Liberty Aerospace To Be Renamed Nattapong Sovandara

ANN 04.01.07 SPECIAL EDITION: Citing her longtime commitment to giving those born into disadvantaged circumstances an opportunity to better their lives and realize their inherent abilities, last week actress Angelina Jolie announced her latest adoption... of Melbourne, FL-based planemaker Liberty Aerospace.

"For too long I've watched the highly promising Liberty XL2 aircraft be held hostage by its developers and financial backers," Jolie told Us Weekly. "With [longtime boyfriend] Brad's [Pitt] love and support, I've chosen to adopt this latest addition to our growing family."

Liberty is the first aircraft company ever adopted by Jolie and Pitt. The couple also have three human adopted children -- Maddox, Pax and Zahara -- and a biological child, Shiloh.

"With our emotional and financial assistance, Liberty Aerospace -- we're thinking of renaming it Nattapong Sovandara -- will realize its longstanding and oft-trumpted dream of producing a composite-bodied, two-seat, single-FADEC-controlled-engine training aircraft to market. Finally. And with a realistic life-limit on its fuselage."

Though the aircraft was greeted with enthusiasm when first announced several years ago -- the XL2 was even given a 'Highly Recommended' review by ANN Publisher Jim Campbell following a 2002 flight test -- the company fell into a troubled state of affairs in recent years following a series of missed production and certification deadlines.

Today, the XL2 is VFR and IFR certified... but only a handful of the planes are flying. The promising aircraft has also been involved in some minor accidents, allegedly due to its unconventional landing and braking system.

Jolie states she has already taken delivery of an XL2 -- one of a precious few to have done so -- which she is keeping hangared alongside her Cirrus SR22.

"I hope to show the plane it can aspire to better things," Jolie explained, "but only with our help."

FMI: www.nattapong-sovandara.com