Celebrities in FBOs

[Bob_Sacamano]

Robin Olds Didn't Want a 5th?!!?!?!?

While General Olds may have been one of the top fighter pilots in Vietnam is without question, saying that he didn't want a 5th MiG is nonsense. There were several instances of Gen. Olds coming home out of missiles, he was so desperately trying to get his 5th jet kill. The reason Olds left Vietnam was because he'd just been promoted to Brigadier General and had to report to the Air Force Academy to act as Commandant of Cadets.
Good Luck,
Bob

This is a bit dated, back when I was a ramper at Santa Barbara Aviation.

Met and chatted with John Travolta. At the time his pilot was Doug G., they flew a Citation and a JetStar. He used to hang around the FBO and was usually pretty down to earth.

Pamela Hensley ( Princess Ardala from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century ) and her TV producer boyfriend used to fly in from SMO in a red Beech Staggerwing. One of our CFIs was giving her dual at the time. Oh, what I would have done to give her some dual .

Bo Derek, both at the airport and in town.

Kathy Ireland back when she had a very high pitched voice and burped like a man. There's a story there, but I'm not telling it on this board.

Andre the Giant in the terminal at Dayton. Big lumbering giant walking down the terminal in the middle of winter sweating like a pig. Ended up in first class on my flight to PIT. I thought to myself, " that guys going to die of a heart attack soon ". Unfortunately I was right.

Steve Ritchie, top scoring ace* of the USAF during Vietnam, from IAH to CLT. Nice guy, gave me an autographed photo, woohoo . I like my Julie Clark autographed photo better.


TP


* Robin Olds was most likely the top USAF fighter pilot of Vietnam. He just didn't want a fifth or they would have sent him home.

 

[wxpilot]

Any Jimmy Buffett sightings??

 

[Captain4242]

I've flown some really nice people:
Matt Lauer, The Great Gretzky, Drew Barrymore, Caterine Zeta-Jones (most gorgeous eyes in Holywood).
I've also flown some real celebrity butt-heads (and their butt-head spouces). I'll keep those names to myself so as to not stir up too much trouble. Always remember people aren't always the way they act when you see them on the Tonite Show or the Senate Floor.

 

[Bob Runday]

I saw David Hasselhoff in BTL a year ago. Although I cant understand why they sent security after me. I only tried to get a lock of his hair!

 

[Rythm3]

Famous people seen:

Ben Stein - Million Air (NEW)
Ray Charles - Mercury Air Center (ATL)
Bob Dole - Piedmont (IAD)
Sen. Trent Lott - Mercury Air (JAN)
Jimmy Carter - Destin, FL

Famous people flown:

Sen. Fred Thompson
Tommy Lee
Little Wayne

 

[EastCoastLR35]

Have Flown:

Mary Tylor Morre
Danica Patrick
Buddy Rice
Dan Patrick
Dr. O. Wayne Isom

 

[pilotmiketx]

Have Flown:

Danica Patrick

She gives me morning wood in the late afternoon.

You are a living god. (or at least one lucky bastard)

 

[ORDRJDrivr]

There's a famous story about Oprah Winfrey in 1st class, who decided that the white #1 wasn't good enough to serve her, and demanded the African-American FA in coach trade places with the #1. Since I wasn't there, I can't vouch for the truth of it, but apparently Oprah is one of the most demanding, irritating passengers ever to grace a commercial flight.

First time here and first post ... but couldn't let this one slide...

Not only is it a true story, my sister was the #1 FA on that flight. American Airlines Super 80 from ORD to LAX. Oprah was in the window seat and her "assistant" was to her right shoulder. My sister, the white blonde FA works the #1 position usually and there just happened to be a black female FA working in the main cabin. My sister stops by to offer Oprah and her assistant a pre-departure drink and Oprah states, "I want the black flight attendant to serve me." My sister calmly informs Oprah that flight attendants bid for their position on the aircraft and that she would be the First Class FA for the trip to LAX. Oprah then gets all huffy and states to her assistant, "Well you just tell the white girl that I want a diet coke..." And that's the way the entire flight went. Oprah never talked to my sister again. All communication was through the assistant.

Evidently, Oprah placed her very large black feet on the cabin bulkhead and that upset my sister so at one point, she asked Oprah to please remove her feet from the bulkhead.

The story is much more funny to hear my sister tell it ... but nevertheless, it is a true story. She even saved a copy of the passenger manifest showing her name on it.

As I understand it, she is a real bi**h to deal with. One morning back in my charter days, I was sitting around MDW waiting for my passengers and Oprah's GIV (N540W) was sitting out front. Oprah arrives to the airplane in her black limo and there was some issue that the aircrafts china had not been brought on board yet. Oprah comes flying down the stairs and into the FBO yelling that the dishes were not on board and that she was in a hurry and was leaving NOW. Back out to the airplane she goes and some line servant goes running out there with the case of dishes for her plane. The door closes and off they go.

 

[Publishers]

We have a bunch of them all the time but one of my favorites was Bill Murray. We have a day a month when we cook hot dogs and hamburgers for whoever is around, the airport people, fire, police, tenants, etc...
He sees the food and asked about it. He went over and ate the hot dogs and talked with everyone who approached him.

 

[citabriapilot]

At 55J (Fernandina Beach Municipal), just northeast of Jacksonville, FL. The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island is 2 miles away, so lots of celebs make there way to Fernandina, and dont' forget Superbowl... Travolta comes in a lot, but spent a lot of time there when filming "Basic". He flew his Gulfstream back and forth to Cecil Field everyday. Must be nice. Here are some that I've seen, to name a few:


John Travolta
Jeff Gordon
Bobby Bowden
Most of the owners of the Superbowl teams
Owners of lots of other football teams
Patty Wagstaff (used to base out of 55J before SGJ)
Robin Williams
Former Homeland Sec. guy
Chris Rock
Adam Sandler
Rob Schneider
Burt Reynolds
Bill Clinton
John Grisham
Sec. Treasury

Can't remember all of them. Anytime you get to northeast FL check out 55J and stop in to McGill Aviation.