She’s not old enough to drive a car, but 15-year-old pilot Jennifer Hunt is breaking records.<\/p>\n
This week she’ll embark on a bid to become the youngest female to circumnavigate Australia solo, with her co-pup, three-month-old golden retriever Bella in the passenger seat.<\/p>\n
But the Darwin teenager’s name was already marked in the history books, when she became the country’s youngest female pilot at 15 years and five months after gaining her qualifications in June.<\/p>\n
“[I’d] never flown solo before until February this year but I’ve been around aviation my whole life so I know about planes a little bit,” she said.Loading…<\/p>\n
Her family has been in aviation for decades, so when Jennifer suggested the trip, her parents weren’t shocked.<\/p>\n
“We were just driving home one night and I was like, ‘Hey, why don’t I fly around Australia’,” she said.<\/p>\n
Jennifer’s father Geoffrey Hunt says he and his wife will follow her in their own plane, but added that Jennifer is a capable pilot.<\/p>\n
“Jennifer’s had excellent instructors the whole way through, she’s been very well trained,” he said.<\/p>\n
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Jennifer’s parents will trail her in the plane pictured. (ABC News: Michael Parfitt)<\/p>\n
“She’s above average I believe, in her abilities with the flying and got good reports the whole way.”<\/p>\n
Even though Jennifer can’t legally drive a car yet, her parents hope to keep her in the air for as long as possible.<\/p>\n
“We’re a lot happier with her flying an airplane than driving a car, ” Mr Hunt said.<\/p>\n
“We’d much rather she flies than drives. Next year she wants to drive around Australia, now that’s a worry.”<\/p>\n
Jennifer Hunt has been mentored by fellow young pilot Bob Bramley. (ABC News: Michael Parfitt)<\/p>\n
Jennifer has been mentored by fellow pilot Bob Bramley, who previously broke the record for the youngest pilot to travel around Australia solo at 16 years old.<\/p>\n