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Welcome back to CBS Saturday Morning. This week, a teenager made aviation history by becoming the youngest woman to fly solo around the world.

On Thursday, Zara Rutherford completed a five-month, 32,000-mile journey that took her from Europe, across North and South America, along the Pacific Rim, and over the Middle East and Africa, to return home again in record time.

Not many 19-year-olds can say they’ve circled the globe, and only one can say she’s flown herself. Zara Rutherford came full circle this week when she landed her ultralight aircraft at the same Belgian airport where her voyage began back in August.

Zara Rutherford, Solo Pilot: “It’s just really crazy. I haven’t quite processed it, I think,” she said. “I mean, coming here, I was basically just trying to imagine what it’d be like to finally be home after five months.”

Along the way, Rutherford traversed 41 countries on five different continents, flying over natural wonders and man-made marvels.

The trip was bumpy at times — a Russian visa issue kept her grounded in Alaska for days.

Along the way, she dodged thunderstorms, fought the fog, and even flew through California’s wildfire smoke.

When cloudy conditions caused her to lose radio contact on her approach to Greenland, Rutherford texted her parents, “I’m alive,” when she finally landed safely,

Both pilots themselves, Rutherford’s parents knew what was in store when she left on her journey—very aware of the risks. “But I think she needs to fly away. It’s her dream, and she needs to live it.”

Now back at home and in the record books, Rutherford is focused on her next challenge — studying computer science in college and one day becoming an astronaut, all while inspiring girls and young women to pursue educations in STEM-related fields.

But she had one thing to do for herself just after landing.

Zara Rutherford, Solo Pilot: “Well, so I’ve been waiting for the sandwich that’s from a sandwich shop that’s really nearby, and I’ve been waiting five months to get it, so I’m really looking forward to getting it soon.”

And one thing that stood out, she said, was the kindness of strangers along the way. She got waylaid in different places, like Alaska, where a family hosted her even though they had a newborn. When she left, that newborn was five weeks old, so she’d been there for over half of this little baby’s life.

Amazing. Wow. Love the story.

Questions

Paper Plane. Zara Rutherford is an ordinary teenager. True or false?

Kite. Did she circumnavigate the world by flying along the equator?

Model Airplane. Did Zara start and finish her journey in Sydney, Australia?

Drone. The trip took 5 days of non-stop flying. Is this right or wrong?

Hang glider. With a Belgian passport, could Zara easily travel anywhere she wanted?

Paragliding. Was it all smooth flying for her? Did she encounter any difficult flying conditions?

Biplane, Monoplane. Zara’s mother is an office manager, and her father is a software developer. Is this correct or incorrect?

Private Jet. Is her goal to pilot a submersible and explore underwater shipwrecks? Does she want to be a submarine captain?
 
 
 
Passenger Airliner, Commercial Plane. I have flown on an airplane. Yes or no? How does it feel to fly on an airplane?

Cargo Plane, Transport Plane. What did you and your friends want to be when you were little?

Rocket, Spaceship. Would you like to travel all around the world, or visit many different countries?

Space Station. What might happen in the future?

Boeing, Airbus. Should everyone travel more, less, or the same amount?