S.D. teen about to set around-the-world record

Matthew Guthmiller's view flying from American Samoa to Hawaii on Saturday. Photo: Matthew Guthmiller via Facebook.

Some time this evening, a South Dakota teen will fulfill his dream and become the youngest person ever to fly around the planet by himself.

Matthew Guthmiller (we told him about you here) of Aberdeen is expected to land in El Cajon, California, this evening, ending his journey which started in May.

That’s a day’s work for the kid; it’s a 15 hour flight via small plane from Honolulu (track flight here). He didn’t get much time to relax after putting in 16 hours over the weekend flying there from American Samoa.

He’s trying to raise attention and money for an organization that encourages people to explore computer science.

“My real goal is to inspire other young people to attempt things of a similar magnitude,” he told a newspaper in Brisbane, where he spent the Fourth of July, making computer science sound as difficult as flying a small plane with one engine over vast expanses of open water.