John Travolta's 707-138B painted as a QF VJET!

panam707 · 06-25-2002, 02:20 AM

Hi All:

I am purser for AA at LAX and arrived yesterday PM on a JFK trip. As we drove out to the employee parking lot, I saw a QF 707-138B painted in precise V-Jet colors. The registration was N707JT -- John Travolta's 707 (AA always services it at LAX -- it has been parked there often). What a nice thing of him to do for QF's marketing Dept.

It was totally surreal seeing this plane parked among 767s and 757s. I'll try to snap a picture. Truely awesome.

Alex

9V-SVC · 06-25-2002, 02:43 AM

I can't wait to see the bird . She is coming to Changi Airport on 8th july . I trying to find out what time she is arriving .

David Hingtgen · 06-25-2002, 02:43 AM

Yup, it was painted so QANTAS could do some historical commercials/footage (also he's always wanted to do it, but they never allowed it until now). News today was that he's joined QANTAS as an employee and will fly it around the world on a tour for them as an ambassador.

Iron Giant · 06-25-2002, 04:08 AM

Alex, will save you the trouble of getting a shot.

niels · 06-25-2002, 05:04 AM

I should think AeroClassics could adapt their various new 707 bits and pieces to do this/a -138. Other schemes would include Braniff (a no brainer big seller) and BWIA (heh heh).

axelofc69 · 06-25-2002, 05:23 AM

saw the report on the news last night. very cool! He will be their ambassador at large and will be flying it around the world. Qantas will be paying for the fuel.

Helmsman · 06-25-2002, 06:23 AM

What a great looking aircraft! It will bring joy to a lot of enthusiasts to see these beautiful colours flying again.

Mr. Travolta could hire himself out and do the same thing for others airlines! I can only look at images, unless the 707 is making a trip to a London Airport soon.

Thanks for posting the news, panam707 and for the pictures, iron giant.

grpsy · 06-25-2002, 10:11 AM

There was extensive news coverage of the Travolta-Qantas story yesterday. Here is, e.g., the Reuters story, as reported by Yahoo!: (There are also several photos available, many depicting the interior of Travolta's 707.)

Travolta gets Qantas wings, plans goodwill tour
Mon Jun 24, 7:29 PM ET
By Bob Tourtellotte

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Self-professed "airline geek" and actor John Travolta Monday earned a new pair of wings as a first officer for Qantas Airways and unveiled a world tour to promote air travel that has weakened since Sept. 11.

Travolta, an avid pilot and Oscar-nominated star of movies from "Saturday Night Fever" to "Pulp Fiction," trained with Qantas and on 747 simulators at Boeing Co. in Seattle and was now officially "Ambassador-at-large" for the Australian airline.

Shortly after Qantas Chief Executive Officer Geoff Dixon pinned the golden wings on Travolta, who was wearing a crisp blue aviator's uniform, the actor called the moment "one of the proudest days of my life."

"Without crying here, I would say it's at least alongside the two Oscar nominations I've received in my career. It's right up there with that," Travolta told reporters.

Travolta, 48, said as far back as when he was 4 years old, he wanted his own pilot's uniform. He began taking flying lessons at age 16 and earned his jet pilot's license in 1981. Since then, he has logged 5,000 hours of flying time.

"Besides my serious attitude toward flying, I have to admit something to all of you, I am an airline geek," Travolta said.

He has a son named Jett, and joked that he wanted to name his daughter "Qantas," but wife Kelly Preston wouldn't allow it.

Travolta said his new plans stem from a tour he took to Australia last summer to promote his action thriller, "Swordfish."

Travolta owns a vintage Boeing 707 that was first flown by Qantas, and when he arrived in Australia in the plane, he said, it caused quite a stir. He asked to meet with Dixon and told him if Qantas would return his 1960s plane to its original colors, he would fly around the world to promote the airline.

The movie promotion took place shortly before the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and Pentagon ( news - web sites) in Washington, D.C.

After the attacks, he and Dixon decided to broaden the scope of his promise to promote not just Qantas, but the airline industry and flying, in general, Travolta said.

"Personally, I can not think of a better ambassador for Qantas than John," Dixon said.

So, in his freshly painted 707 dubbed the "Jett Clipper Ella," on July 1, Travolta will take to the air from Los Angeles and head to Auckland, New Zealand to begin the 10-nation "Spirit of Friendship" tour.

Other destinations will include Sydney, Melbourne and Perth in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, London, Rome, Paris, Frankfurt and New York.

Chansen · 06-25-2002, 12:04 PM

Will it be done in this scheme if he does get it! I hope so.

Helmsman · 06-25-2002, 12:52 PM

One of my own personal fantasy is to see each airline have one plane done in each scheme it ever had.

That would be cool!

Karl

Chansen · 06-25-2002, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Helmsman
One of my own personal fantasy is to see each airline have one plane done in each scheme it ever had.

That would be cool!

Karl

That is a better fantasy then making fantasy schemes on 1:400 scale planes that will never be made. i.e. Braniff A380

About black planes just saw Travolta's movie Broken Arrow again! How many movies has he been in with an aircraft?

surreal · 06-26-2002, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Craig H. Hansen

That is a better fantasy then making fantasy schemes on 1:400 scale planes that will never be made. i.e. Braniff A380

About black planes just saw Travolta's movie Broken Arrow again! How many movies has he been in with an aircraft?

Broken Arrow, Face Off (bad *** flick, I loved his airplane in that, w/ the 4 rolls royce engines. . . awe)

regards

newscam · 06-26-2002, 09:00 PM

Do you think he has a Gemini Jet in these colors?

smoothjazz · 06-26-2002, 10:58 PM

He is a lucky man...

bigredvmi · 06-26-2002, 11:15 PM

I hope he flys this through Detroit ... love to see it in person.

Ozz · 06-26-2002, 11:39 PM

Isn't it interesting that Qantas, an airline that boasts they have never written off a jet aircraft, have now hired Vinny Barbarino as a captain in their Fly Qantas marketing campaign.
Up yer nose wit a rubber hose!

Fred Hinschlager · 09-30-2005, 06:05 PM

I in live Ocala Fl. about 5 miles south of J.Ts airstrip and his plane was landing south to north at about 4:45 today. What makes it so great is that most of the planes around here are either single or double engine, so when the V-JET approaches you can really feel it. And what makes it neat is knowing J.T. might be flying it!

JustPlaneCrazy · 09-30-2005, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Hinschlager

I in live Ocala Fl. about 5 miles south of J.Ts airstrip and his plane was landing south to north at about 4:45 today. What makes it so great is that most of the planes around here are either single or double engine, so when the V-JET approaches you can really feel it. And what makes it neat is knowing J.T. might be flying it!

JT's home with 707 parked in driveway

JT's Gulfstream G-2

FlyNavy · 09-30-2005, 06:40 PM

Do people spend time going through all of thoses post from 2002 just to post one thing?!

JustPlaneCrazy · 09-30-2005, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyNavy

Do people spend time going through all of thoses post from 2002 just to post one thing?!

What??????????

jjorgemiami · 09-30-2005, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fred Hinschlager

I in live Ocala Fl. about 5 miles south of J.Ts airstrip and his plane was landing south to north at about 4:45 today. What makes it so great is that most of the planes around here are either single or double engine, so when the V-JET approaches you can really feel it. And what makes it neat is knowing J.T. might be flying it!

Hey Fred, so he went straight home? The plane left MIA today about 4:00pm, it was here for maintenace. I was at the airport shooting some pics and saw it pull out of the hangar. I was like, oh yes baby!!! I hope this sucker leaves, so I can get a picture of it. I have seen in in the hangar a bunch of times but never flying. Luckely as you know, he left, and I was able to take a picture. All be it, not a great shot, as it took off from the new far away runway 8L which is nearest to the north side hangar line! What a thrill to see a B707-100 flying, and the sound, yum yum! I was hoping it would come back to MIA right away, thinking maybe they are taking it for a test run and then I could get it on the approach, but he never did. Now I know why.

I'll post a picture when I finish the roll and get it deveoped.

A Tupolev · 10-02-2005, 08:42 PM

What happen to all the photos that were in these messages yesterday?

Never mind, its a problem with my browser.

06-25-2002, 02:20 AM	#1
panam707 Collector Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: New York, NY 10036 Age: 42 Posts: 80	John Travolta's 707-138B painted as a QF VJET! Hi All: I am purser for AA at LAX and arrived yesterday PM on a JFK trip. As we drove out to the employee parking lot, I saw a QF 707-138B painted in precise V-Jet colors. The registration was N707JT -- John Travolta's 707 (AA always services it at LAX -- it has been parked there often). What a nice thing of him to do for QF's marketing Dept. It was totally surreal seeing this plane parked among 767s and 757s. I'll try to snap a picture. Truely awesome. Alex

06-25-2002, 02:43 AM	#2
9V-SVC AirBoeingBus Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Singapore Posts: 4,587	I can't wait to see the bird . She is coming to Changi Airport on 8th july . I trying to find out what time she is arriving . __________________ My jetphotos.net photos Plane pictures.net photos Let's welcome Boeing newest product, the Boeing 7E7.

06-25-2002, 02:43 AM	#3
David Hingtgen Complete Wacko! Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Iowa Posts: 3,928	Yup, it was painted so QANTAS could do some historical commercials/footage (also he's always wanted to do it, but they never allowed it until now). News today was that he's joined QANTAS as an employee and will fly it around the world on a tour for them as an ambassador. __________________ *We need more TWA twin-stripes!*

06-25-2002, 04:08 AM	#4
Iron Giant Collector Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 92	Photo of the said Jet Alex, will save you the trouble of getting a shot.

06-25-2002, 05:04 AM	#5
niels Insane Collector Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: , Location, Location Posts: 1,518	I should think AeroClassics could adapt their various new 707 bits and pieces to do this/a -138. Other schemes would include Braniff (a no brainer big seller) and BWIA (heh heh). __________________ ---- BWIA West Indies 1:400 final livery MD-83; oldest liveries: Britannia, Viscount, Viking, DC-3; sandy livery: A321, DC-9-30, -80, 727, 707-138, -220) 1:250 scale? No, thank you. ---------------------------

06-25-2002, 05:23 AM	#6
axelofc69 Senior Collector Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Hollister, CA & San Jose, CA Age: 38 Posts: 455	saw the report on the news last night. very cool! He will be their ambassador at large and will be flying it around the world. Qantas will be paying for the fuel.

06-25-2002, 06:23 AM	#7
Helmsman Great Helmet Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Chateau Helmsman, Sutton, south of London! Posts: 761	fantastic! What a great looking aircraft! It will bring joy to a lot of enthusiasts to see these beautiful colours flying again. Mr. Travolta could hire himself out and do the same thing for others airlines! I can only look at images, unless the 707 is making a trip to a London Airport soon. Thanks for posting the news, panam707 and for the pictures, iron giant. __________________ ========= Karl English Hi, They call me Fart....Old Fart

06-25-2002, 10:11 AM	#8
grpsy Junior Collector Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: BOS - ATH Posts: 46	There was extensive news coverage of the Travolta-Qantas story yesterday. Here is, e.g., the Reuters story, as reported by Yahoo!: (There are also several photos available, many depicting the interior of Travolta's 707.) Travolta gets Qantas wings, plans goodwill tour Mon Jun 24, 7:29 PM ET By Bob Tourtellotte LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Self-professed "airline geek" and actor John Travolta Monday earned a new pair of wings as a first officer for Qantas Airways and unveiled a world tour to promote air travel that has weakened since Sept. 11. Travolta, an avid pilot and Oscar-nominated star of movies from "Saturday Night Fever" to "Pulp Fiction," trained with Qantas and on 747 simulators at Boeing Co. in Seattle and was now officially "Ambassador-at-large" for the Australian airline. Shortly after Qantas Chief Executive Officer Geoff Dixon pinned the golden wings on Travolta, who was wearing a crisp blue aviator's uniform, the actor called the moment "one of the proudest days of my life." "Without crying here, I would say it's at least alongside the two Oscar nominations I've received in my career. It's right up there with that," Travolta told reporters. Travolta, 48, said as far back as when he was 4 years old, he wanted his own pilot's uniform. He began taking flying lessons at age 16 and earned his jet pilot's license in 1981. Since then, he has logged 5,000 hours of flying time. "Besides my serious attitude toward flying, I have to admit something to all of you, I am an airline geek," Travolta said. He has a son named Jett, and joked that he wanted to name his daughter "Qantas," but wife Kelly Preston wouldn't allow it. Travolta said his new plans stem from a tour he took to Australia last summer to promote his action thriller, "Swordfish." Travolta owns a vintage Boeing 707 that was first flown by Qantas, and when he arrived in Australia in the plane, he said, it caused quite a stir. He asked to meet with Dixon and told him if Qantas would return his 1960s plane to its original colors, he would fly around the world to promote the airline. The movie promotion took place shortly before the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and Pentagon ( news - web sites) in Washington, D.C. After the attacks, he and Dixon decided to broaden the scope of his promise to promote not just Qantas, but the airline industry and flying, in general, Travolta said. "Personally, I can not think of a better ambassador for Qantas than John," Dixon said. So, in his freshly painted 707 dubbed the "Jett Clipper Ella," on July 1, Travolta will take to the air from Los Angeles and head to Auckland, New Zealand to begin the 10-nation "Spirit of Friendship" tour. Other destinations will include Sydney, Melbourne and Perth in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, London, Rome, Paris, Frankfurt and New York.

06-25-2002, 12:04 PM	#9
Chansen Insane Collector Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Parker, CO Posts: 2,883	This is great! I wonder if this has anything with him getting a 747SP. Will it be done in this scheme if he does get it! I hope so.

06-25-2002, 12:52 PM	#10
Helmsman Great Helmet Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Chateau Helmsman, Sutton, south of London! Posts: 761	nice one Craig One of my own personal fantasy is to see each airline have one plane done in each scheme it ever had. That would be cool! Karl __________________ ========= Karl English Hi, They call me Fart....Old Fart

06-26-2002, 09:00 PM	#13
newscam Senior Collector Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Lebanon, TN, USA Age: 41 Posts: 348	Do you think he has a Gemini Jet in these colors?

06-26-2002, 10:58 PM	#14
smoothjazz More Korean Air in 1/200! Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: SEOUL KOREA Posts: 6,233	He is a lucky man... __________________ BENJAMIN MY COLLECTION http://www.diecastaircraftforum.com/...tion-1179.html

06-26-2002, 11:15 PM	#15
bigredvmi Master Collector Join Date: May 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 786	I hope he flys this through Detroit ... love to see it in person.

06-26-2002, 11:39 PM	#16
Ozz Insane Collector Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Canada (CYVR) Age: 50 Posts: 2,763	Isn't it interesting that Qantas, an airline that boasts they have never written off a jet aircraft, have now hired Vinny Barbarino as a captain in their Fly Qantas marketing campaign. Up yer nose wit a rubber hose! __________________ Ozz ORANGE IS BEAUTIFUL *GO WESTJET!!!* We need more CPAir/CDN and don't forget PWA and BA Landor!

09-30-2005, 06:05 PM	#17
Fred Hinschlager Junior Collector Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1	I in live Ocala Fl. about 5 miles south of J.Ts airstrip and his plane was landing south to north at about 4:45 today. What makes it so great is that most of the planes around here are either single or double engine, so when the V-JET approaches you can really feel it. And what makes it neat is knowing J.T. might be flying it!

10-02-2005, 08:42 PM	#22
A Tupolev Grande Jefe Design Bureau Join Date: May 2005 Location: Russian Vodka Room, NYNY Posts: 1,517	What happen to all the photos that were in these messages yesterday? Never mind, its a problem with my browser. __________________ I am not a number - I am a free man. More Tupolev planes please, Ty-114, Ty-134, Ty-144 My collection: http://www.diecastaircraftforum.com/...tion-3750.html Last edited by A Tupolev; 10-02-2005 at 08:45 PM.

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09-30-2005, 06:40 PM	#19
FlyNavy Whoop-de-do Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Moving all around. Posts: 591	Do people spend time going through all of thoses post from 2002 just to post one thing?! __________________ If you dont make it the first time.... Blow the f**ker up.