Did Tom Cruise fly jets in Top Gun?
Emily Schmidt
Updated on May 21, 2026
While they might not have actually hit the throttle and handled the joysticks, Cruise did insist that they actually go up into the air, albeit as passengers, not pilots. Ergo, he put the ensemble of Top Gun candidates through an intensive training course in the run-up to production.
Do they actually fly in Top Gun?
— The new 'Top Gun: Maverick' movie is still going strong, following its world premiere right here in San Diego. If you've seen it, you know it's full of high flying action. But here's something you may not know-the actors aren't actually flying. They're sitting behind military pilots who are.Does Tom Cruise fly jet in Top Gun 2?
In the original Top Gun, Tom Cruise and the other actors were actually in the air on real fighter jets, but it was required for someone else to be piloting the plane. But that was over three decades ago and the cast actually learned to fly fighter jets for Top Gun: Maverick.Who flew the plane in Top Gun?
“What we were noticing right away was the only actor that looked comfortable in an airplane was Tom Cruise,” Frasher said. "So I had this idea, hey, why don't we take them up? We don't have to film anything, take them up in the back seat of an F-18 and get them more comfortable.Did Tom Cruise fly an F 14?
“I got to actually fly in an F-14 jet which was a dream come true, and play a character I loved in Maverick,” the three-time Oscar nominee said. In the latest installmemt of the blockbuster film series, Tom Cruise performed more plane stunts than ever in his life.Tom Cruise on Top Gun: Maverick's Flying Scenes | MTV Movies
Is Tom Cruise a real pilot?
Tom Cruise. Tom Cruise has had his Pilot License since 1994, honestly, anything else would have been a disappointment, of course, Maverick himself knows how to fly!How much did Tom Cruise make for Top Gun: Maverick?
Cruise received $12.5 million in up-front pay for Maverick and gets over 10% of the first dollar gross, which is based on the money Maverick distributor Paramount takes in after theaters get their cut, typically around 50%.Why are they always sweating in Top Gun?
Good looking guys sweating all the time and walking around with their shirts off—yeah, that was definitely Tony Scott and Co.'s bid for female viewership and their attempt to give the film a gritty and edgy sexiness.What fighter jets are used in Top Gun 2?
It has a top speed of 1,915 km/hour.
- Sukhoi Su-57 Felon. Sukhoi Su-57 Felon. The Sukhoi Su-57 is a fifth-generation Russian fighter jet that gets featured in the latest addition to the Top Gun franchise. ...
- F-14 Tomcat. F-14 Tomcat. ...
- Lockheed Martin F-35C. Lockheed Martin F-35C. ...
- 'Darkstar' Dark Star.