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Captain after more than 30 years of service
In May 2022 Top Gun fans were thrilled when the long-awaited sequel arrived and featured Tom Cruise, 60 at the time, reprising his role as daredevil pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, 34 years after the original installment.
The motion picture featured Maverick taking to the skies in F/A-18 Super Hornet and F-14 Tomcat fighter jets, chasing his need for speed on his motorbike and in his own P-51 Mustang WWII fighter.
However, ever since the first full trailer for “Top Gun: Maverick” was released in July 2019, one burning question consumed us: how the hell is Pete “Maverick” Mitchell still flying combat missions as a captain after more than 30 years of service in the US Navy?
In the movie in fact Maverick is scolded by Ed Harris, who says: ‘You should be at least a two-star admiral by now, yet here you are… Why is that?’ Maverick’s response: ‘It’s one of life’s mysteries.’
Real Life
How much would a fighter pilot like Maverick (30+ years of flying, O-6, test pilot, flight pay, possibly hazardous duty pays, etc.) make a year? Could he really afford his own hangar, his own plane, all those motorcycles, etc.?
Andy Burns, former US Navy Naval Flight Officer, explains on Quora;
‘In real life, an O-6 with his seniority doesn’t exist. By statute you either have to promote to O-7 or retire at 30 years service, which for ol’ Pete would have been no later than 2012. But an O-6 with 30, living in China Lake, CA, no dependents, would gross $211,113 per year. ($179,100 Basic Pay, $25,164 Housing Allowance, $3849 Subsistence Allowance).
‘Flight pay only adds about $3000 a year, as it actually peaks mid-career and then decreases with seniority. Being a test pilot adds nothing, and pilots don’t get HDP (you get either flight pay or HDP, not both).
‘So, not “Tom Cruise wealthy,” but pretty good for a single dude living out in the middle of nowhere, where your money goes a longer way. Bet the mortgage on that old hangar isn’t too bad.
All the toys Maverick has except for a fully airworthy P-51
‘Could a guy like that afford all the toys Maverick has? Maybe. He doesn’t exactly give off an air of modesty and responsibility but maybe he’s more careful with his money than he appears. Put that tax-free combat zone money somewhere it’ll make money for you, and by the time of TG:M, he would be pretty set for a comfortable retirement.’
Burns concludes;
‘Only thing I’m skeptical he could afford is that mint condition, fully airworthy P-51. Keeping an 80-year-old warbird in flying condition isn’t like wrenching on an old Corvette in the garage as the movie makes it appear. It takes a lot of money, teams of volunteers, and a full machine shop to keep them flying. You do need Tom Cruise money for that – which makes sense, since the P-51 in the film is Cruise’s personal airplane.’
Photo credit: Paramount
