot who is attempting a record around-the-world flight landed in the UAE on Friday. Fifteen-year-old Byron Waller set off from his hometown of Brisbane in Australia at the beginning of this month and has already landed in four countries.

“I want my flight to be a message to all the youngsters in the world,” he told Khaleej Times over a video call, while still on his plane.“I want to show them that they can achieve their dreams, no matter how big or small. I want to tell them to get off their devices and achieve what they want to do.”

Last year, Byron became the youngest pilot to fly over 6,000 miles around Australia. However, his drive to achieve comes from the hardships he has gone through in his life. From when he was three weeks old, he was in and out of hospitals with several medical conditions.

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It was only at the age of 13 that he was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. An untreatable lifelong condition, the disease causes the digestive system to become swollen and irritated and requires to be controlled at all times.

“The disease took a big toll on my health when I was young,” he said.“When I was 13, my parents wanted me to take up a hobby and I decided to take up flying. I found my passion in it and kept building my hours. At the age of 14, I recovered from my medical conditions and went into remission. That is when I decided to fly around Australia.”

Global journey

Byron took off from Brisbane Airport on August 9. So far, he has landed in four countries and flown over several more - including Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and India. For him, the biggest highlight of the journey has been the varied experiences.

“From flying over the remoteness of Australia to the hustle and bustle of Singapore and from the culture of Sri Lanka and India, to now Abu Dhabi, it's been amazing just to see how vast and diverse our world actually is,” he said.

Flying with his instructor Paul Denness, Byron said he is lucky to have had this experience.“I have learnt quite a lot of new skills that's required while flying,” he said.“Most pilots in Australia don't get to experience or know [about challenges on flights] outside the country. With this trip, I think the biggest thing I've learned is just how much work is required on longer flights to get rewarding outcomes”.

Even during the long journey, he constantly stays in touch with his parents using satellite devices where available.“We're often out of range over the ocean, but I still try to message them when I can,” he said.

Now a Grade 11 student, Byron dreams of doing something in the private jet industry. In between flying, he tries to keep up with his schoolwork. His school has been supportive, offering an online learning portal that allows him to complete assignments remotely.

“During the term, I usually only fly on weekends,” he explained.“But now, while I'm on this trip, I do schoolwork whenever I can.”

From Abu Dhabi, Byron will be flying to Egypt and onwards to complete the trip that he estimates will take two and a half months.

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