An Embry-Riddle student is planning a solo around-the-world flight next year to inspire women to take science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education paths, possibly with an eye toward aviation careers. Shaesta Waiz will take off from Daytona Beach next June 2 and make 33 stops over 90 days. She’ll be flying a Beech A36 Bonanza and will cover more than 27,000 nautical miles. She’s flying an eastern route that will take her through Canada, the Azores, Europe, Asia and over the Pacific and, at 28, she’ll become the youngest female earthrounder. There are some twists and turns to Waiz’s journey, however, and a geopolitical component.
Waiz was born in a refugee camp in Afghanistan as her parents fled the war with Russia in the late 1980s. She grew up in Richmond, California, and ended up going to Embry-Riddle. When she got her private certificate, she became the first Afghanistan-born woman to be a civilian pilot. On her flight, she will spend a week in Afghanistan making public appearances and meeting with students. She will have a full United Nations security detail with her.
