Farewell, Tomcat

Anecdotal, no doubt, but from 1988 through 1990 I tried to get into the Air
Force, the Navy, and a local Air National Guard base as a pilot. In every
case I was told by the recruiters that competition was never more fierce
than this period, thanks to "that movie, 'Top Gun.'"

Your logic is a bit puzzling. If "Top Gun" directed all the eager
young kids toward Naval Aviation, the Air Force and ANG would have
been hurting, and therefore delighted to take you, if you were
qualified.

vince norris

However, teen-age kids might have had a different opinion of it; what
the heck do they know? It might have increased enlistments, if that's
all Jay meant by "did more."

Precisely!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Glad to see I'm not the only pilot who thinks Top Gun is silly.

I can't think of any of my aviator friends, Naval or otherwise, who
doesn't consider it a silly movie.

However, teen-age kids might have had a different opinion of it; what
the heck do they know? It might have increased enlistments, if that's
all Jay meant by "did more."

vince norris

"vincent p. norris" wrote:

If "Top Gun" directed all the eager
young kids toward Naval Aviation, the Air Force and ANG would have
been hurting, and therefore delighted to take you, if you were
qualified.

"All the eager young kids" who wanted to fly fighters after seeing the
movie were apparently smart enough to realize that the Navy was not the
only branch of the armed services offering fighter jet training.

If you are looking for some documented proof that the movie ignited an
armed forces aviation craze, you won't get it from me. All I am relaying
in this thread is what the recruiters told me at that time. I was told
that had I applied right after high school (1982), there was a shortage of
pilots and the armed services were snapping up most who came their way.

However, from about 1987 and onward (the period in which I applied in
earnest), the armed services had a glut of applicants and the hiring
criteria had been raised. These recruiters believed it was the success of
"Top Gun" that brought them so many qualified candidates. Perhaps they
were simply feeding me a line of recruiter BS? Perhaps.

And as far as me being qualified, it was obvious that I wasn't, although I
was never told why. Vision, health, and grades were all good at the time.

--
Peter


















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vincent p. norris wrote:

Glad to see I'm not the only pilot who thinks Top Gun is silly.


I can't think of any of my aviator friends, Naval or otherwise, who
doesn't consider it a silly movie.

All movies are silly to some extent, but did the movie do what it set
out to do. Yep, in spades. A 2 hour advertisement for the Navy.
Absolutely the best photography and sound up to that point, I would love
to see that movie done in Dolby.

In article , Newps
wrote:

All movies are silly to some extent, but did the movie do what it set
out to do. Yep, in spades. A 2 hour advertisement for the Navy.
Absolutely the best photography and sound up to that point, I would love
to see that movie done in Dolby.

The DVD is available in Dolby. Complete with commentary saying
everyone knows it was a silly movie.

--
Bob Noel
no one likes an educated mule

Silly, yes, but the first aviation movie to get you from the opening scene
with great music and ultra-realistic simulated and real shots. I gotta
admit I've seen it about 50 times, and I could watch it again (as long as I
could fast forward through the dumb stuff). Everything before that movie
was in the "Revell model flying past the cotton balls on fishing line"
category, IMO.

Les

"Dan Luke" wrote in message
...

"vincent p. norris" wrote:

There was naval aviation, keep in mind, long, long, long, before that
silly Top Gun movie.

Glad to see I'm not the only pilot who thinks Top Gun is silly.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

You really have to cut this out, Jay. It is starting to make me feel
really old. Now, where did I put my walker?

If you are looking for some documented proof that the movie ignited an
armed forces aviation craze, you won't get it from me.

No, I don't care; I was just responding to a post on the topic.

Timing makes a difference in your chance of getting flight training.
The Air Force shut down Air Cadet recruiting near the end of WW II,
just two weeks before my 17th birthday. I was bitterly disappointed.

A couple years later, the Marine Corps offered a chance to go to
flight training and I grabbed it. Lucky break, actually; I learned to
land on a carrier, which I wouldn't have in the Air Force.

vince norris

All movies are silly to some extent, but did the movie do what it set
out to do. Yep, in spades. A 2 hour advertisement for the Navy.

Are you saying the Navy paid to have that movie made?

IMHO, what "the movie set out to do" was to make a huge pile of money
for the producer, nothing else. It was purely a business enterprise.

I'm willing to learn otherwise.

vince norris.