When we say Top Gun, you probably think Tom Cruise. But in this episode of Deviation Approved, we’re talking with a real Top Gun, Gary Black, who has spent decades flying planes as both a civilian and naval pilot. Gary talks with host Mehrdad Zarifkar about his life as a Top Gun, buying planes with his wife of forty years, what he learned attending the funerals of his friends and colleagues who died in aviation accidents, and much more.
Top Gun, also known as the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, is a well-known and prestigious training program for Naval Aviators. But Gary Black didn’t always want to be a pilot. He was heading for vet school… until he got in the cockpit of a fighter jet. Gary’s love of aviation led him through many unique facets of the industry, including time spent as a civilian test pilot at Cirrus Aircraft, where he validated the parachute system in the Cirrus SR20.
Aviation fans from all walks of life will find something to love in this interview with a long-time Top Gun pilot and all-around good guy Gary Black.
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