Barrington Irving: Pilot and Educator

Background and Achievements

• Early Life:

  • Raised in Miami's inner city with challenges such as crime, poverty, and failing schools.
  • Overcame these challenges to become the youngest and first African American to fly solo around the world.
  • Built his own plane for the historic flight.
  • Graduated with high honors from an aeronautical science program.
  • Founded an educational nonprofit organization.

• Message to Youth:

  • Encourages determination, hard work, and passion.
  • Believes in pursuing dreams despite the skepticism of others.
  • Emphasizes the importance of having a dream and being inspired through learning experiences.

Journey to Aviation

• Inspiration:

  • At 15, worked at his parents' bookstore where a customer, a professional pilot, introduced him to flying.
  • Initially doubted his abilities but was captivated after experiencing the cockpit firsthand.

• Sacrifices and Determination:

  • Declined a football scholarship to pursue aviation.
  • Funded his flight training by washing airplanes and using a flight training video game.
  • Faced over 50 funding rejections for his solo world flight but persevered to assemble a plane from donated parts.
  • Completed his flight with minimal resources, including no weather radar and only $30.

Experience Aviation

• Nonprofit Organization Goals:

  • Increase youth engagement in flying and STEM careers.
  • Offers summer and after-school programs with projects in robotics and flight training.
  • Conducts field trips to major industries and corporations.

• Impact:

  • Aims to inspire meaningful learning experiences to ensure students remain on educational and career paths.
  • Success stories include students receiving scholarships and pursuing careers as pilots, engineers, and mechanics.

Future Plans: The Flying Classroom

• Vision:

  • Transform a jet into a flying classroom to inspire millions of students globally.
  • Integrate science, technology, engineering, math, and cultural education into the flight experience.

• Interactive Learning:

  • Students can participate online, influence flight decisions, and learn through live broadcasts and blogs.
  • Collaborations with the International Space Station and use of NASA technology for data collection.
  • Offers virtual tours of global landmarks and interactive problem-solving challenges.

• Goals:

  • Scheduled for 2013 with the aim of being the youngest to fly to all seven continents.
  • Promote global learning and exploration, fostering communication between students and experts in various fields.

Irving's Legacy

• Personal Example:
  • Uses his life story as inspiration, overcoming doubters and achieving against the odds.
  • Reinforces the idea that determination can overcome limitations of age, resources, or experience.