Actor John Travolta, a rabid aviation enthusiast and pilot, is donating his beloved Boeing 707 to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) in Australia.
Why the Land Down Under?
Travolta has a strong relationship with the country, having purchased the 707 from Qantas Airways when the airline retired the 1964 jet in 1995. Travolta and wife Kelly Preston even own a home in an exclusive Florida community where members own their jets, land on a private runway and taxi right to their driveways.
"It gives me great pleasure to make this exciting historical announcement that my beloved Boeing 707 aircraft has been donated to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society," Travolta, a Qantas brand ambassador since 2002, said in a statement provided to Flying Magazine.
HARS said it will help restore the plane so that it can be flown to Sydney-a journey Travolta hopes to be part of.
"The aircraft currently requires a lot of work to be restored to a safe flying state and having seen first hand the dedication and passion of people at HARS, I have no doubt this beautiful and historical aircraft will be flying again," Travolta said. "I am hoping to be part of the crew to fly the aircraft to Australia."
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"We share a mutual respect for old airplanes and flying and at that stage we were keen to suggest to him that if he ever wanted to part with his Boeing 707 we would be very interested in it," HARS president Bob De La Hunty told ABC News.
"When we heard earlier this year that he was looking at possibly not continuing with his Boeing 707, we made contact. He jumped at the idea and so we've been in detailed discussions and negotiations since."
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