On July 1, 2002 John, Kelly and children began a trip to jet around the world to promote air travel in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the U.S. Travolta, who has been flying since the age of 16, has clocked up 5,000 flying hours. He flies on average 300 hours per year. He has even confessed to being an "airline geek", when he was younger he would purchase airline tickets just for rides. His first flight was at the age of eight. As a young lad he flew unacompained from New York to Chicago to be with his sister Ellen who was proforming offbroadway in the musical of Oklahoma. Johnny knew by the age of four or five that he wanted to be an actor and a pilot. He had his father build him an airplane to play in and would have the neighbor girls dressed in their brownie uniforms to pretend to be stewerdesses for him while he wore his pilot cap that his mother gave him. He began taking flying lessons at the minnium age of sixteen and spent all his extra money working as an actor on flying lessons. He got his jet pilot's license in 1981 while turning down acting in An Officer and a gentelman, in which he would only pretend to be a pilot. He recently completed a training course with the Australian airline Quantas and flew his vintage Boeing 707, which he bought from the company, on a goodwill tour as their "ambassador-at-large". The plane had been remoleded into a 3 bedroom getaway and is named Jett Clipper Ella after his children. John said it was "one of the proudest days of my life" to be presented with the wings by Quantas, and it meant as much to him as his two Oscar nominations. They visited 10 countries, including the United States, Australia, Great Britain, Japan, Singapore, Italy, Germany and France. The trip will included approxamately 80 flying hours and 35,000 miles. Travolta said at his press release, "I'm undertaking this tour to extend the hand of friendship - to reach out, to cross borders, make contact, rekindle friendships and make new friends." Geoff Dixon, CEO for Quantas, which has agreed to redecorate Travolta's plane in its original 1960's livery in return for his trip, gushes, "personally, I can not think of a better ambassador for Quantas than John." Back in the US in December 2002 to comemerate the 99th anniversary of Kitty Hawk John flew into Washington DC for a ceremony. John also recently announced that he will star in a Wright Brother's Movie that is to be directed by his brother Joey. In December 2003 John was the Mastor of Ceremonies at the 100th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers Flight in North Carolina with President Bush. In his introduction to Bush he refered to the proposed plan of returning to the moon, stating "Not only do I vote for that option, but I volunteer to go on the first mission." President Bush stated in his speach "To John Travolta we shall call him "Moon Man" from now on. I appreciate your friendship. I appreciate your love of flight. Thank you for being such a fine entertainer for millions of Americans, but most importantly, thanks for being a great American. I'm proud you are here."
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