17-Year-old pilot flies around Australia for Little Wings

A 17-year-old Melbourne pilot will fly solo around Australia in support of Little Wings.

Melbourne student Rose departed Essendon Airport on Easter Monday to begin a solo circumnavigation of Australia in a Cessna 172, raising awareness and funds for Little Wings, a volunteer-led charity providing free, professional air and ground transport for seriously ill children across regional NSW, ACT and QLD.

Rose will fly more than 15,000 kilometers, landing at 26 airports and touching down around the Australian coastline, attempting to set a Guinness World Record as the youngest female pilot to complete the journey in a General Aviation Aircraft, demonstrating that age and gender are no barriers to achieving bold dreams.

Throughout her journey, Rose will document her progress on Instagram at@pilotrose.au, sharing daily flight logs, weather and visibility updates, safety checks, and reflections from the cockpit. A short introduction video is also available on YouTube for media use.

Rose says her motivation is simple "Little Wings helps families when they need it most. If my endeavor can shine a light on the work they do and help raise funds so more kids can get to the care they need, then every hour planning and in the air is worth it."

Flying under VFR (Visual Flight Rules) conditions, Rose will make all decisions based on safety, visibility, and weather windows. Her journey includes daily pre-flight checks, strict weather assessments, and planned stops at regional airports across the country to inspire supporters, sponsors and other young pilots.

I’m thrilled to share that Rose flew right over my house yesterday on her way from Tamworth to Archerfield.

INTERAIR CESSNA 172M SKYHAWK VH-DWE (MSN 17264267) 52 YEARS

Airports Rose will be flying into 

NEW SOUTH WALES
Bankstown
Tamworth

QUEENSLAND
Archerfield
Caloundra
Shute Harbour
Tully
Cooktown
Horn island
Karrumba
Hells gate

NORTHERN TERRITORY
Daly waters
Darwin

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Kununurra
Broome
Karratha
Coral bay
Geraldton
Jandakot
Esperance

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Forrest
Ceduna

Parafeild

VICTORIA
Warnambool

Mallacoota

Essendon

TASMANIA
Hobart

If you’d like to donate to Little Wings or support Rose in reaching her goal, the links are provided below.

Little Wings | Children's Charity Australia

GiveNow - Pilot Rose - Fundraising Mission For Little Wings