 |
PAGES: 1 2
Tom Cruise flies higher than the rest of us, literally. His Gulfstream IV arcs through the ether at 45,000 feet, roughly 10,000 feet above most commercial aircraft. By most accounts the man is generous and self-effacing, but when he's flying, he looks down on people.
Cruise enjoys several other high-altitude perks: His cabin air is completely refreshed every two minutes, as opposed to never. He can check email whenever he wants. And he's pressurized at 6,000 feet, as opposed to 8,000, so he's less fatigued when he shows up in Auckland for a premiere. Customs are a breeze -- the agent boards the plane.
The Gulfstream has been the alpha-male plane of choice for decades: Steve Jobs, Larry Ellison, Mark Cuban and John Travolta are owners. These men fly the way most people drive. As Senior Manager of Gulfstream Corporate Communications Robert Baugniet puts it, "you can go around the world in one stop." Shocked at the televised devastation of Katrina last year, Travolta decided to help out, so he flew down five tons of supplies.
See our slideshow of celebrity jets.
Granted, he made the trip in his other plane, a customized Boeing 707. Aviation-wise, Travolta exists in another universe. His house in Ocala, Florida, is essentially a personal airport. He's a member of a far more exclusive club -- the boys with Boeings.
Most of these titans of industry own Boeing Business Jets, which are modified 737s. They include Rupert Murdoch, Kirk Kerkorian and the prime ministers of Australia, Malaysia and Nigeria. These are essentially flying 800-square-foot apartments, replete with master bedrooms, en-suite restrooms and banquet halls.
"It's the same general philosophy as the real estate market," says Sandy Angers of Boeing Business Jets. "Most of our customers are people who have owned other business jets. They usually start with something smaller, and they want to trade up."
PAGES: 1 2
Viceroy Santa Monica
Chef Concierge Samantha Srinivasan joined the Viceroy in September 2002, two months after the hotel opened.
BEST RESTAURANT
Grace Restaurant.
BEST GIFT FOR A SPOUSE
Jewelry from Hilary Druxman or Belgian chocolate from Leonidas.
BEST GOLF COURSE
Trump National Golf Club.
BEST DAY TRIP
The Getty Villa.
READ MORE »
Find Airline Tickets on Yahoo Travel»
