> Ethan Guo was hoping to become the youngest person to fly solo to all seven continents

I think a more favorable title is "US pilot stranded in Antarctica after landing plane without permission". They chose the word "influencer" for a reason, even though it was a pilot trying to set a record that happened to film himself. He's even flying to raise funds for cancer research.

Too bad he lied to ground control, what a great way to lose your license, prison aside.

edit: to answer some of the replies, I'm just concerned with the implicit patronization that media applies to anyone who has a hobby/career but also makes money off of publicizing it.

> They chose the word "influencer" for a reason

And that reason is his 600K followers on TikTok.

> He's even flying to raise funds for cancer research.

The best line from the Lorax film is in this song where he’s trying to put a positive spin on his aggressive commercialization and they say “a portion of proceeds goes to charity”!

I concur with the consequences and the perverse incentives involved, but this goes with the general advice of "If you're going to break the law, either do so extremely publicly or extremely privately."

The really sad thing here is I have little doubt this could've been arranged legally given the respective parties and interests involved, but Mr. Guo chose to be selfish and foolhardy by not abiding by anyone else's timeline or interests. He deserves all the punishment and derision coming his way.

This incident reminds me of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathias_Rust and his landing in Red Square. A risky thing to do at a time when air defences were very much live, and also incredibly risky to land in a public square, but he made it and only spent a few months in prison.

He is an influencer and a pilot. Both things are relevant to the story.

because thats exactly what he is?

They probably left him no choice but to lie.

They're not a very good government.

Thousands of people have pursued their dreams or goals while doing-it-to-raise-funds-for-good-cause. I don’t really get it... people can just do whatever and put an Other People Are Helping Cure Cancer sticker on it. Like, what? What does this stunt have to do with cancer?

>He's even flying to raise funds for cancer research.

He is even using sick kids as a cover for his behavior.

Honestly if he isn't a manipulative psychopath, he is well on his way to become one.