John Travolta Rings in 72 at 30,000 Feet

John Travolta rang in his 72nd birthday by taking to the skies, sharing on Instagram on Feb. 18 that he earned yet another pilot’s license, adding to a flying career that began in his 20s.

In the video, Travolta takes off in a Bombardier Global Express before appearing in the cockpit to announce, “I just accomplished my license in the Global Express SIC.”

Travolta is then seen standing outside the aircraft, sharing, “So this is the Global Express. Take a look.” He then says with a laugh, “Congratulations to me.”

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His post was captioned, “It’s my birthday today! And I’m very proud to say I got my license in the Global Express! Thank you for all my birthday wishes!”

According to Simple Flying, Travolta has been a licensed pilot since the age of 22 and holds multiple advanced ratings, including certifications to fly several large commercial and private jets. Over the years, he’s earned multiple FAA ratings and has even flown aircraft as large as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380.

In 2020, Travolta shared a rare throwback photo on Instagram from when he was 15, revealing that his school offered aviation classes, which first sparked his passion for flying.

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“Throwback Thursday: When I was 15 years old, my school offered an aviation class which started my second career,” he captioned the post.

In a 2008 interview with CBS News, the Grease actor shared why he loved flying so much. “Aviation has always bailed me out of anything in my mind that is blue,” the actor said. “I can look through an airline schedule and brochure and cheer up.”