▁began ▁flying ▁in ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 1 . ▁She ▁obtained ▁her ▁private ▁pilot ' s ▁certificate ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁and ▁by ▁late ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁multi - engine , ▁instrument - r ated ▁commercial ▁pilot . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁she ▁earned ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁available ▁flight ▁instruct or ▁ratings ▁( C FI , ▁CF II ▁and ▁ME I ) ▁issued ▁by ▁the ▁Federal ▁A viation ▁Administration ▁( FA A ), ▁and ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Chinese ▁citiz en ▁to ▁ear n ▁an ▁F AA ▁flight ▁instruct or ▁certificate ▁and ▁hold ▁all ▁three ▁flight ▁instruct or ▁ratings . ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Wang ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁Chinese ▁citiz en ▁to ▁be ▁approved ▁by ▁the ▁F AA ▁as ▁a ▁chief ▁instruct or ▁for ▁a ▁Part ▁ 1 4 1 ▁flight ▁training ▁provider . ▁. ▁ ▁F lying ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Wang ▁completed ▁a ▁solo ▁circ umn avigation ▁of ▁the ▁glo be ▁in ▁a ▁single ▁p ist on - engine ▁air plane , ▁becoming ▁the ▁first ▁Chinese ▁person ▁to ▁fly ▁an ▁air plane ▁solo ▁around ▁the ▁world . ▁She ▁depart ed ▁west bound ▁from ▁Add ison , ▁Texas ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁and ▁paused ▁in ▁California ▁to ▁have ▁fer ry ▁t anks ▁installed ▁and ▁obtain ▁F AA ▁appro val s ▁for ▁the ▁aircraft ▁modifications . ▁She ▁depart ed ▁from ▁Mer ced , ▁California ▁on