Rotor & Wing Magazine :: 16-year-old Sets World Record

16-year-old Sets World Record

In order to prove that being a kid doesn't mean you can't fly solo, Errick Smith of Mississippi, soloed an R22, a Schweizer and a Cessna 172 all in one day. Errick is the youngest person to fly solo on a helo and fixed wing on the same day, his sixteenth birthday. The young man began taking lessons when he was 14 and told local reporters that he wants to continue to fly so that he can "feed his addiction to flying." Smith has yet to receive his driver's license. For related news

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I remember getting my certification in High School thanks to Colorado Springs education system offering an AeroScience class and my teacher Professor Vondestraus who held some record for highest ascent in a glider. CONGRATULATIONS TO ERRICK!

Posted by Art Lucian on Friday, May 29, 2009 @ 10:50 AM

Very inspiring. More kids should be flying and living it up in the air.

Posted by Raghvinder Joshi on Friday, May 29, 2009 @ 11:37 AM

\"Flying high\", is a good high. Congrats to a young man who will probably walk on the moon someday.

Posted by William D. Burns on Sunday, May 31, 2009 @ 11:01 AM

I would be interested to know how Errick was able to finance the instruction and aircraft rental costs- a major roadblock for most young people interested in flying (let alone older people).

Posted by Scott on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 @ 11:59 AM

We had a 16 year old name Tyler Sturdevant in Newberg that soloed a Schweizer and a Cessna 172 along with getting his drivers license all on his sixteenth birthday. Then on his 17th birthday he got both his private fixed wing and helicopter rating. Then on his 18th birthday received his commercial rating in both fixed wing and helicopter at Precision Flight Training in Newberg Oregon.

Posted by marvin on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 @ 01:39 PM

OK so who has the official world record now? Errick or Tyler??

Posted by MK on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 @ 05:37 PM

I must give Errick my congratulations, and would like to say that I was the youngest pilot in the province of Ontario Canada to receive his Multi-engine rating I was 16 years of age. This will give my age but the year was 1960.

Posted by Don on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 @ 06:09 PM

MK - If you want to find out who has what record on this, check out Rotorcraft Report in the July issue. Thanks for all the comments. Rion

Posted by managing editor on Tuesday, June 9, 2009 @ 03:39 PM

16-year-old Sets World Record

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