It’s not that surprising that flying would become a beloved pastime of the stars. If you combine the prestige and freedom of piloting your own aircraft, you understand why many celebrities take to the skies in their free time.
Not all celebrity aviators pursue a pilot’s license for the same reason. In fact, several celebrities who have their pilot’s license actually were pilots long before they made their mark on the big screen.
Take Chuck Norris for instance: This brawny actor doesn’t just play a tough guy on screen. Before becoming an actor, Norris served in the US Air Force for four years. Another example of a pilot turned celebrity is Gene Roddenberry. Roddenberry served as a pilot during World War II, even going on to be a civilian pilot before making it big as a TV writer in the 1950s.
Jimmy Stewart on the other hand, learned to fly after beginning his career as an actor. Like Roddenberry, Stewart also served in the armed forces as a pilot during World War II. In 1935, Stewart earned a private pilot certificate, and he received his commercial pilot license three years later. He took a break from his Hollywood career to fly combat missions in World War II before acting in the film for which most Americans remember him: It’s a Wonderful Life.
Quite a few actors and actresses decided to earn their wings after making films about aviators. This was the case with Tom Cruise, who decided to become a pilot after filming Top Gun. Hilary Swank developed an interest in aviation after playing the role of Amelia Earhart in the 2009 film Amelia.
The list goes on. Some celebrities who have their pilot’s license might surprise you. Angelina Jolie, for example, has been flying for years. John Travolta is not only a licensed pilot, but has made aviation a life’s passion. Morgan Freeman demonstrated that it’s never to late to learn to fly by attaining his pilot’s license at the age of 65. Even supermodel Gisele Bundchen became qualified to fly helicopters in 2009, working as a special ambassador of the United Nations. Niki Lauda flew himself to the racetracks where he piloted Formula 1 cars to three world championships.
Whatever their exact reasons for learning to fly, celebrities who have their pilot’s license clearly have one thing in common: Just like any other pilot, they take immense enjoyment in the excitement and independence of being able to fly off into the sunset. They often just happen to be privileged enough to do it in their very own aircraft.
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