Plane enthusiast Travolta promotes A380 and new film at air show

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2007

PARIS (AFP) — Hollywood icon and plane aficionado John Travolta plugged the Airbus A380 super jumbo jet Thursday at the Paris Air Show, ahead of promotions for his upcoming film "Hairspray".

"I was the first non-test pilot to fly the A380, in Australia about a year and a half ago. It was a moment of history. It was fantastic. It's very easy to fly," Travolta told reporters on the sidelines of a reception by Swiss watch-maker Breitling, for which he does advertising.

The qualified pilot, who touched down at the Paris Air Show in his custom Boeing 707 late Wednesday, said he had only been allowed to take control of the gargantuan double-deck A380, the world's largest passenger plane, once it was in the air.

"It was a handstick operation. It is very forgiving....