August 9, 2011 —Taylor De Ley’s summer vacation plans don’t look like those of most new high school graduates.
De Ley, 17, of Yorba Linda, California, is flying solo around the perimeter of the United States in a RV-4 he built with his dad, a private pilot. His trip includes stops in the nation’s four corners—Southern California, Washington, northern Maine, and Florida, before heading back to Los Angeles.
Last week, he landed at Wittman Regional Airport for EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2011. De Ley’s parents were worried about him flying in to the congested airspace, but other than a bit of weather on the way he said his flight went just fine.
“There were seven planes ahead of me and about 10 behind,” said De Ley. “I heard I came in at the busiest hour.”
De Ley has been flying since he was 13, when he started flying gliders. He soloed at 14 and earned his glider certificate on his 16th birthday, the same day he soloed his family’s Cessna Cardinal.
On his 17th birthday, he earned his private pilot certificate with 230 hours in his logbook.
He’s logged time in more than 30 types of aircraft, including a Boeing Stearman, de Havilland Beaver, and Beech 18, but his favorite was a Super Cub. “If I could own only one, it would be a Super Cub or Cub,” he said.
Four or five years ago, he came up with the idea to fly around the country to promote youth aviation while working toward his long-term goal of becoming a professional pilot.
After departing Oshkosh, De Ley was headed toward Detroit, Michigan and working his way to northern Maine, or distance wise, the halfway point of his trip. Click here to see where he is now, or to see photos and get updates on his flight, check out his Facebook page.
De Ley said, to his knowledge, no 17 year old has ever flow to all four corners of the US. He won’t turn 18 until January 2012.
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Taylor DeLey is flying solo around the country in this RV-4 he built with his dad. Photo by Mariano Rosales for AirVenture Today
Taylor De Ley snapped a photo from his cockpit and posted it online on Facebook.
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