Airparks: a plane in your garage
Located in Ocala, Florida, Jumbolair is probably the best known fly-in community in the world. One of the first purchasers in the development was actor John Travolta who keeps his own Boeing 707 in his garage. Jumbolair contains America’s largest private airstrip, but it’s not the only airpark in the country. According to the “Living With Your Plane” Association, there are about 430 airparks with a total of 22,000 home sites in the United States. Here you will see some interesting examples:
1. Jumbolair and Travolta’s home
Jumbolair is a luxury fly-in residential in Florida with several million-dollar homes and the longest private airstrip in the country. In its 550 acres, 125 families use to fly their particular planes along the 7,550-foot runway.
According to CNN, its most popular neighbour, actor John Travolta, is considered an extremist even among aviation buffs. He’s the only private citizen in the U.S. to own and operate a Boeing 707, a former commercial airliner. He employs a cockpit crew of six, who along with Travolta wear navy-blue uniforms and jaunty white caps.
John Travolta is qualified in several types of single and multi-engine aircraft, and has the highest pilot medical certification possible. His house is 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. “He uses the 707 as the family van,” says Jumbolair developer Terri Jones. “The Gulfstream is his sports car.”
2. A plane in every garage
Residential airparks have proliferated in recent years in the US. Exact numbers are difficult to obtain, but since the first opened in California more than 60 years ago, over 500 have been built, and in all but four states, says Dave Sclair, founder of Living With Your Plane. A brief look through Google Maps into airparks like the one in Cameron (California) will show you that in some neighborhoods, people park airplanes rather than minivans in garages attached to their homes.
In many cases, roads are dual-use for both, cars and planes. This issue has become extremely controversial at a number of residential airparks, but in all these years, only one serious accident occurred: when a taxiing airplane and a bicycle collided on a taxiway. The youngster riding the bike was killed.
Most airpark communities are located in warmer Southern states - Florida is a popular location - and in rural areas. Some are situated at airports where nonresident pilots are permitted to land their aircraft. Others reserve landing rights for residents only. They range in size from a few small houses near a landing strip to full neighborhoods with multimillion-dollar houses built near runways able to accommodate private jets.
The houses are built on runways. Step into the garage, taxi your plane onto a grass or paved airstrip, and 10 minutes later you’re airborne.
Since 9/11, safety and security have become touchy topics in residential airpark communities. Airpark residents are quick to counter this argument, saying their communities are far safer than most small airports because the airplanes are kept close to people’s homes.
Many people move to airparks simply to spend more time with their airplanes, but it’s not the only reason for residing at an airpark. For others, air parks are simply an extension of the American obsession with the open road. But perhaps, the most important reason for all is to experience that freeedom feeling: being able to fly wherever and whenever you want.
January 29th, 2007 at 11:49 pm
Food for thought.
January 30th, 2007 at 1:10 am
Hmmmmm! thank you xenmate!
January 31st, 2007 at 10:21 pm
And to think Travolta runs around telling people to conserve.
January 31st, 2007 at 11:30 pm
I hope he and his ilk die in their own plane crashes. This is truly revolting.
February 1st, 2007 at 12:22 am
To the 19:00 commenter:
As an airplane owner, let me say I dearly hope that if I die in my own plane crash I fervently wish it is in a collision with your entire family, you miserable bastard. You can make a comment like that and say that people who simply own an airplane — instead of a boat or mobile home — are “revolting?” Do people like you EVER listen to the garbage that comes out of your mouths?
February 1st, 2007 at 12:42 am
Er… “Bill”,
It’s pretty obvious that the “revolting” appelation was aimed at “he [Travolta] and his ilk” who fly around in 707s while telling the rest of us peons how much we need to conserve natural resources (if, in fact, he has done so). This would also include idiots like Al Gore and other “green” politicians who spend a significant amount of time campaigning via avgas - not people like you who simply own an airplane.
Just settle down.
February 1st, 2007 at 1:28 am
wishing another human being dead is unworthy of you.
February 1st, 2007 at 3:01 am
hopefully all of these people that are dying in plane crashes, and slamming into other ‘families’ are all democrats, and even more hopeful, democrat congressman.
Term limits now! No social security unless you paid into it! It’s a “contibuatory” program you jacka$$es!
February 1st, 2007 at 2:01 pm
Anonymous said…
I hope I never find out who you are and If I do, I hope that I come face to face with you slum bag SOB
31 enero,2007 24:30
February 1st, 2007 at 10:41 pm
“[Travolta] employs a cockpit crew of six, who along with [him] wear navy-blue uniforms and jaunty white caps.”
Air Org?
February 2nd, 2007 at 10:35 am
I think… if you have the money …Why Not? It is not nice to wish some one’s death just because you have nothing in your life to share with anybody. They are not my friends but I’m happy for them… But I’m so sorry for you and your family, I’m sure is very sad to be an Ass H…. and to tell you the truth you are REVOLTING…
February 3rd, 2007 at 5:25 am
AHAHAHahahAHahaHAHhah…..
you jealous puds……wtf…..we dont wish bad shiet on you cause you collect vibrating butt plugs……so why harp on us because of our planes….and to the a$$hat who wishes ill against democrats……your just an idiot….I dont wish ill will against you guys but, I pray for your families to have to put up with it…..g o o f s
February 7th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Wont it be noisy living at an airport?
February 12th, 2007 at 2:28 am
I would have liked to forward a link to this page to some kids I know. It’s too bad the comment stream is full of grown-ups who ought to know better fighting over nothing, wishing each other dead, and cussing a blue streak. I would rather have no comment stream at all.
March 17th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
polluters
May 23rd, 2007 at 6:38 am
He can buy all the uniforms and jets he wants but he is NOT a commercial Pilot. He couldn’t pass any of his checkrides at the commercial, let alone the ATP level. Heck. . he’s VFR restricted on his Citation type rating. All the instructors at the training center know it. He’s a PHONY, has to have a high time “copilot” to fly and CAN’T fly for hire. He does real young men and women that earn a commercial license a disservice.
go to http://www.landings.com and click on databases on the bottom of the page for pilot info. He’s a fake. . I like the terms they use “he’s jet “qualified” not commercially certificated. . he has the highest “Medical” possible. . anyone can walk off the street and get a first class, you don’t even have to have a license.