Photo: YouTube / WotNot
Forever Rocket Man Elton John is probably accustomed to all manners of mid-air incidents, some light and some not so light, given his long career and the many miles he’s spent crisscrossing around the globe in his private jet. But even for him, this was probably a lot.
Sir Elton John’s private jet experienced a mid-air hydraulic malfunction as it had just taken off for New York, made a U-turn, and then had what eyewitnesses describe as a most nerve-racking landing at the same airport, on its third attempt. Everything ended well after a two-hour ordeal, and the singer was on another plane one hour later and finally arrived in New York safely.
This happened on February 21, with the jet, a Bombardier BD-700 Global Express operated by Gama Aviation, taking off from Farnborough Airport in Hampshire at 10.19 in the morning. Some 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) in the air, as it was approaching the southern coast of Ireland, the pilot reported a hydraulic malfunction and requested permission for a U-turn, to land back at the same airport, The Sun reports.
As this was happening, Storm Franklin was also reaching the climax in the area, with winds as strong as 80 mph (129 kph). The jet had to abort landing two separate times because of the weather and was only able to land safely on the third. At least seven fire units from the area, and the airport’s emergency team, were already on site when the plane finally touched the ground.
The report doesn’t mention the exact nature of the malfunction, but what matters is that this incident had a happy ending. Sir Elton John, 74, was reportedly very “shook” about it, but he still mustered enough courage to board another plane shortly afterward, arriving in NYC in time for a concert at Madison Square Garden.
Estimated to have set him back some $90 million, the Global Express is a twin-engined jet that can reach top speeds of 590 mph (950 kph) and has a 7,200 mile (11,587 km) range. It’s predictably luxurious, with seating for up to 19 passengers and a crew of three and amenities like leather beds, a shower, and a state-of-the-art sound system.
As it so happens, it’s not the only private jet Elton John owns or uses regularly. In August 2019, he was using a 12-seat Cessna, which he also burrowed to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for a family trip at his home in France, causing serious controversy about the royals’ carbon footprint.
This happened on February 21, with the jet, a Bombardier BD-700 Global Express operated by Gama Aviation, taking off from Farnborough Airport in Hampshire at 10.19 in the morning. Some 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) in the air, as it was approaching the southern coast of Ireland, the pilot reported a hydraulic malfunction and requested permission for a U-turn, to land back at the same airport, The Sun reports.
As this was happening, Storm Franklin was also reaching the climax in the area, with winds as strong as 80 mph (129 kph). The jet had to abort landing two separate times because of the weather and was only able to land safely on the third. At least seven fire units from the area, and the airport’s emergency team, were already on site when the plane finally touched the ground.
The report doesn’t mention the exact nature of the malfunction, but what matters is that this incident had a happy ending. Sir Elton John, 74, was reportedly very “shook” about it, but he still mustered enough courage to board another plane shortly afterward, arriving in NYC in time for a concert at Madison Square Garden.
Estimated to have set him back some $90 million, the Global Express is a twin-engined jet that can reach top speeds of 590 mph (950 kph) and has a 7,200 mile (11,587 km) range. It’s predictably luxurious, with seating for up to 19 passengers and a crew of three and amenities like leather beds, a shower, and a state-of-the-art sound system.
As it so happens, it’s not the only private jet Elton John owns or uses regularly. In August 2019, he was using a 12-seat Cessna, which he also burrowed to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for a family trip at his home in France, causing serious controversy about the royals’ carbon footprint.
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