Dream Big When I touch down in Inspiration for the last time, I want to kiss the ground. I feel relief and pride. I also may be in shock! I can’t believe I’ve made it. I’d flown through sandstorms, monsoons,


thunderstorms, and other trials to reach my goal. It took 97 days, 26 stops, and taking big risks, but I had broken both records. I was the youngest pilot and first black pilot to fly around the world solo. I used what I knew about my plane and the


forces of motion to take me all the way around the world. By understanding the forces of weight, liſt , drag, and thrust, I kept my plane in the air. My journey was hard at times, but I never gave up. I dared to dream, live, and fly!


WORDWISE


drag: a force that pulls on and slows down an object’s movement


force: a push or a pull that can cause a change in motion


lift: a force that pushes an object upward


thrust: a force that pushes an object forward


weight: a force caused by gravity that pulls an object down


For more, read: “Touch the Sky: My Solo Flight Around the World” by Barrington Irving and Holly Peppe


NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2014 17


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