Teen pilot in Belgium, near end of global odyssey

A Belgian-British teenage pilot was on track Tuesday to become the youngest person to fly around the world solo in a small plane as he landed in southern Belgium ahead of the penultimate leg of his global odyssey.

Mack Rutherford, who turned 17 during the flight, touched down at Buzet Airstrip near the city of Charleroi, where he originally learned to fly. He's due to land in Bulgaria on Wednesday.

His aim: to displace Travis Ludlow of Britain, who was18 when he set the record in 2021. Mack's lonely journey, which began on March 23, took him through 52 countries over five continents.

To conform with Guinness World Records requirements, the route crossed the equator twice.