LAKELAND, Fla. — Aviation students at Central Florida Aerospace Academy packed the cafeteria Friday to hear from the Guinness World Record holder for being the youngest person and the first black pilot to fly solo around the world, Capt. Barrington Irving.

He accomplished the feat in 2007, when he was 23 years old. He is now 36. 

"The aircraft has no weather radar. No de-icing. So that made it extremely challenging. I'd fly for 10 to 13 hours at a time," recalled Capt. Barrington Irving, a Florida Memorial University graduate. 

He told the students to not let a lack of funds be a deterrent to pursuing their dreams. Irving said he was turned down for sponsorships when looking for a plane to fly around the world. He ended up building his own plane and convincing aircraft manufacturers to donate the parts.

He said he had $30 in his pocket when he boarded the plane. 

Many of the students in the room found his story to be inspiring. 

"It was a great honor to meet him and shake his hand. I hope one day to possibly fly with him," said Daniel Johnson, who moved to Polk County three years ago from Burundi and said he dreams of becoming a pilot. He is hoping to get a scholarship through the school district to pay for flight school. 

Irving said he turned down a football scholarship at the University of Florida to be a pilot. Jamaican airline pilot Captain Gary Robinson influenced him. 

"He never taught me about a career. He taught me about the industry. You see when you understand how an industry works, how money flows in and out of that industry, it's a totally different mindset," Irving said. 

These days, Irving spends his time going on risky expeditions around the world with scientists. He is also a National Geographic explorer. He uses these expeditions to create lesson plans for his "Flying Classroom" digital platform, which provides STEM lesson plans to students. Irving said he's currently working with 600 schools across the country. 

His next big overseas expedition is Antartica, the only continent he hasn't visited yet. There, he plans to explore how black holes are taking over the galaxy.