Pago Pago, American Samoa — Oct. 12, 2025 — In a dramatic and inspiring moment, 15-year-old Australian pilot Byron Waller is set to touch down in American Samoa around 10 p.m. tonight, marking another major milestone in his record-setting flight around the world. Flying a Sling TSi light aircraft (VH-ZMD), Byron is nearing the final stages of his global circumnavigation, a journey spanning continents and oceans. By tomorrow morning, he’ll celebrate his 16th birthday, waking up in American Samoa as one of the youngest pilots ever to complete such an extraordinary mission.

Byron’s arrival in the skies over the Samoan archipelago captures more than just a geographical waypoint, it is a bridge between his bold, youth-driven journey and the aviation heritage of American Samoa.

BYRON’S JOURNEY: FROM PATIENT TO PILOT

Kiwi Ozzie Byron, from Brisbane, Australia, is flying a mission titled “From Patient to Pilot”, raising awareness of Crohn’s disease and inspiring resilience against life’s obstacles.

Last year, he completed a 3- week 70 hour 11,000 km supported circumnavigation of Australia in a small aircraft, raising awareness and attention for childhood health causes.

In 2025, Byron (also referred to as the Forrest Gump of Aviation) set off on a global journey across continents, with stops in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America before returning over the Pacific this week.

 The flight is supported (he is accompanied by an instructor or mentor for safety), but Byron performs the flying himself, leg by leg.

Byron’s goal: to inspire young people around the world to chase their dreams, overcome adversity, and believe that age is no barrier to achievement. As part of that mission, he aims to become the youngest supported pilot to fly around the world and, upon his return to Australia, apply for his recreational pilot license. He hopes to go on to use his story and flight to help inspire youth (and others) to dream big no matter what obstacles or challenges they face.

As he touches down in American Samoa, Byron carries not just his plane but his message: that illness or adversity need not clip your wings.

American Samoa holds a storied place in Pacific aviation history. Byron’s landing in American Samoa is a contemporary echo of that heritage: youthful ambition, aviation bridging vast water routes, and the spirit of connecting Pacific peoples. He hopes to be able to return to the Pacific Islands after his trip to share his journey with the residents and help inspire in any way he can.

By tomorrow morning, Byron will turn 16, a symbolic moment in his life and in his aviation journey. In many jurisdictions, 16 is the earliest age one can obtain certain pilot privileges; Byron aims to apply for his recreational pilot license soon after arriving back in Australia.