JAMAICAN-BORN pilot Captain Barrington Irving Jnr, the first black and youngest person to fly solo around the world, was yesterday given a heroe’s welcome when he returned to the country of his birth.

Irving, who flew around the world in a plane he built, had left Jamaica to live in Florida, United States, since age five. He is now 23.

Irving, who was yesterday unable to fly his single-engine aircraft that he used to set the world record, due to inclement weather, arrived at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston on an Air Jamaica flight shortly after 8:00 yesterday morning and was met by a welcome party of government officials and local aviation interests.

Following a brief press conference at the airport, VIP lounge, he was greeted outside the airport by a large crowd. With a warm smile, Irving stopped to sign autographs, and shook hands with others who wanted to greet him. Others just wanted a glimpse of the outstanding young pilot.

“That man deh great man and me respect him fi what him do, me feel proud,” said a man who identified himself as ‘Rocky’.

His colleague ‘James’, while expressing similar sentiments, expressed surprise that Irving was only 23. “Look how the little youth young and humble me can’t believe that him could be so great and put Jamaica pon the world map for yet another time,” he said.

Irving, accompanied by his parents, grandparents and two brothers, then boarded an open-top car which led a motorcade to the Hilton Kingston Hotel.

A smiling Irving, who hadn’t returned to the island since he was a child, was taken through downtown Kingston after which he made a brief stop at National Heroes Park, travelled through Cross Roads and then to Hilton Hotel in New Kingston, where he is staying as a guest of the government.

The young pilot was to have received the 2007 Youth Musgrave Medal for distinguished eminence in the field of aviation during a civic reception staged in his honour at Emancipation Park in Kingston last night.

Irving, who traversed four continents in a single-engine aircraft covering 26,800 miles in three months, encountering snow, rain, sandstorms and monsoons along the way, admitted that he at times felt fearful being by himself on this mission.

“It is only the grace of God that really gave me the strength,” he said.

He said there was always need for concern, especially when he flew over countries such as Saudi Arabia. “When you are flying over countries like Saudi Arabia it is kind of hard to sleep the night before,” he said.

Irving said he has flown to some countries where they have never even seen black people. However, there were those unlikely countries where he was able to find Jamaicans. “I think Jamaicans are everywhere,” he said, smiling.

His mother, Clovalyn Irving, who hails from Cedar Mount in St Catherine, told the Observer she emigrated to Miami, USA in 1989 when Irving, the first of three boys was five years old.

“He was always a brilliant child who always did well in school,” said the proud mother.

At age 15 his life changed when he met a Jamaican pilot Gary Robinson at his parents’ Christian bookstore, who encouraged him to earn his pilot’s licence.

She said her first reaction, when he told her of the impending trip, was one of disbelief.

“I asked him who and you will be going and he tell me him and Jesus will be going,” she said.

She believes the key to his successful completion of the mission was prayer, as she along with churches both in Miami and Jamaica were always praying for his safe return.

His father, Barrington Irving Snr, said he never anticipated this type of achievement from his son. “You anticipate that your children would be ambitious and try to achieve in life, but I never thought it would be at this level and I am a very proud father,” he told the Observer.

His younger brother, Ricardo, 20, said he was motivated to excel by Irving who is always encouraging him.

“He is actually my mentor and he has done a lot for me throughout the years and I was just grateful to have him as a brother,” he said. Ricardo said he was never nervous for his brother as he knew anything he put his mind to he would make it. “I was only there praying for him,” he said.

On March 23 of this year, the 23-year-old Barrington Irving, who is majoring in aerospace at Florida Memorial University, climbed into a single-engine plane called “Inspiration” and embarked on his journey. When he returned to Miami on June 27, he was celebrated for setting two world records.