Fly-In Community’s Stayin’ Alive

Want to swap flying stories with John Travolta? You could be his neighbor at a posh fly-in community under construction near Ocala, Fla. Travolta, who owns a Boeing 707, among other jets, was one of the first to buy a piece of Jumbolair Aviation Estates. Not only will the 7,500-foot, lighted, FAA-licensed runway be ample for his fleet, there’s room on his nine-acre estate for two hangars and crew quarters, along with the 6,400-square-foot “mini-mansion” with the air traffic control tower sticking out of the roof. Of course, not all Jumbolair residents will need that sort of operation and for the less well-heeled there are two-acre lots for $300,000 and houses for $500,000. All have taxi access to the monster runway. Up to 125 lots are planned. Terri Jones-Thayer, the ex-wife of Arthur Jones, inventor of Nautilus exercise equipment, owns the 550-acre property. She’s a licensed 707 pilot herself and, now that her children are in their teens, she’s looking forward to getting back in the left seat.