John Travolta and his Boeing 727

iflyforfun said:
This exemplifies all the ugliness and arrogance that is dragging down our sport.

"The guy is a joke."

I look at the picture and think what a compliment it must be to professional pilots. Here is a man who makes more than probably anyone on this board. What does he aspire to ... to wear the uniform, to fly the plane, to be part of a world class airline.

Here is a man who spends a disproportionate amount of his income on aviation, who lives in a fly in community. Here is a man who made his millions utilizing his god given talent and then chooses aviation as his avocation.

I live in a community with many professional pilots. When I meet someone new and they find out I'm a pilot, they regularly ask me who I fly for. My general answer in the past was that I'm not a "real" pilot, just a PPSEL with 400 hours. I've stopped saying that because it feels like I'm looking for a pat on the back ... every single professional pilot I've met said "If you have a license, you are a real pilot".

Kritchlow, I want to be clear that I don't ever want to be associated with arrogant *$&$^#*@& like you who belittle and heckle accomplished professionals who choose aviation as their avocation. Travolta is a human and has all the failings that all humans have. That said, any aviator who isn't insecure in his/her own accomplishments would laud his love of aviation.

Jeff
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Scary similarity in account names and real names aside...

Very well put, couldn't agree more.

-Jeff
 
iflyforfun said:
This exemplifies all the ugliness and arrogance that is dragging down our sport.

"The guy is a joke."

I look at the picture and think what a compliment it must be to professional pilots. Here is a man who makes more than probably anyone on this board. What does he aspire to ... to wear the uniform, to fly the plane, to be part of a world class airline.

Here is a man who spends a disproportionate amount of his income on aviation, who lives in a fly in community. Here is a man who made his millions utilizing his god given talent and then chooses aviation as his avocation.

I live in a community with many professional pilots. When I meet someone new and they find out I'm a pilot, they regularly ask me who I fly for. My general answer in the past was that I'm not a "real" pilot, just a PPSEL with 400 hours. I've stopped saying that because it feels like I'm looking for a pat on the back ... every single professional pilot I've met said "If you have a license, you are a real pilot".

Kritchlow, I want to be clear that I don't ever want to be associated with arrogant *$&$^#*@& like you who belittle and heckle accomplished professionals who choose aviation as their avocation. Travolta is a human and has all the failings that all humans have. That said, any aviator who isn't insecure in his/her own accomplishments would laud his love of aviation.

Jeff
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Thanks for the personal attack.

If he was a private pilot flying a 707 that would be all well & good. That's not the case here. He pretends he is an airline captain, uniform and all, then shoots his mouth off that he has that type of background.
That's what makes the guy an idiot IMO.
 
Thank you all who answered my question, but wow this thread went so way bad. Sorry I asked. :(
 
Kritchlow said:
Thanks for the personal attack.

If he was a private pilot flying a 707 that would be all well & good. That's not the case here. He pretends he is an airline captain, uniform and all, then shoots his mouth off that he has that type of background.
That's what makes the guy an idiot IMO.
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I don't know, was that 707 operated under an airline's certificate?
 
GlennAB1 said:
I don't know, was that 707 operated under an airline's certificate?
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I don't believe Travolta's is.
Regardless, he is a private pilot without a 707 PIC type rating.

People like Harrison Ford are the type that are spokesmen for GA IMO, not Travolta.
 
Y'know, it's quite amazing how large numbers of people like to do for fun things that other people do for a living. Many of us fly for fun, while others get paid for it. Farther out are the flight simmers... some of them do entire hours long simulated airline flights, with other people on the internet playing the role of ATC controllers. Even farther out are the planespotters and trainspotters. Some repair or restore cars for fun, while others do it for a living and can't imaging doing it for fun. Same for amateur/professional carpenters, machinists, gardeners, you name it. And there is another thread here about driving an 18 wheeler tractor for fun. I can't comprehend the fun in flight simming or planespotting (or dressing up in a vintage airline pilot uniform), but then some people can't comprehend why I like to fly an old wooden biplane. To each his own, I guess.
 
JOHN JOSEPH TRAVOLTA
Certificates
PRIVATE PILOT
Date of Issue: 6/5/2011
Certificate: PRIVATE PILOT Print
Ratings:
PRIVATE PILOT
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE

Type Ratings:
P/B-707 P/B-720 P/CE-500 P/CL-600 P/EA-500S
P/G-1159 P/HS-125 P/LR-JET

Limits:
ENGLISH PROFICIENT.
AUTHORIZED EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT: SO-G2.
B-707 SIC PRIVILEGES ONLY.
CE-500 (VFR ONLY).
 
Sheesh....so where is his 727 rating? :ohsnap:
Dana said:
JOHN JOSEPH TRAVOLTA
Certificates
PRIVATE PILOT
Date of Issue: 6/5/2011
Certificate: PRIVATE PILOT Print
Ratings:
PRIVATE PILOT
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE

Type Ratings:
P/B-707 P/B-720 P/CE-500 P/CL-600 P/EA-500S
P/G-1159 P/HS-125 P/LR-JET

Limits:
ENGLISH PROFICIENT.
AUTHORIZED EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT: SO-G2.
B-707 SIC PRIVILEGES ONLY.
CE-500 (VFR ONLY).
Click to expand...
 
Dana said:
JOHN JOSEPH TRAVOLTA
Certificates
PRIVATE PILOT
Date of Issue: 6/5/2011
Certificate: PRIVATE PILOT PrintQUOTE]

.
Click to expand...


Pretty sure he's been a PP longer than 6/5/2011. Every time you get another cert/rating/type the issue date reflects the date you passed the ride, so guess he got another type or rating in 2011
 
mscard88 said:
Pretty sure he's been a PP longer than 6/5/2011. Every time you get another cert/rating/type the issue date reflects the date you passed the ride, so guess he got another type or rating in 2011
Click to expand...

Even changing your address will reset your issue date.
 
Dana said:
Y'know, it's quite amazing how large numbers of people like to do for fun things that other people do for a living. Many of us fly for fun, while others get paid for it. Farther out are the flight simmers... some of them do entire hours long simulated airline flights, with other people on the internet playing the role of ATC controllers. Even farther out are the planespotters and trainspotters. <snip> To each his own, I guess.
Click to expand...

To further derail the thread, one of the quirks of camping at Oshkosh is meeting planespotters. They practically sprint up and down the rows of airplanes, writing down N-number after N-number. If you try to have a word with them, it is apparent that they are very conflicted. They really want to talk about airplanes. But they also really want to jot another 1000 tail numbers in their binder.
 
kyleb said:
To further derail the thread, one of the quirks of camping at Oshkosh is meeting planespotters. They practically sprint up and down the rows of airplanes, writing down N-number after N-number. If you try to have a word with them, it is apparent that they are very conflicted. They really want to talk about airplanes. But they also really want to jot another 1000 tail numbers in their binder.
Click to expand...
I just don't get it... but to each his or her own, I guess. Just like I would never sit out by the runway taking pictures or video of every nondescript plane landing at Oshkosh, but I'm happy someone did -- and got the best shot of me, in the plane, that I've seen yet. I didn't even know it until I stumbled across it with Google while looking for something else.

And speaking of to each his or her own, if Travolta wants to dress like an airline pilot and keep a 727 parked outside his home, then bravo. It doesn't seem much different from the guys who buy and race retired F1 or Indy or Nascar or GT racers. Maybe they'll never make it into the "real" top level races, and it's expensive enough to bring tears to the eyes of most people... but they're doing what they want to do with the fruits of their own labor, or inheritance, or good fortune, or whatever got them so filthy rich. I don't begrudge them that at all. If I had a virtually unlimited supply of money I'd do some things people would probably hate me for, too.
 
Although dorky passing himself off as an airline pilot, Quantas I think supports/sponsors his goodwill touring or whatever he does with it in that monster. Used to see the 707 in Newburgh NY when I'd fly in there in the RJs. Too noisy for the NY airports.
 
mscard88 said:
Although dorky passing himself off as an airline pilot
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How is it different from guys who own warbirds wearing period/mission appropriate gear? Flight suits, leather helmets, goggles and silk scarves? Hey, if you're livin' the dream... live the dream, right? It wouldn't feel right to plop down in the left seat of a 707 wearing cargo shorts, a T shirt and flip-flops.

Dude, if I ever score a Gemini or Apollo capsule for the man cave, I'm totally getting the space suit. :)
 
DaleB said:
Dude, if I ever score a Gemini or Apollo capsule for the man cave, I'm totally getting the space suit. :)
Click to expand...

Well hell yeah, I would too.

Don't mean to knock him at all. At least he's enthusiastic about aviation and is promoting it. Good on him. :thumbsup:
 
I think it's clear who the joke and the idiot is in this thread, and it's not Travolta :D
 
DaleB said:
How is it different from guys who own warbirds wearing period/mission appropriate gear? Flight suits, leather helmets, goggles and silk scarves?
Click to expand...

Leather jacket & helmet, goggles and silk scarves are functional, at least in an open cockpit airplane.

But hey, Travolta's an actor. This is just one more role, even if he's only playing for himself.
 
DaleB said:
How is it different from guys who own warbirds wearing period/mission appropriate gear? Flight suits, leather helmets, goggles and silk scarves? Hey, if you're livin' the dream... live the dream, right? It wouldn't feel right to plop down in the left seat of a 707 wearing cargo shorts, a T shirt and flip-flops.

Dude, if I ever score a Gemini or Apollo capsule for the man cave, I'm totally getting the space suit. :)
Click to expand...
The difference is that the guys who dress up to fly their P-47 are type rated to fly the P47! Or are you talking about their sons and business partners who help out washing and checking tires?

My problem is not that Jenny travolta has an airplane or dresses men up in costumes to fly the airplane but that he has never done a single thing to promote aviation. Snake Pliskin has done more for us that him. He has had invitations to attend events, he has had opportunities to show his hand and just like tommy cruise, they feel they are above that aspect. He is obviously just a poser as a pilot or he would have much more appreciation for flying and like the rest of us, never pass up an opportunity to talk about flying, to ask about flying, to admire flying and to be around others who like flying.
On the other hand, maybe maybe he is henning?
 
Kritchlow said:
On second thought, not to beat a dead horse on this, I'm not sure it's possible to operate under 125 unless the SIC has a CPL.
It's entirely possible I'm reading the read incorrectly (wouldn't be the first time), but that's the way I read it for now.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/14/125.283
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True except for 125.1-Applicability which more or less states that the rules of part 125 do not apply when the aircraft is being operated by a part 125 certificate holder without carrying passengers or cargo under part 91 for training, ferrying, positioning, or maintenance purposes. So I imagine when Travolta is flying, it is during a training flight with nox pax. If he flies when there are pax/non-crewmembers aboard then it is possibly a violation of the reg you quote. I'm not really sure how they operate.
 
OMG I stumbled onto a thread not about the election results! :eek:
 
Quantis pays him very well to wear the uniform they provided end of story.
 
If I had the ability to buy and fly my own 707, I would do it.!!!

Although I would probably make a DC-6 my plane of choice. Nothing like over priming those huge radials and getting the fire and smoke show going.


Ok, not a DC-6, but still a cool video..!!!
 
Always liked the Electras too.

is
is

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haters love to hate ,your lives must be a bucket full of **** ,as you have nothing better to do than bust on a good guy like jt . or was it a spelling error ! i think this child like attitude has driven many good people away from this site.that's a real boost to aviation.
 
So you're primarily upset with him because he doesn't use his fame to promote general aviation. Everything would be fine if he talked about flying more. Got it.

I've always been a firm believer that if it's your time and your money, you can do what you want with it. I think it's great that Harrison Ford promotes GA, but I don't expect/demand the same of everyone with a pilot certificate and some notoriety.
 
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