VIPs in the air, from Angelina Jolie to David Gilmour: the stars who fly their own planes
The passion for flying is much more widespread than one might expect in Hollywood. There are a variety of [...]
The passion for flying is much more widespread than one might expect in Hollywood. There are a variety of movie stars who delight in flying their own private planes. There is certainly no shortage of examples in the international music world as well. Some VIP enthusiasts are well known in the sphere, especially because of ruinous accidents. Others, however, are almost unsuspected. Here, then, is an intriguing list enriched with curious details.
In this article:
Actresses in the booth
Angelina Jolie is perhaps one of those unsuspected names. Beyond lending her face to Lara Croft in the "Tomb Raider" adaptation, the actress has never particularly shown her adventurous side to the public. Spurred on by her son Maddox, however, she has been flying since 2004. She is now an experienced pilot and in 2005 bought her own plane, a Cirrus SR22. Over time, however, she has also tried her hand at more challenging and powerful aircraft.
Different is the case for Hilary Swank, who learned to fly a plane for set purposes. The film in question was "Amelia," which saw her lend her face to Amelia Earhart, an American aviatrix who became famous in the 1930s. She was the first woman to fly nonstop across the United States of America. She was also the first aviatrix to cross the Pacific. Sadly missing in 1937.
She underwent the necessary drills, flying for a total of 19 hours before the shoot. In order to obtain her license, however, she would have had to try her hand at solo flying. Something the insurance company involved in the production would never authorize. She therefore only officially became a pilot after the performance, but the long sessions provided her with the necessary background to best pay homage to a crucial character in the struggle for women's rights.
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Actor pilots
Angelina Jolie was not the only one in her family with a passion for flying. Her ex-husband Brad Pitt ventured into such an experience, obtaining his license well after his wife. He was thus able to fly in turn the Cirrus SR22 in their possession. Time has passed since then; today the famous actor owns his own World War II Supermarine Spitfire.
This list certainly could not miss Tom Cruise. The actor has accustomed his fans to incredible stunts, the result of a general passion for risk. Whether cars, motorcycles or planes, it makes little difference. The star of the "Mission: Impossible" saga owns a Cirrus, a Gulfstream IV and a P-51 Mustang from World War II. The latter has always been his favorite aircraft. A longtime pilot, he obtained his license back in 1994. For one of his new films, "Top Gun: Maverick," he also obtained an honorary aviator's license so he could board a military jet.
I've always wanted to do a sequence like this. Here's a look at the helicopter stunt from #MissionImpossible. pic.twitter.com/C1cXFPiBZV
- Tom Cruise (@TomCruise) February 7, 2018
Decidedly more cumbersome are the aircraft in the possession of John Travolta, whose passion for flying is well known in Hollywood. His license allows him to fly Boeing. He owns a 707, surprisingly parked in his own "driveway." He also boasts a Bombardier Challenger 601, an Eclipse 500, two ultralights, and a Soko Galeb G-2, which is a fighter jet. When we talk about Travolta's driveway, we are referring to an actual private airstrip built on his immense estate.
The name of Harrison Ford comes immediately to mind when talking about actor pilots. Indeed, there have been many news stories about him over the years, despite the fact that he obtained his license rather late, at the age of 52. He boasts an interesting fleet, but what has mainly made the news have been his crashes. At least two crashes and a clumsy landing on the wrong runway, which led him to skim an American Airlines plane with 116 people on board. To date he owns as many as eight aircraft in his own private hangars, as well as a helicopter.
A big fan of flying is Clint Eastwood, who mostly turns his gaze in the direction of helicopters rather than airplanes. He has been flying for more than 30 years and, as stated some time ago, it is something he loves for one simple reason: "Up there, no one knows who you are." Also added to the list of celebrities is Peter Jackson, director of "The Lord of the Rings." His collection boasts as many as 40 warbirds dating back to World War I.
Rock in flight
Not only actors and actresses have been bewitched by the world of flight over the years. Space was also given to historical faces from the world of music. Surprisingly Bruce Dickinson has obtained a license as a professional airline pilot. The Iron Maiden frontman not only delights in driving private aircraft, but also planes with large numbers of passengers. Just think of the now famous case of the Meridiana flight on the Olbia-Turin route. At the end of the leg, one could hear from the loudspeaker, "This is Captain Bruce Dickinson speaking to you...."
But she is not the only rock star who loves to spread her wings. Space is also given to David Gilmour, the historical face of Pink Floyd. Who, however, keeps well away from commercial aircraft. He is a vintage aircraft enthusiast and often takes to the skies in his biplane. He also founded an airline, Intrepid Aviation, complete with a museum so he could keep his own examples there (company later sold).
