John Travolta celebrates birthday by earning another private jet licence

John Travolta has celebrated his birthday by earning a licence to fly a type of private jet.

Returning to Instagram on Wednesday, the Grease actor thanked fans for wishing him a happy 72nd birthday and shared that he had just been granted permission to pilot the Bombardier Global Express - a long-range business jet.

"It's my birthday today!" he exclaimed. "And I'm very proud to say I got my license in the Global Express! Thank you for all my birthday wishes!"

In the accompanying video, John offered his 5.6 million followers a brief tour of the aircraft and shared footage of it taking off from the runway.

"I've just accomplished my licence in the Global Express SIC (second in command)," the Pulp Fiction star told the camera from the cockpit, adding, "Congratulations to me!"

In response to the post, John's 25-year-old daughter, Ella Bleu Travolta, commented, "Happy Birthday!!! I love you!!!"

John first started studying how to fly a plane when he was 15 years old and received his pilot's licence in 1978.

He owns four aircraft and is rated to fly Boeing 707 and 747 planes.

In an interview for Business Jet Traveler published last September, John reflected on what inspired him to become a pilot.

"What excites pilots is so varied that I don't even know what the commonalities are, except that it makes them happy because they love the joy of flight," he mused. "Some people love the challenge of calculations. Some like the sensation of flight. Some like the objectivity of seeing the world from a different perspective. It lifts their spirits."