COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, August 18, 2025 (ePRESS) – A 15-year-old Brisbane teenager, Byron Waller, touched down at Colombo International Airport – Ratmalana this morning on his historic attempt to become the youngest supported pilot to circumnavigate the world.
Byron completed an epic 11-hour flight across the Indian Ocean, marking one of the toughest legs of his journey.
“We at CIAR are proud to welcome 15-year-old pilot Byron Waller on his inspiring journey to become the youngest supported pilot to fly around the world,” an airport official at Ratmalana said.
Living with Crohn’s disease, Byron is proving that illness does not define destiny. His campaign, called Teen Pilot Down Under, is a tribute to youth.
The young aviator and his instructor began their journey from Brisbane Airport on Saturday morning, with their first stop at Alice Springs via Roma. Over the next two months, they will fly 45,000 kilometres across 30 countries and all seven continents.
Byron’s love for flying began nearly a decade ago with a joy-ride that sparked a lifelong passion. At just 13, he booked his first flying lesson.
“I was 13 and I loved it. Flight training is hard – you have to learn theory, and it’s a long process,” he recalled. “But once you see what you can achieve out of it, flying opens up a whole new world.”
