August 24, 2022 update: A dream came true - two world records broken
Mack Rutherford successfully finished his trip, making him the youngest person to fly alone around the world. Watch the full video of his arrival and welcoming concert here.
The MackSolo project
After successfully helping Zara Rutherford to become the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in an ultralight aircraft, ICDSoft is now the sponsor of another world record attempt - the MackSolo project. This project aims to provide Mack Rutherford, Zara's brother, with the support he needs to set his own world record. At just 16, he is aiming to be the youngest man to fly solo around the world. The ultralight aircraft Mack will use for the world record attempt has been provided by ICDSoft.
Aiming for greatness
Mack might be just 16, but he has been flying from an early age. Should he succeed in his quest, he would be the youngest man to have flown solo around the world, beating the world record of Travis Ludlow, who was 18 when he completed his journey. Mack's mission is to prove that age does not matter when you pursue your dreams, and you do not need to be an adult to achieve incredible things. He wants to inspire people around the world to pursue their dreams regardless of their age. Mack will also take this opportunity to meet young people around the world that also do incredible things and are making a difference to their communities.
The journey begins in Sofia, Bulgaria
Mack embarked on his quest on March 23, 2022. He took off from an airport near Sofia, Bulgaria. He chose to begin and end his journey near Sofia because ICDSoft's headquarters are located in Sofia. This will make him fly an extra 1000 miles, just like we at ICDSoft always go the extra mile for our customers.
Setting a world record is no easy task
The takeoff was the first obstacle Mack had to overcome chasing his dream. A takeoff in an ultralight aircraft with cross winds of up to 30 knots might be a challenge for many pilots, but Mack showed that it is a matter of experience and not a matter of age. Much to the astonishment of some aviation aficionados, he managed to take off from Sofia and land safely in Trapani, Sicily, reaching speeds of up to 350-380 km/h, due to the tailwinds on his route. This kind of determination and character fills us with hope for the outcome of this adventure and makes us proud of being the sponsor of this incredible young man.
Follow Mack on his adventure
You can follow Mack's progress on the MackSolo website.
You can watch the videos Mack uploads from his adventures and subscribe for SMS notifications on the MackSolo page on our website.
Go Mack!