I can remember when I was a kid watching the Top Gun movie, seeing Maverick and Goose struggle to keep up with Jester- who was flying the agile A-4 Skyhawk- in their big, hunky & junky F-14 Tomcat. I thought to myself then, “Wow! TOP GUN must be a tough school. If these students can learn to take out superior instructors in smaller and faster planes flying something as bulky and unmaneuverable as an F-14, then they must really be the best of the best.”

Years later, whe

n I went through the course myself for real at NAS Fallon, I discovered that in the real TOP GUN, it was the exact opposite. We students were flying the F/A-18 Hornet, which was at the time the most versatile thing in the air and the instructors were flying older A-4’s, F-5’s and F-16A’s. I began to wonder what was up.

Then…I learned the hard and painful way that it was brains and tactics- not superior equipment- that was the key to victory.

I’m happy to see that the same thing is still being done today. Not only for the Navy & Marines at TOP GUN, but for the U.S. Air Force too! Even as we speak, young F-22 pilots are getting what they call “Red Air Time’ in mock engagements against T-38 trainers. Needless to say, these instructor pilots flying the T-38’s have to get creative when dealing with F-22 Raptors. And yet, they still manage to simulate a credible threat!

That’s GOOD! It keeps our young pilots from getting complacent about having the latest and greatest platform and weapons. And complacency is, was, and has always been the Number 1 killer of pilots!

If you feel that you are behind the curve yourself when thinking about becoming a fighter pilot, think of these T-38 pilots and what they do; find the right information to win, get creative with it, and endure.

Taking initiative is the key for them and it will be for you too! Sign on with the Afterburner Club today and let’s get creative on how you can zig-zag your way to victory!