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.