Associated Press, July 2, 2006

A 14-year-old Inglewood boy landed a helicopter in Compton Saturday, completing a round-trip journey to Canada that saw him become the youngest solo pilot to successfully fly both a helicopter in one day, along with three other world records.
When Jonathan Strickland brought the Robinson R44 safely to the ground to a hero's welcome at Compton/Woodley Airport, he became the youngest black person to fly a helicopter round trip internationally, according to Cynthia Macon of Tomorrow's Aeronautical Museum, which sponsored his flights.

"The trip took 15 hours and covered over a thousand miles," Macon said. "Jonathan experienced some turbulence over the Oregon coast but he handled it beautifully."

Jonathan's journey into the record books began June 22, when he flew from Compton to British Columbia, making him the youngest black person to fly a helicopter solo, and the first to do so internationally.

On Wednesday, Jonathan first flew a Cessna 172 airplane, performing four fly-bys at the Boundary Bay Airport in Delta, British Columbia. Jonathan then moved to a second airport nearby, where he took control of a Robinson R22 helicopter, executing a takeoff, hover, traffic pattern and landing.

"It feels good," Jonathan said. "Anybody can do it. It just takes a lot of hard work."
To qualify to fly solo in Canada, Jonathan had to pass a medical examination and written flight tests. He scored 90 percent on the airplane test, and 93 percent on the helicopter test.

Jonathan, who will be a freshman at Reseda High School in the fall, was greeted back in Compton Saturday by a crowd of well-wishers, including his parents, Mayor Eric Perrodin, members of the city council and the media.

"There were also about a dozen members of the original Tuskegee Airmen in uniform to greet him," said Macon. "They're very proud. They are mentors to the young pilots."

Members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Air Operations were also on hand, flying a Blackhawk helicopter.

"They presented him with a t-shirt and an application for employment," Macon said.