Record Breaker Set To Take On a Guiness World Record
Lola Odujinrin is no stranger to world firsts. In 2017, he completed a barrier breaking round-the-world odyssey, by becoming the first African Pilot to fly around the world, and his passion for flying has never waivered.
We spoke to him about his next undertaking - breaking a longstanding Guiness world record, set in 1979.
Big dreams, big accomplishments
Since he was a kid, Lola has been a big dreamer, and loves to fly light aircraft.
“It’s the closest thing you can get to having that experience like a bird,” he tells us, “it’s very small, it’s nimble, and you can fly it much slower [compared to 737s]. The views are quite great!”
His dreams in aviation have turned into reality, where his career spans over 16 years, filled with achievements and ratings to show his accomplishments.
.jpg)
His certifications include the single engine piston rating, instrument rating to fly at night (with all weather conditions), multi engine rating to fly aircraft with two or more engines, commercial pilot licence rating, an Air Transport Licence Rating (ATPL), and also - a racing licence. Phew!
Taking flight and chasing once more
Lola is now preparing to chase and break another long standing record - chasing Dick Rutan’s record of 4171 miles - set on 15th December, 1979.
He’s utilising technology advancements to beat this by 1%, and working with leading providers, such as Spidertracks, to help him achieve this.
There are three key considerations Lola is factoring in while preparing for this journey. First, is fitness. “I have to be lean, mean like a machine,” he tells us. “I have to be at my optimal performance.”
Secondly, the aircraft - their attention to detail is down to the screws, indentation and modifications to ensure a smooth glide through the air. He tells us about the research he’s done on Dick Rutan. “He’s an aircraft designer, an Air Force Test Pilot, a fighter pilot. This guy is the crème de la crème. You know, this is the guy. And if I could beat this record, then I know I'm half the guy he is.”
The final consideration is weather - looking at the least affected areas of headwinds, taking advantage of different flight levels, and where the best tailwinds will be.
Undertaking a journey such as this is no mean feat - this is why, after learning from his experience flying around the world, Lola is going to tell the story of his attempt.
“I’m really keen to document the sweat, blood and tears involved in doing something like this, then people could see what people go through in trying to do exceptional things.”
We look forward to accompanying Lola on his record-breaking attempt once more! Learn more about his journey on his website.
