(This post is dedicated to former SR-71 pilot Brian Shul, whom passed away on May 20th. He was a strong voice in the aviation community and we will all miss him. I would also like to dedicate this post to Tony Scott, the director of the original Top Gun whom would have loved the sequel. If you are experiencing the same thoughts Scott did before he took his own life, please call the number 988. You are loved.)
After years of anticipation, Top Gun Maverick was released in theaters last summer to box office success and critical acclaim, becoming the highest grossing film of 2022. I myself saw the film 6 times in theaters and enjoyed every viewing. When I watched it however, I wondered how did this film impact aviation as a whole? This won’t be a review of the movie (see my review on letterboxd for that) but a case study on how it impacted the aviation community.
Interest in Military Aviation
One of the main impacts Top Gun Maverick had on society was the public’s interest in military aviation. Just like the original movie, people came out of it wanting to become fighter pilots. Both the Navy and the Air Force had recruiting booths outside of the theater during Maverick’s run. And with the Russo-Ukrainian war ravaging Europe, having this film released at the same time revived the public’s interest in military aviation. Airshows capitalized on this interest as evidenced by record turnouts sometimes aided by props from the movie.
When I worked at the Museum of Flight during Seafair, there was record turnout to see the Blue Angels and a lot of people asked if the planes the Blues used were the same in the movie (they are by the way). This kind of impact Maverick had on military aviation will be felt for years to come. But it isn’t just military aviation that benefitted from this.
Commercial Aviation
It isn’t just Military Aviation that has been impacted by the success of Top Gun Maverick, as the commercial sector has seen a positive impact too. Ever since the film hit theaters, airlines recruited Top Gun Maverick Aerial Coordinator Kevin LaRosa for their marketing campaigns such as this one from United below.
With his Cinejet L-39, airlines would seek out his services to help enhance their marketing campaigns for their commercials. In addition, by getting people interested in aviation, I can argue that the film had a positive impact on commercial aviation by providing a morale boost for people who work in an industry that was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. But while that is all good, there’s a bigger impact Top Gun Maverick had on the aviation community as a whole.
Capturing the Awe and Wonder from Aviation
The biggest impact Top Gun Maverick had on people however was capturing the wonder that comes with aviation. This is exemplified in its re-introduction to Maverick living in his own hangar with his P-51 Mustang about to fly the SR-72 towards Mach 10. It reminded me of how test pilots such as Chuck Yeager wanted to push the boundaries of what man can do with flight. Everything about that sequence perfectly encapsulates how aviation brings out the best in humanity, how nothing is impossible and it brings out the child in all of us. This is also further exemplified when Maverick demonstrated to his squadron that the mission can be done. It shows that if you put your mind to something, you will succeed at whatever you do. Following your dreams in aviation is not easy and requires a lot of effort and determination and Top Gun Maverick is the epitome of that.
Conclusion
Since its release into cinemas last summer, Top Gun Maverick had a profound impact on our pop culture as well as having a significant impact on aviation. And this impact will be felt for years to come. So, what do you guys think? How did Top Gun Maverick change the way we would look at aviation? Be sure to let me know in the comments below and keep looking to the sky!
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