KochamLOT From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 277 posts, RR: 0 Posted (5 years 3 months 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 11941 times:
Does John Travolta fly his own 707. I thought there had to be 2 pilots + 1 engineer to fly it. He has a nice terminal in his backyard so how does he get it off the ground...himself or not by himself?
777STL From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 3055 posts, RR: 3 Reply 1, posted (5 years 3 months 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 11963 times:
He's not type rated to be PIC. And yes, it requires two pilots + F/E to operate. I believe the 707 spends most of its time at proper airports as Travolta doesn't have the necessary ground equipment at his complex to service the aircraft.
Transpac787 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 3143 posts, RR: 14 Reply 4, posted (5 years 3 months 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 11901 times:
Quoting 777STL (Reply 3): I don't see any ground equipment in that photo, do you?
PiedmontINT From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 376 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (5 years 3 months 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 11755 times:
I wonder when the Greenpeace freaks will get out to his house and stand on his runway with a bookbag? If they only knew how often that plane goes out with 1 pax..
Pilotboi From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 2366 posts, RR: 10 Reply 7, posted (5 years 3 months 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 11699 times:
Quoting Flynavy (Reply 5): He must use reverse thrust to push-back as well.
He must have to repair his lawn and bushes a lot then. And pick up everything that got blown over.
Quoting Flynavy (Reply 5): A tractor and a set of chocks - that's all the ground support equipment he needs.
And stairs.
But this brings up a good question: How does one start a 707 without ground power and bleed air? Since IIRC the 727 was the first aircraft to be equipped with an APU so that it could be used as smaller regional airports. Can the 707 use DC power (the battery) to start an engine? If not, the only other way to start it would be with external ground power, correct? Also, did the 707 use a standard 400Hz signal?
Flynavy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 8, posted (5 years 3 months 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 11659 times:
Quoting Pilotboi (Reply 7): Since IIRC the 727 was the first aircraft to be equipped with an APU so that it could be used as smaller regional airports.
Some, but not all 707s are indeed fitted with auxillary power units.
Pdxcessna206 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 9, posted (5 years 3 months 6 days ago) and read 11601 times:
After reading this thread it got me thinking....
I will be sickened if and when people give Travolta a hard time for owning something that he has the right to own, even if it is old technology and burns more fuel. It isn't their money; it's his.
Seriously.
It is a really beautiful aircraft. I heard from various sources that he can fly it, but I am not sure if he is the PIC when he does.
SEPilot From United States of America, joined Dec 2006, 6306 posts, RR: 39 Reply 11, posted (5 years 3 months 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 11209 times:
Quoting 777STL (Reply 1): He's not type rated to be PIC.
Are you sure? I believe he does have a type rating for the 707 and 747; he does not have an ATP or commercial license, but all that means is that he cannot be pilot when there is any renumeration for the flight. As it is his airplane and he is not making revenue as long as he has the type rating and the proper crew he can fly as PIC wherever and whenever he pleases.
[Edited 2008-03-17 04:53:57]
The problem with making things foolproof is that fools are so doggone ingenious...Dan Keebler
Chuchoteur From France, joined Sep 2006, 700 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (5 years 3 months 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 11112 times:
Quoting Flynavy (Reply 5): Indeed. He must use reverse thrust to push-back as well. I wonder if his ground crews are unionized?
A tractor and a set of chocks - that's all the ground support equipment he needs.
I'm pretty sure that Mr Travolta has got the necessary ground equipment.
More to the point, the runway next to his house got de-qualified a while back, and can no longer take his 707.
He was suieing the housing promoters who manage the runway, anybody know how it has all ended?
Hiflyer From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 2123 posts, RR: 4 Reply 16, posted (5 years 3 months 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 11068 times:
FAA approved the operation in October 2007...looks like it is a major threeway spitball fight.....using supposed condition of the runway as one excuse.
PWM2TXLHopper From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 1220 posts, RR: 1 Reply 19, posted (5 years 3 months 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 10174 times:
Quoting 777STL (Reply 3): I don't see any ground equipment in that photo, do you?
You can see some of the ground equipment in the photo in the news link below. You have to zoom in though, it's a small picture.
Airplanenut From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 649 posts, RR: 1 Reply 21, posted (5 years 3 months 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 9645 times:
This is what the FAA Airman Certification database shows for Travolta... he has a SIC rating for the 707.
JOHN JOSEPH TRAVOLTA
Address
Street 15821 VENTURA BLVD STE 460
City ENCINO State CA
County LOS ANGELES Zip Code 91436-4778
Country USA
Medical
Medical Class: First Medical Date: 8/2007
Certificates
1 of 1
DOI: 12/12/2005
Certificate: PRIVATE PILOT
Rating(s):
PRIVATE PILOT
AIRPLANE SINGLE ENGINE LAND
AIRPLANE MULTIENGINE LAND
INSTRUMENT AIRPLANE
Peteg913 From United States of America, joined Apr 2006, 85 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (5 years 3 months 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 9200 times:
I see some equipment right behind the right wing in this picture:
Further, I would assume that such a large scale aviation community would have some degree of equipment. Would it all be powerful enough for a 707? Probably not. But it certainly is something.
BlueFlyer From United States of America, joined Jan 2006, 3160 posts, RR: 1 Reply 23, posted (5 years 3 months 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 8159 times:
From the satellite view, it looks like he is the only one actually living on the airport, or am I wrong ?
Xtoler From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 942 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (5 years 3 months 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 7885 times:
I chekced out the Google Earth picture too. The thing with GE is you don't really know how old the picture is. There are other people living out there, and I think there are still lots available to build on. I think the main problem may be the current owners of the land. Seems like I heard they had some shady deals going on. I wouldn't doubt it, being in Ocala, FL. I used to go through there quite a bit when I bounced between Richmond, VA, and the apartment my wife and I had in Tarpon Springs outside of St. Pete and Tampa. Nice place to be, especially in winter, but the people there did seem a bit on the shady side.
Just seems odd that all of the sudden it's not okay for JT to have his B707 there, when before it was alright.
EMB145 F/A, F/E, J41 F/A, F/E, because my wife clipped my wings, armchair captain
25 SEPilot: Well, I guess I was wrong about his being qualified for PIC. I didn't realize that a type rating could be restricted like that. Also, a CE-500 VFR on
26 BristolFlyer: It really doesn't have anything to do with whose money it is. Let me explain with examples: I have a right to use a new plastic bag every time I go t
27 Xtoler: Sure he can. I'm sure he flies responsibly as well. It's a historic aircraft. If he didn't own it, the scrap would be in a landfill somewhere. He's gi
28 Flexo: Good for you! Why are you trying to impose your view of the world on others? I think that is the main problem with the greens and other extremists, t
29 Max Q: Even without an APU the 707 can be fitted with compressed air bottles that can provide the high pressure air for start. In a pinch the battery can be
30 2A674: Long time lurker here. Thought it was time to pony up and join. It really doesn't have anything to do with whose money it is. Let me explain with exam
31 Highflier92660: I believe Boeing had a compressed air bottle to use in an emergency that got the N2 section spinning in engine number three fast enough to get a ligh
32 Viscount724: But those were later modifications. As far as I know, no 707s (at least commercial 707s, not sure about the various military versions) were originall
33 777STL: Yep, pretty sure. This gets discussed on a monthly basis, he only has SIC privileges.
34 Xtoler: They're taking control over here too. With us it's more so in geographical areas, especially where universities are located. "The Peoples' Republic"
35 SEPilot: We could hijack the thread again to get into another Chicken Little debate, but I will refrain. Sufficient to say that I totally agree with your sent
36 Miamiair: There is an STC for a honeywell APU that is installed in the aft end of the fwd cargo compartment. The air is drawn in on the left side and is exhaus
37 PDXCessna206: He can justify it just by saying this: "I fly it because I can" Thank you. I just believe it is his choice and no one else's. Just like when a busine
38 Xtoler: I hope the airframe can handle decades more.
39 Rwy04LGA: Two questions.... 1) Does JT fly as FO on 744s for QANTAS? I heard that some sort of deal was made by Dixon and he. 2) As he is only qualified as SIC
40 Hinckley: Off topic I know, but there was a terrible car crash at that private airfield a couple of months ago. An 18 year old kid was driving his (!) 500-hp BM
41 EMBQA: He can wear whatever he wants as there is no regulation that says anything on this subject. The aircraft is private....!! Kelly can even wear a skimp
42 SNA752: WAIT...wait...WAIT...this begs the question: Is NW irresponsible for using the DC-9's still even though they are old and rather inefficient? AND I'm
43 Fruitbat: ## Pulls out philosophical soapbox ## But what if you believe that the actions of another are having a directly detrimental effect on yourself, famil
44 BAC111: SIC - Second in Command? PIC - Pilot in Command? SIC privileges means JT can be no more than first officer (co-pilot) on the plane?
45 2A674: As the crux of the discussion was concerning Mr. Travolta, it doesn't personally affect me. Now, if I lived down the road from his place and was distu
46 EMBQA: He got slapped for doing just that back in Maine about 10 years ago. I knew the FAA Inspector that has the 'talk' with him No... it just means he mus
47 BristolFlyer: In response to everyone who replied to my post - I never said he wasn't entitled to do what he does, from an environmental point of view it's irrespon
48 LGA777: Two questions I want to bring up. First in a traditional airline enviroment in a three person flight deck the Captain or PIC would occupy the left sea
49 DualQual: Since the airframe does not do the daily grind that an airliner does, provided he takes care of it with the approriate mx (and all indications are th
50 EMBQA: He can sit where ever he wants and wear how ever many stripes he wants..... all he needs to do is have a B707 PIC rated pilot on the flight. I worked
51 YBCS: I am sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong but I believe the Pilot in command only has to be at the controls. He can be in either the left or right sea
52 DualQual: You be right. A PIC rated pilot must have access to the controls at all times which means either the left or right seat. So in a private operation su
53 Aviateur: That's correct. U.S. license stipulations have changed in recent years to be more in line with ICAO standards. "Type ratings" no longer mean what the
54 BeechNut: Well, as I understand the issue, there are too many people who can *afford* to burn lots of fuel, burning lots of fuel, in fact way more than they ne
55 Type-Rated: And I am sure at tax time he receives a tidy tax break from using the aircraft as business expense used in conjunction with travel to various acting/
56 Adman737: Ok I understand what you are saying. But people buy what they like and he likes the 707 and wants to fly that is his problem and Travolta alone wont k
57 Jetstar: Just to clarify the SIC type rating. This is to prevent incidents like Thurmon Munson, the late Yankees catcher who went out and bought a Cessna Citat
58 SEPilot: Actually, the FAA requirements are usually less limiting than insurance requirements. For example, I can legally (according to the FAA) fly any singl
59 Highflier92660: http://wikiality.com/Image:BaldTravolta2.jpg Wow, it's time to get off the Tommy Lasorda version of the NutriSystem diet there John. And what happened
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