People are fined for various things at the US Navy's premiere fighter pilot training school.
"Top Gun" quotes cost $5, according to Guy "Bus" Snodgrass, a retired Navy commander and former TOPGUN instructor.
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If you feel the need for speed at the US Navy's elite fighter pilot school, don't say it out loud or you'll end up paying the price.
There are fines at the Navy's tactical air combat training center. Any quote from the 1986 film "Top Gun" starring Tom Cruise as the hotshot naval aviator Lt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell will cost you $5, according to a new book.
Snodgrass' book gives lessons on successful leadership from his career as a naval aviator and also gives insight into the TOPGUN experience, everything from dogfighting to daily life at this prestigious training center.
The rule against "Top Gun" quotes is reasonable, but there is more to it than that. It's about making sure that the institution is serious and important.
At a young age, Snodgrass fell in love with aviation. He had posters of planes on the walls of his room and was interested in flying as a child.
He watched with fascination as the US Air Force Thunderbirds and US Navy Blue Angels amazed crowds with their precise maneuvers and out-of-this-world skill levels. I was drawn to the energy, excitement, and jet noise.
"Top Gun" was an example. Snodgrass told Insider that his love for naval aviation began there. The flying scenes made me happy. It was great. I felt like it would be a dream if I could do that.
He said, "The 'Top Gun' movie had such an impact on most of our lives.'
As a junior officer, it was common for pilots to make jokes and throw out lines from movies. He said that it is ingrained in the culture.
Snodgrass explained to Insider that when you get to Top Gun, you want to emphasize that you are at the top of your game, that it's about professionalism, and that you don't turn it.
The Fighter Weapons School was established by the Navy during the Vietnam War to teach aircrew how to not just survive in dogfighting but to win.
Some of the world's top combat aviators can still be found at the school, which is still located at the naval air station in Nevada. The Navy pilots selected to attend the institution are serious.
If someone references the movie in a way that is close to a direct quote, they will be fined $5. It's done. You're expected to pay at that time. Snodgrass said you pull out your wallet and pay.
Old habits don't last very long. He told Insider that it was ingrained in our aviation culture that we were fined. Snodgrass said he loved the movie and was looking forward to the sequel, but he wouldn't reveal his favorite quote.
Snodgrass does reference the "Top Gun" movie in his book, but he never quotes it.
A wingman is killed by acting impulsively and looking out for himself, which leads to a fall into the trap of the enemy aircraft.
There is a reason why the actual TOPGUN instructors consulting on the movie insisted on this scene being included.
He said in his book that when you fly the skies alone and unafraid, bad things can happen. Snodgrass learned a lot from his time at TOPGUN, and this is one of the things he learned.
Snodgrass was in the military for 20 years. A retired naval aviator who flew combat missions overseas is a TOPGUN graduate. He worked for the secretary of defense and wrote the National Defense Strategy.
The post was first published in 2020.
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