Morgan Freeman gifts himself private plane

London: Christmas has come early for Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman, who has treated himself with a private plane.The veteran star joins a select high-flying club of Hollywood A-listers like Harrison Ford, Tom Cruise, John Travolta, Angelina Jolie, Hilary Swank and supermodel Gisele Bundchen, who are all keen pilots.

The 72-year-old actor, who had done a stint in the US Air Force as a young adult, started taking flying lessons in 2002 and quickly went on to earn his pilot`s licence. Freeman is planning to take the aircraft on a journey around the world, Contactmusic reported. "I`m flying from here (US) to South Africa. Then, since we`ve got some business down there, we`re going to Botswana... then we`re going to go to Kenya, northern Kenya, because we`ve been invited to visit a local tribe. "The reason we`re doing all this is because I`ve got my own plane. Brand new. Me and my co-pilot (will be flying it)," Freeman said. And Freeman brags his plane is fully fitted with such up-to-date equipment his jet would likely put other celebrity pilots and their planes to shame. "I started flying in `02. I`ve got everything that the law requires (fitted to my plane), and then some." PTI