John Travolta's New Pad

[craigjackson]

High-flying
A lot of neighborhoods don't allow the owners to park Boeing 707s outside
their homes, which is why actor John Travolta moved to Jumbolair, near Ocala.

OCALA -- It's not just another housing development, as you can tell by the
1.4-mile airstrip and the Boeing 707 parked next to one of the houses.

Located in the Central Florida town of Anthony, just north of Ocala, it's
called Jumbolair, and it's the new home of John Travolta -- '70s TV phenom,
film superstar, Oscar-nominated actor, sex symbol, accomplished pilot,
doting husband and father.

After several years of whispers about his building a house here, the
49-year-old actor has taken up residence in his nearly completed mansion.
Travolta is flying daily from Ocala to Tampa to shoot "The Punisher," an
action movie based on the comic book, set to be released next summer.
A lifelong love of aviation holds the key to Travolta's decision to build
at Jumbolair.

Travolta owns at least two jets, a Gulfstream and a huge Boeing 707B.
Simply put, there aren't very many non-commercial airstrips where planes of
that size can take off and land. Jumbolair, with its long landing strip and
massive jet wash berms at either end, is one of them.

About a decade ago, Travolta had a home in a fly-in community near Daytona,
but was sued by neighbors who claimed his jet airplanes were too big and
noisy for their facility.


The very layout of his new house is testament to Travolta's love of flying.
It's located immediately off the main airstrip, and is designed so his jets
can taxi right up to two outbuildings connected to the main structure,
which is shaped like a squat air-control tower. Travolta literally can walk
out his door, under a canopied walkway and into the cockpit, open the long
mechanized gate and be airborne in a matter of minutes.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration pilot database, Travolta
is qualified in several types of single- and multi-engine aircraft, and has
the highest pilot medical certification possible.


"We know that Travolta's an accomplished pilot. ... A lot of people fly for
the pleasure of it, and he's one of them," said John Clabes, an FAA
spokesman. "If you have this many ratings on these types of
high-performance aircraft, you're obviously a good pilot."

[Screw]

Who's his contractor? Can they do something similar on a smaller scale for gyro's? I've thinkin about adding on to the our double-wide, and this just gives me some ideas. ;D

John-

[ToddP]

Great overhead shot. I was in Barnes & Noble this evening and was looking at an Architectural magazine that had a large article about Travolta and his new house. Very Cool, what we'd probably all do with unlimited money.

[GyroRon]

Bet if he came to Bensen Days and took a ride with McGowan he would be adding a hangar for a gyro

[Phil_Ruffin]

Why don't we all fly over to his place and pay him a visit?

[scottessex]

That's cool!
Here is the place I should be closing on next week.
It pales by comparison, But I like it!
I'll only have a 2200 ft runway, and all you gyro heads are welcome to stop by. Just let me know first, 'cuz there is no fuel. Unless I give ya the 5 gallon can.

[Screw]

Let's set a date, time, and departure point. We can call it "Travolta Day." I'm in!

John-

[ToddP]

Scott,

Great looking place. You've got to be excited. I'm pretty sure everyone on this forum would like to live on an airport. I'm still considering buying a lot on a private airport. The price for lots is reasonable but I would still have alot of money into it by the time I got a house and hangar built. I'm just not sure I want that much debt! It would be cool though!

Congratulations!

[scottessex]

On this place the price was right, needs some work, but nothing I can't handle. You are right though about buying property and then building, can be very expensive. we looked for a long time.
I have a good wife, and she is excited about it also.

[Phil_Ruffin]

Scott, This is sweet. Where is it located?

[ngreed]

Looks good to me. I just wish that I could afford something like that...

[scottessex]

Affording it is not the problem!!!! Actually very reasonable, Its the insurance and all the other BS that makes you pull your hair out! keep your fingers crossed, I am supposed to close on friday.
here is a link to the airport identifier thingy.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/GA68

It is in Pike county, about 50 miles south of Atlanta.

[Phil_Ruffin]

Scott, Concord is only about 18 miles from me. I wish you luck on the closing, it would be great to have another gyro in the neighborhood.

[Phil_Ruffin]

Hey Scott, is this where your gonna be?

[Phil_Ruffin]

Closer

[Chuck Irby]

I hope that's it for Scott's sake. That's beautiful.

Phil, how did you obtain the photos. Are those satellite photos? C'mon, share your secret with the rest of us.

[Phil_Ruffin]

Chuck, I think I posted this info before. Maybe not.....
I got these from:
http://terraserver.homeadvisor.msn.com

A color version is at:
http://www.globexplorer.com

the only thing with the color ones is you have to buy it if you don't want Globexplorer written on it.

[Phil_Ruffin]

Just typed in the Long. and Lat and it came up with this. It's across the street.

[Phil_Ruffin]

house

[Chuck Irby]

Phil,

Based on the shots you posted, this is better than the one I posted a few weeks ago . . . terrafly.com I'll give it a try. Thanks a lot.

[Chuck Irby]

Phil, I tried it and it works great. It's also much faster than the one I was using. You done good. Thanx again.

[scottessex]

Yeah man that's it! Right there on the edge of the runway, across from the lake (pond).!!
Dang Phil, are you a detective?
I can't stand my neighbors I have now, It will be so nice NOT to have any.! 8)

I already hate this real estate crap. I'll just be glad when we get the closing done and it is finalized.

You'll have to fly down and see me sometime.

[Phil_Ruffin]

Scott, is that pond also part of the property? How much land is coming with it?

You close on it, I'll finish up my gyro mods and I'm there. We'll do some serious flying......

[scottessex]

The pond is across the runway from the Hangar. I will be getting 4 1/2 acres.
Here see if this works:
The red outline is the property, and the blue is the runway.

[Chuck Irby]

Scott,
What a sweet set up. If you'll sell me some land I would strongly consider moving over there. I would love to be able to walk out my door, get into the gyro and take off any time I wanted to. I am happy for you Scott. We'll just believe that everything will work out for you.

[Screw]

Scott,

I'm definatly comming over to play.....I'm gonna bring my fishing rod too. Where abouts is your place, and can I get there on a tank of gas.

If you could register your place with the FAA, I might be able to count comming over as X-Country flying. ;D

John-

[GyroRon]

What is the length? I wonder if it is Piper Pacer friendly?

[scottessex]

Geeze I hope all this works out! What a pain in the butt! I am supposed to close on Friday morning, and we still don't have the appraisal back!

Ron, the runway is 2200 ft turf. 100 ft wide (in most spots) Currently there are no aircraft there. Go to http://www.airnav.com/airport/GA68
all the specs are here.

And yes John it is registered with the FAA as identifier GA68

You may have to stop by Berry hill in stockbridge (and see Rick) and get gas or possibly Tara field next to Atlanta Motor Speedway, or even Peachstate which will be just a few miles up the road.


Ya'll don't be too anxious to come visit, I have to check the runway out, some of the locals have been riding 4 wheelers on it.

Oh yeah, and Chuck, there are still lots available, so go ahead and get one and start building. ;D

[GyroRon]

Scott it always goes down to the last minute with closings. Don't expect you appraisal till the morning of the closing.

I won't be flying in till later this spring or summer. My plane is still in the shop.

I will need auto fuel not av gas.

[Harry_S.]

It took me a while to get to this, but, being retired and all, don't have much free time. Yeah, right.

Where Travolta lives, is on the airport where I hangar my gyro. I was there in '97, J.T. started building in '01. Greystone is the name of the airport(17FL) and Jumbolair is the name of the development. This private strip was originally put in by Arthur Jones, inventor of the Nautilus Equipment.

JTs' home sits on 8 acres and as you look at the picture, his airplanes are parked at the rear of the house. The rear of the house faces SW and sits SE off the the intersection of the NS hardsurface (7550 ft.) and the EW grass strip (3600 ft.) My small part of a hangar sits NW of the intersection. This picture was taken before he had 4 combo greens, tees and bunkers added and they are at the top right in the grassy area of the pic.

I haven't personally met him, but he has talked to a couple of ultralite guys on my side of the airport. Everyone here who have met him, says he is a nice, friendly, down to earth guy.

Oh yeah, J.T. does have an ultralite fixed wing he has started flying,when he's home,which isn't often.

I know, I know, I have 7550 ft. X 250 plus ft. of asphalt and 3600 ft. of grass at my leisure. I take off on the hardsurface and land on the grass. What a deal.

[Chuck Irby]

That is dirty Harry!!!

[gyroblackwell]

Hay dirty harry,

where does J.T. keep his fixed winger, and do you know what make/model it is ?

[Harry_S.]

J.T. has 3 attached 2nd floor apartments @ the south end of his house with garages on the ground floor. There is also open space in the garage area where his maintenance machinery is kept. He keeps his ultralite there as well.

I'm not familiar with ultralites, but I will find out what model he has.

Also, I failed to mention yesterday that there is only one berm on the N/S runway and that is a huge one at the south end. The north end has a big turnaround. You can see a lot more @ www.jumbolair.com.

[Chuck Irby]

Harry, you are definitely dirty. I just visited the website. This is where you Live??? WOW!!!! What a place!!!!

[Harry_S.]

NO CHUCK, my gyro lives there in a dirty hangar. I live in an adult park (a nice one by the way) 12 miles from the airport. My airport landlord owns about 60 acres and the big hangar plus 4 large Quonset huts,all of the E/W sod strip and the" paved intersection" with the N/S runway.

I like the deal I have on hangar space and runway availability.

If you visited Jumbolairs' website, did you visit Terrys' site? Interesting!!!

[scottessex]

Well NO closing today, still waiting for the appraiser to get his act together. And or buyers have bad credit or somthing that is holding them up on that end.
Hopefully I will hear something 1st of next week. I WANT TO MOVE!!!!! >:( >:(

[Phil_Ruffin]

That's a bummer Scott, poop happens. I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

I maybe calling McGowan tonight and go down the air port tomorrow after I get the radiator I found out of junk yard. I need a flight fix till I can finish up my gyro.

Think you might be there? John is talking Sunday but I think Saturday will be nicer.

[Chuck Irby]

Hang in there Scott. Everything will work out for the best.

[Chuck Irby]

Harry,

Did you mean Terri Jones-Thayer? She is your landlord?

[Harry_S.]

No Chuck

Terry is The owner of the land that is being developed into the airpark. Her former husband lost all his land in the divorce settlement. My landlord owns the land north and northwest of her land, where my hangar space is located.

What do you think of her being type rated in the 747 as an ATP?

[Chuck Irby]

Harry, I think I'm in love with her. Wow, what more could any man want in a woman? You recon she can fly a gyro? I'll bet she could with just a little training.

[Harry_S.]

I'd give it a go??!!!??

[Aussie_Paul]

I am sure that my oz training would have her falling in love with me!!!!!!! LOL

Aussie Paul.

[Chuck Irby]

Paul, did you check her out. I'll bet you'd teach her to fly a gyro and pay her to train with you. And based on the machines she flies, she could probably be down in OZ land PDQ.