Captain Barrington Irving: Record-Breaking Pilot Answers Hurricane Call

When Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica in October 2025, Captain Barrington Irving didn't hesitate to answer his homeland's call for help. The Jamaican-born aviator piloted a Boeing 737-800 cargo jet on two relief missions in November, delivering over 100,000 pounds of critical medical supplies to storm-ravaged communities.

"This is my homeland; the soil that I was born on," Irving said. "I wanted to ensure that the people of Jamaica receive the necessary medical supplies that they need to recover."

Irving's humanitarian efforts in 2025 represent the latest chapter in a remarkable aviation career. In 2007, at just 23 years old, he became the youngest person and first Black pilot to fly solo around the world, earning him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. He completed the 24,600-mile journey in his single-engine aircraft, aptly named "Inspiration."

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Irving grew up in Miami where he initially dreamed of playing college football. At 15, a chance meeting with airline pilot Captain Gary Robsinson changed his trajectory. That encounter ignited a passion for aviation that would define his life's work.

Beyond humanitarian missions, Irving founded Experience Aviation and The Flying Classroom, nonprofit organizations dedicated to inspiring underrepresented youth to pursue STEM and aviation careers. His work has earned recognition from President Barack Obama, a Congressional Resolution, and NASA's Trailblazer Award.

Irving's Experience Aviation team has previously delivered over half a million pounds of humanitarian aid during crises including Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas and Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. Through his continued dedication to both aviation and education, Captain Irving embodies the spirit of service that makes heroes.