Tom Cruise's character ("Maverick"?) was a complete jerk. No decent squadron commander would have sent him to Top Gun. Pilots are sent to LEARN and then return to their squadrons and TEACH.
I had several friends killed because they were taught by a "Rules-are-not-for-ME" jerk like that. Once the Safety Officer and then the C.O. found out about his attitude, he was shipped out of the transition squadron.
Unfortunately, one of his acolytes had already picked up his attitude. He was not the pilot we sent to China Lake. He later led a flight of two aircraft "scud running" into a 1500 ft high cliff face.
We did send another pilot who was a very competent "Stick", but he was also level-headed, analytical, modest and a great teacher.
Maverick ranks right up there with those other Hollywood military greats, Hawkeye & Klinger and Captain Kirk. "Kick the tires, light the fires, first one in the air is Lead and we'll brief on Guard" may be great for a joke, but it is no way to approach flying. As the saying goes, "There are Old pilots and there are Bold pilots, but there are no Old, Bold pilots."
