Taking a Transcontinental Flight in the Hypersonic Darkstar, Virtually

Ride along on a Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 journey in the semifictional scramjet based on the Lockheed SR-72 and flown by Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’

Patrick Chovanec

Friday, September 29, 2023 at 04:48 PM ET

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The scramjet in the movie "Top Gun: Maverick" was roughly based on the Lockheed SR-72, which is supposedly in development. [Image courtesy of Patrick Chovanec]

Key Takeaways:

The article describes a virtual cross-country flight in *Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020* using the Darkstar scramjet from *Top Gun: Maverick*, traveling from Miramar to Joint Base Andrews.
It highlights the extreme capabilities of hypersonic flight, reaching speeds of Mach 9.1 at over 127,000 feet, and explains the mechanics of scramjet propulsion.
The author recounts the unique piloting challenges, including specific maneuvers to achieve supersonic speed and managing a high-altitude descent and landing, completing the 2,000-mile journey in approximately 50 minutes.

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For this session in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (MSFS2020), I’m going to be flying the semifictional Darkstar scramjet flown by Tom Cruise at the beginning of the 2022 film Top Gun: Maverick.

The flight I’ll be taking will be from Miramar (KNKX), the former location of the Top Gun academy outside San Diego, to Joint Base Andrews (KADW) outside of Washington, D.C. If I do everything right, the 2,000-mile trip should take just 25 minutes.