Alleges Airport Owners Misrepresented Runway Condition

An old-fashioned land dispute is causing grief for pilot and actor John Travolta, who wishes two sparring Florida land owners would just let him fly his plane.

Travolta's Hawker Investment Trust filed a suit this week against Jeremy and Terri Thayer, the owners of Jumbolair Aviation Estates -- an exclusive Ocala, FL air park development. The suit also names James and Christine Garemore, who own the Greystone Airport (FL17) where Jumbolair is located.

According to the Ocala Star-Banner, the issue stems from a 2005 lawsuit by Jumbolair and the Thayers, against the Garemores, over access to Greystone's two runways from Jumbolair. Circuit Judge Jack Singbush ruled last year the Garemores control that access, and Jumbolair does not have the required easement to access the runways.

Travolta had reportedly worked out a separate verbal agreement with the Garemores, however, granting him access to the runway from his residence at Jumbolair.

The Thayers appealed Judge Singbush's decision, and oral arguments on the matter are scheduled Tuesday. While he's "99.9 percent positive" he'll prevail against the appeal by Jumbolair, Garemore says the Travolta suit may complicate matters for him.

Garemore says he will not sell his license to operate Greystone. If he loses the second suit, Garemore says, he might have to shut down completely -- leaving the air park development with no airport to use.

"Unless a miracle strikes, I'm probably going to lose it [the airport property]," he said. "I can't fight an army of lawyers."

Travolta maintains he is caught in the middle in the dispute, and alleges the Garemores falsely changed the reported condition of FL17's main runway to the FAA, to "poor" -- to legally prevent him from landing his 707 there. Travolta says the airport owners took that action, to garner his support to put pressure on the Thayers to settle the original suit.

Todd Hopson, attorney for the Garemores, denies Travolta's accusations -- saying the runway, originally built in the 1980s to handle 707s operated by former property owner Arthur Jones, has simply deteriorated from over two decades of service.

"The runway doesn't meet the requirements. Twenty years has changed it," Hopson said, adding Travolta (below) also operates from the airport more often than Jones used to.

Which brings up yet another legal thorn. Travolta also claims the Thayers and Jumbolair misrepresented the condition of the airport, as well as which party controlled landing rights, when the actor purchased his home on Jumbolair six years ago.

Travolta's attorney has requested an official inspection of Greystone's main 7,550-foot runway, suggesting it take place within the first two weeks of August. The Garemores are amicable to that, Hopson said... as long as they can be there for it, too.

FMI: www.jumbolair.com/jumbolair.htm