Boy’s Sick Stomach Fails to Halt Flight Across U.S.

Third-grader Tony Aliengena landed his plane safely at Hanscom Field on Saturday, about two hours behind schedule in his quest to become the youngest person ever to fly across the United States and back.

The 9-year-old San Juan Capistrano boy landed the single-engine plane at the field 15 miles northwest of Boston and was greeted by his father, Gary Aliengena.

Tony had left Memphis at 7 a.m. for Bedford. He will take today off to celebrate Easter and then will head for Washington on Monday, where he will spend the day touring the capital.

Despite having to retrace his flight from Memphis to Chattanooga after his flight instructor momentarily took control of the plane Friday, Tony said he was confident he would complete his trip.

Flight instructor Ed Fernett took the controls Friday during an unscheduled landing in Chattanooga because the boy began feeling ill while flying through rough weather.

Tony said he felt “sick--just my stomach.”

He flew back to Memphis to retrace his eastward flight from the city earlier Friday because the record he is seeking requires he fly the plane with no assistance. Tony’s plane hit rough weather above the Great Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee.

The boy, who attends St. Margaret’s School in San Juan Capistrano, is flying a single-engine Cessna 210. He began the journey Wednesday from John Wayne Airport in Orange County.

He originally planned to be in the air eight of the 10 days, flying four to seven hours a day, mostly on automatic pilot.

If he completes the cross-country trip, Tony will break the record set by 10-year-old Christopher Lee Marshall of Oceano, Calif., in August.