From Kortrijk-Wevelgem airport in Belgium, 19-year-old Zara Rutherford left on Wednesday for a three-month journey that could make her the youngest woman to fly solo around the world.

On this trip, the young woman of Belgian and British origin will fly the fastest ultralight plane in the world, with two seats - Shark UL -, passing through 52 countries and five continents. First, she will fly to Wick (England), via Aberdeen (Scotland), and then cross the Atlantic Ocean to Iceland, Greenland, and Canada. Then it will follow the east coast of the United States to South America. Finally, it will head up the west coast to Alaska, towards Russia, Central and East Asia, before returning to Europe via the Middle East.

According to the news published by Visão newspaper, at each stop, Zutherford intends to land at small airfields to refuel the aircraft, staying with local families or hotels. The flights between each stop will last about five to six hours each.

With only a satellite phone and a radio to communicate with the air traffic controllers of the countries she will be flying over, the young woman is alone, with no other aircraft accompanying her.

Rutherford grew up in a family of pilots and admired aviation. She started flying at age 14, where "I didn't see many other women or girls (...). Reuters.

Jane Gandee, principal of St Swithun's School, one of the sponsors of the trip, and the young girl's teacher for the past five years, says Rutherford has the determination and courage to make this trip, so she tells CNN. During this period, the young woman realized "how under-represented women are in some areas," she adds.

Zara Rutherford is not the youngest pilot to attempt to fly around the planet solo, as that feat was achieved by 18-year-old Briton Travis Ludlow in July. But her goal is to break a record by becoming the youngest woman to fly solo around the world. In addition, she wants to be an inspiration to other women: "I really hope to encourage girls and young women to go into aviation, science, technology, engineering and mathematics," she said.

Ambitioning to be an astronaut, Rutherford will enter university next year. "I love adventure and I think space is probably the greatest adventure there is," he concludes.