Meet Ademilola Odujinrin - First African Pilot To Fly Solo Around The World

A Nigerian pilot, Ademilola Odujinrin, fondly called Lola by friends and colleagues, and currently working for Air Djibouti has become the first African pilot in history to fly solo around the world.

Lola finished the last leg of his historic flight Wednesday afternoon, as he landed safely at Washington Dulles International Airport in the United States.

L-R: Mario Fulgoni, CEO of Air; Djibouti Bruce Dickinson, Chairman of Cardiff Aviation; Ademilola “Lola” Odujinrin, Pilot; Aboubaker Omar Hadi, Chairman of Air Djibouti.

With this historic flight, Lola has completed the entire circumnavigation in a Cirrus SR22, in a journey which saw him stopping over in more than 15 countries on five continents.

On Wednesday, March 29, 2017, Lola returned to Washington DC, where his journey began back in September, 2016.

“Fewer than 115 people have completed a solo circumnavigation of the globe by air, and it’s been my dream since my youth to join them. Air Djibouti CEO Mario Fulgoni and Cardiff Aviation Chairman Bruce Dickinson share my love for flying and have been hugely supportive in helping me realise a lifetime ambition. I hope to set a world first and inspire a generation of people in Africa and beyond.” said Odujunrin.

Air Djibouti and Cardiff Aviation partnered for the project dubbed ‘Project Transcend’ which aims to inspire a new generation of young pilots in Africa.