Meteor and Vampire in the RAF.

How could I not mention New Zealands most famous celebrity pilot, All Black Captain Richie McCaw? Flies gliders and both fixed and rotary wing.

Ron Haslam flies microlights, flex and 3 axis.

Talking of rugby, the Underwood brothers, Rory and Tony, were both pilots - Rory in the RAF and Tony with an ATPL - first with EasyJet and now with Virgin, I believe.

FBW

I believe William Shatner earned his private glider rating at the Schweizer Soaring School. I believe the Schweizers mentioned other celebs but I don't remember them.
Bryan

Ted Dexter, former Sussex and England Captain, had a Cessna. Either a 182 or a 206 from memory.

I'd be a little cautious about detailing 'he flies his own jet' or some such nonsense. There is a huge difference between a guy that sits in the cockpit with his corporate pilot and a guy that flies himself around...or actually flies somewhere vs stays on the ground when the weather is iffy.

I mean I know airline pilots that won't go anywhere unless they are in an Airbus, so how far do they do in their C172,

No real threat of celebrities flying around their jets...takes years to get there and it's not happening so far on any real basis with out babysitters to 'help' them get around.

Leonard Nimoy owned and flew a Bonanza.

Steve McQueen had a whole bunch of vintage aircraft as I recall.

The authors Max Robberts and Jasper Fforde are both keen private pilots.

Is the OP going to collate all this information for us?

Also, I believe Adam Faith started to learn to fly a helicopter not sure if he completed.

And Antoine, don't forget Antoine.

Chesley Sullenburger

I recall Adam faith stating in an interview that he got his licence in order to prove to himself that he could do it, but thereafter he never really pursued any further flying.

Steve McQueen is still flying allegedly. His ashes were scattered from his Stearman and not all of them left the aircraft..... :ooh:

Sean Bean did a PPL before his role as a Captain in 'Flightplan' to research the job, and to overcome his fear of flying.

Ariel Tweto and Craig Ferguson.

Michael Crawford (Frank Spencer) in 'Some mothers do have them' took some flying lessons - does this count?

Possibly because he crashed whilst flying solo (but of course he survived).

His dad owned Crossland Moor twenty years ago. Jamie now is a commentator for ITV on British Superbikes. Steve Parrish, who is a commentator for the BBC on Moto GP, owns a Cessna. He raced in the seventies along side Barry Sheene, who flew helicopters. (Now HE was a real celebrity)

Try List of aviators - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Scroll down to 'other famous figures'

Roald Dahl - Hurricane pilot WW2

Alex James (Blur bassist; Cheesemaker)

Edit: Whoops - just noticed Alex James already mentioned on page 1 :O

So I'll add James Martin (chef) instead.

Ace mole catcher...
 

I recall that Jasper Carrott used to have a Fuji FA200...

And was in Bonanza.


Hairy Biker Dave Myers flies flexwings I believe.

G

Sorruy
If I missed it but has anyone mentioned Ewan MacGregor and brother Colin? Former trainspotting actor latter Tornado pilot?
Anyway all this guff about celebrities .... Well what have the Romans ever done for us?
The list so far contains a lot of Americans and given the freedom of USA its not surprising they take to the skies in a big way (Travolta) but James May and AlanSugar are interesting because they do it for similar reasons to us. I was in Bembridge a couple of months ago and Alan S was there having a cup of tea. Wonderful Britishness none accosted him. At Denham J May frequently is in and out and again the fantastic British respect means he is not mobbed in any celebrity way. I thoroughly applaud this native reserve but I do wish such celebrities would lend a hand to help roll back some of the serious government pressures on GA which would prefer you didn't fly more than 10k from your home field and even then would want you to fill in forms in triplicate

Someone who hasnt been listed I dont think (and depends on your definition of the word "celebrity"), and may be your man, is Grant Shapps, who as well as flying a Saratoga, is the chairman of the UK Conservative party. There have been postings here and elsewhere about the governments red tape challenge, which I think Grant was 'chairing' on behalf of GA. Not sure what or if anything became of that.

Every hobby has political and legal issues troubling it. I imagine these folks would mostly like to just enjoy their hobby like the rest of us.

Lembit Opik was one who did do as you suggest - I'm not sure it did anybody, least of all him, any good.

G

Harrison Ford does a lot for AOPA.

And I fully agree. If some of those people stood up for aviation openly it might help a LOT. People are like that, they flock after famous people like lemmings. Some of them use this to the advantage of the hobbies they love, which is certainly what I'd do if I had the chance. Not too many people have the public exposure to make a real difference, but these people do.

What bugs me is that some of them seem to be almost ashamed to be part of the flying community... why I wonder.

Instead it can help both with public perception (if xxx flies small planes, they can't be that bad, can they?) and with recruiting youngsters to the flock. Those who have done things like that, usually report it is a very satisfying experience.

I did hear that a well known German comedian once got asked by the flying club at his local airfield to openly take sides in a dispute with the local tree huggers. He had stayed out as he tought that his contribution could actually damage the cause, but when he did enter, he managed to get the whole issue dismissed in one evening. THAT is the kind of thing we need in todays hostile anti GA world.

Carlo Pedrosoli, better known as Bud Spencer, was a very active GA pilot, both fixed wing and helos. He also founded an airline (Mistral Air) which he sold on later and which exists to this day. Apparently he became interested in flying after a movie where he portrayed a pilot and subsequently took up training, first for helicopters and 2 years later for fixed wing planes. I believe he owned and flew a Jet Ranger and a King Air.

I once saw an interview with his then movie partner Mario Girotti (Terence Hill) who related that Pedrosoli had not told anyone that he had made his license between some movies and then scared the living daylights out of them by flying a Jet Ranger during the filming. Apparently he also did most of the flying involved in some later movies. I was also told that in his time he was quite active in Italian GA at and around his homebase Napoli.

Don't know if he is still flying, might be too old by now (he is almost 84 years old).

I seem to remember that Dale Robertson was a very accomplished pilot but I think he is now deceased?
Also Nicki Lauda (spelling?) founded his own airline but I have no idea whether he flew personally.

Niki Lauda flies his own Global Express, I think.

flybymike:

; at one of the first reno air races I saw Dale Robertson taxi up in his own plane.

also

fellow actor, but not related, cliff robertson, was also a pilot..doing some unusual things too.

Craig Ferguson, of the late late show is a pilot...I even sent him a book about flying which he may or may not have received.

journalist and documentarian, Miles O'brien, now of PBS and NOVA and Frontline...used to be with CNN...covered destruction of Columbia...he owns a cirrus and has enough time to have an ATP.

Dick emery has been mentioned. I'm sure on Parkinson he said if he hadn't entered the Entertaining industry he would liked to have been an Airline pilot.

Blessed is he...

I am fairly sure that Donald Pleasence (yes, Blofeld), was a Bomber Command pilot. He was certainly a member of a crew shot down over Germany and became a POW. Life/Art interface there, given his role in 'The Great Escape'.

Cliff Robertson owned a Spitfire for many years and was a Tiger Club member, as was Dick Emery I think.

That's it! I was indeed thinking of Cliff Robertson, not Dale Robertson. However, seems like all the Robertsons flew.;)

Haven't read the whole thread. Have we had Hughie Green?

Thurmon Munson, New York Yankee catcher.

Cory Lidle, New York Yankee pitcher.

Wasn't it Lidle who flew his Cirrus into an apartment building on the East River side?

Yes, it was Corey Liddle. Believe it or not with an instructor on the RHS...

I can remember eons ago seeing a documentary about the rock group, Cream. It briefly showed Jack Bruce, the bass player, flying a Cherokee 140. Some air-to-air shots from memory. This must have been in the early 70's, when Cherokees were being imported in droves.

I think Dave Clark of the DC5 pop group owned Robin DR400 G-BALH after it was sold from Sportair at Biggin Hill. I think I did the last flight in the aircraft before it was delivered to him in 1977.