TMZ asks Travolta who is his "dream co-pilot".

[JohnB]

Over at TMZ a bright video paparazzi asked John Travolta an interesting question as the actor left a LA resturant.

"If you could fly with anyone-living or dead- who would it be and in what type of aircraft."
Travolta replied either Howard Hughes in a Constallation or Charles Lindbergh in a unidentified flying boat.

So that promts a question...who would you like to fly with and in what?

Here are some of mine:
Lindbergh in the Spirt of St. Louis (he did fly with one passenger a few times, most notably Henry Ford and his son Edsel) or a Jenny.

Howard Hughes in his Sikorsky flying boat.
Igor Sikorsky in his VS-300 (but it only had one seat).
Jimy Doolittle in a B-25 or anything from the 30s.
Geoffrey de Havilland Jnr in a Mosquito, Chuck Yearger in a Mustang, Tex Johnston in the 367-80....

Ernest K. Gann in a AA DC-3.

Steve Hinton and Nelson Ezell in just about any warbird, Bob Hoover in a Shrike, and my friend Addison Pemberton in his Boeing 40...the oldest Boeing flying and the only 40 in private hands (hey, at least I have one!).

In terms of fantasy...flying with actors who played pilots...how about a flight with Kirby Grant (Sky King) in a Cessna 310B (some say he was a pilot, others say he wasn't) and Kenneth Toby (Whirlybirds) in a Bell 47G...(I can fly that, so he can be my passenger).
And a ride in a B-17 with Gregory Peck, Robert Lansing and Paul Burke from the various versions of 12 O'clock High.

UPDATE:

I can't believe I forgot Frank Tallman or Paul Mantz, Richard Bach in his Parks or a Travel Air, or Jimmy Stewart (thanks to HTE and Kyleb) or Gordon Baxter in his Mooney.

Last edited by JohnB on Fri Feb 22, 2013 9:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.

[hang the expense]

Or Jimmy Stewart in a unarmed polka dotted B-24 over the continent.NOW THAT WOULD BE LIVING IT ON THE EDGE.

[Ken]

Bob Hoover in the Shrike or Mustang seems like the right choice. If only knew the stuff he's forgotten. Randy Sohn in a B-25 would be another.

Ken

[Kyleb]

Richard Bach in a Parks P-2A.

Ernest K. Gann in a DC-2.

Jimmy Stewart in a B-36.

[mike furline]

That's a tough call. The guy on the left seems to be more serious about flying. It could go either way.

or

[Dan Johnson II]

Or Jimmy Stewart in a unarmed polka dotted B-24 over the continent.NOW THAT WOULD BE LIVING IT ON THE EDGE.

My first thought was along these lines too. Although it would be on one of the missions he flew. Something about him working so hard to get there when he could so easily have opted out. From what I've read he was a good leader too. I'd fly co-pilot for him.

A few others came to mind also.
Flying in Robin Old's F4C as backseater during Operation Bolo

Tagging along in Guy Gibson's Lanc on the Dams raid.

Flying co-pilot with Doolittle off the Hornet.

Flying Co-pilot with Killer Kane at Ploesti

[Kyleb]

Or Jimmy Stewart in a unarmed polka dotted B-24 over the continent.NOW THAT WOULD BE LIVING IT ON THE EDGE.

My first thought was along these lines too. Although it would be on one of the missions he flew. Something about him working so hard to get there when he could so easily have opted out. From what I've read he was a good leader too. I'd fly co-pilot for him.

A few others came to mind also.
Flying in Robin Old's F4C as backseater during Operation Bolo

Tagging along in Guy Gibson's Lanc on the Dams raid.

Flying co-pilot with Doolittle off the Hornet.

Flying Co-pilot with Killer Kane at Ploesti

If you're gonna go military, don't you want to be riding with Richard Best or maybe Max Leslie?

[N3Njeff]

Good Question!!!

I had thought about this for a min and what jumps to mind.

Back seat of the "Duck" with Paul Mantz shooting the footage for "Murphys War".

[K5DH]

I'd love to have just one more flight with Col. William D. "Doc" Hospers in a certain yellow-tailed B-17G.

[CoastieJohn]

Frankly my dear....I'm surprised no one mentioned this pilot on the far right.

[GARY HILTON]

Jimmy Stewart as Pilot, Co-pilot would be Harvey , Me....along for the ride! B-24 of course!

Bill Turner in a PBY

[DC3R4DC47]

Ernie Gann, MDW-EWR in a DC3, Dick Zerbe in a CV340 for old times sake, Len Morgan in a 727,or 747 Classic

[Russ Blow]

My dad flying in a C46 flying over the hump or in an AT 6 buzzing the beach here which is what they did in the reserves after the war.

I would love to experience even for a minute some of what he saw and did during the war.

[JohnB]

Back seat of the "Duck" with Paul Mantz shooting the footage for "Murphys War".

Great suggestion...that would have been fun...
But a small correction, it was Frank Tallman who flew for Murphy's War.
Mantz was killed in 1965, Murphy's War was released in 1971.

[Mark Allen M]

No female pilots huh? For shame! Lol ... How about Jackie Cockran, non-females T33driver and Steve Hinton, and Jack Cook's female cousin I believe who is now, or will be soon, a thunderbird pilot ... And I would list my dad but anyone who is no longer alive wouldn't be much help or fun sitting next to me ... Even though I'm sure he indeed sits next to me whenever I'm flying.