WASHINGTON -- Barrington Irving, the 24-year-old pilot who set two world records in June 2007 to become the youngest pilot and the first African-American to fly solo around the globe, will be presented with a Congressional Resolution at a briefing at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 12, in Room HC-5 in the U.S. Capitol building. The Resolution (H. Res. 661), passed unanimously by The U.S. House of Representatives on Dec. 11, 2007, was introduced by U.S. Representatives Alcee L. Hastings (D-Miramar) and Kendrick B. Meek (D-Miami), and encourages the pursuit of more initiatives like Irving's nonprofit organization, Experience Aviation Inc., which introduces youth and underrepresented groups to careers in aviation and aerospace.
"Barrington Irving is one of the greatest young heroes of our time," remarks Hastings.
"When the younger generation is looking for a role model and hero, they need to look no further than Barrington Irving," says Meek. "This young pilot proved that when you dream big dreams and work hard, the extraordinary is possible."
Barrington Irving's flight is now part of aviation history. On his four-month, 30,000-mile "World Flight Adventure" beginning on June 23, 2007, that was followed on the Internet by more than 100,000 students, Irving encountered thunderstorms, snowstorms, sandstorms, monsoons and icing along the way. He made 27 stops including the Azores, Spain, Greece, Egypt, Dubai, India, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan before returning to the U.S. via Alaska. As he flew back across the U.S., he was celebrated by the public, sponsors and students in Anchorage, Seattle, Denver, Houston, and Mobile.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, and raised in inner-city Miami, Irving explains that his purpose in making the flight was to inspire inner-city and minority youth, and other youth throughout the world, to consider aviation careers, but more importantly, to pursue whatever dream they might have. He named his plane Inspiration. "That's what I want my historic venture to be for young people," he says. "They can look at me and realize that if I can achieve my dream, they can, too."
Barrington is now introducing innovative, hands-on educational programs for students at his Experience Aviation Learning Center in Miami. For more information, see www.experienceaviation.org.
