Pilots Can Glean Many Lessons From 'Top Gun'

Applying fighter mindset to your everyday flying will make you a safer pilot.

Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 08:00 AM ET

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Every pilot—student or professional—eventually encounters plateaus, frustration, and self-doubt. According to Top Gun instructors, these are not signs of failure but rather expected phases of training. [Credit: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

Top Gun instructors emphasize that plateaus, frustration, and fear are normal aspects of pilot training and performance, which are best managed through consistent, incremental improvement and thorough preparation.
Preventing errors from escalating is critical, requiring pilots to master their emotions, stay mentally ahead of the aircraft, and know when to stop and regroup to avoid compounding mistakes.
Effective debriefing is paramount for learning and safety, focusing on identifying a few key issues (ideally self-identified) in an ego-free environment to ensure continuous improvement.
Ultimately, the Top Gun approach to safety is built on discipline, self-awareness, preparation, and a culture of accountability and continuous learning, rather than an expectation of perfection.

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I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of the U.S. Navy or a graduate of the U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, better known as “Top Gun.” But like many civilian pilots, I’m interested in how the best aviators in the world think—particularly when it comes to safety issues of managing risk, handling mistakes, and performing under pressure.

This curiosity led me to the The Fighter Pilot Podcast, hosted by Vincent Aiello, call sign “Jell-O,” a former Top Gun instructor, F/A-18 pilot, and now airline captain. What began as listening turned into email exchanges and, eventually, an hour-long conversation. That discussion opened the door to further talks with Dave “Bio” Baranek, Craig “Crunch” Snyder, and Greg “Hoser” Hansen—all former Top Gun instructors with thousands of hours in high-performance aircraft.