Sailing hero Mike Perham from Potters Bar to fly solo around the world (From Times Series)

Sailing hero Mike Perham from Potters Bar to fly solo around the world

12:30pm Friday 23rd July 2010 in

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POTTERS BAR sailing hero Mike Perham has set his sights on becoming the youngest person to fly solo around the world, he announced today.

World record holder Mike, aged 18, announced his latest challenge at the Farnborough Air Show.

If he succeeds, he will become the first person to solo circumnavigate the earth by boat and by plane.

Mr Perham said having sailed around the world he now wanted an even bigger challenge.

He began his training with Cabair Flying School at Elstree Aerodrome, despite only just passing his driving test a few months ago.

His route will take him across 18 countries in 37 legs over the course of three months in the challenge which is expected to start next spring.

The current record holder is American Barrington Irving who flew solo around the world aged 23.

In 2009, aged 17, Mike set the world record as the youngest person to sail single-handed around the world. In 2007, aged 14, he became the youngest person to sail across the Atlantic single-handedly.