British Exchange pilot becomes first to attend Top Gun

A Royal Navy exchange pilot, only 26 years old, has become the first British pilot to ever attend the US Navy Top Gun training program. He's on an exchange program that allows British pilots to get a feel for operating on an aircraft carrier (flying F-18s).

He's flown combat missions over Afghanistan, which is where he got noticed by his superiors. He's been flying with the Navy for about five years now on the exchange.

The US has exchange programs going on with many countries, involving many different aircraft. At one point in time, there was an RAF mission commander flying with the 509th Bomb Wing on the B-2. As Lt. Collins points out, the US gets a pilot, and the UK gets the experience.

He was selected after an internship which included a tour on the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) aircraft carrier.

His talent was spotted by the Americans while Collins was flying combat sorties, specifically ground attack missions in F-18 Super Hornet, over Afghanistan with VFA-14.

He must have proven his guts, because soon after the U.S. Navy offered him the opportunity to be involved in the Top Gun, which is officialy known as United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor Course.

It is even more astounding, taking into account Collins’ age: he’s only 26.

theaviationist.com...

Pretty cool and thank you for the thread.

I always enjoy your topics as they are a break from the craziness around here and I actually get to learn something.

Keep up the great work!

Cracking news mate.

Top Stuff

Is this the first step towards a one-world air force?

Is this the koinda bloke wot gitsta floi the TR-3B's!?!?

Pretty cool, tho; all jokes aside

Originally posted by EzekielsWheel
Is this the first step towards a one-world air force?

Is this the koinda bloke wot gitsta floi the TR-3B's!?!?

Pretty cool, tho; all jokes aside

actually "Topgun" is a school for instructors so they can then pass on the knowledge of what they learned there... so, they're learning to be "teachers"

In reality I think its called the strike fighter tactics instructor program or something really close to that.

reply to post by FraternitasSaturni


Wow, not bad. You get a gold star.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by FraternitasSaturni

 

Wow, not bad. You get a gold star.

"even a broken clock is right twice a day"

But I dont think I got the name right... I think it has more "words" but I know its something along those lines

reply to post by FraternitasSaturni


United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program is the full name of it.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
reply to post by FraternitasSaturni

 

United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program is the full name of it.

US Navy... ok, I'm sorry for that. Its a big miss, I admit.

Thanks

reply to post by FraternitasSaturni


Yeah, 10 lashes with a wet spaghetti noodle for missing the US Navy part of it.

Seriously, most people don't even know it's called something besides Top Gun (mostly thanks to the movie). Prior to the movie, most people didn't even know Top Gun existed, and if you ask the ordinary person, who is even aware of it, they think that it's like the movie and is a competition.

(Seriously though, get the version that has just the Tony Scott commentary and listen to it. Funny. As. Hell. Especially when he talks about buzzing the tower, and explaining camera perspective to the pilots.)

Watched the vid of his interview. Classic Brit. Cool thread, Thanks.

So who will the guy be training his RAF pilots one day to shoot at? The Taliban Air Force? Pakistani wedding parties? Aliens from Mars? The Argentinian Air Force?

What a waste of British taxpayers' money!

reply to post by micpsi


Except the British aren't paying for it. He's currently flying for the US Navy, so the US is paying for it.

You know what reading this makes me really disappointed in myself. I'm nearly 28 and ever since I was a wee nipper I wanted to be an RAF pilot. The closest I got was going to the careers officer to see if I had what it takes to become a pilot.. I did just have enough qualifications to go ahead with it. Then I got older discovered things that distracted me from carrying out my dream. I love everything military so I've missed out on the chance of flying but this year I'm working on being one if the sets of boots on the ground

Well done to the pilot though lucky guy

PS zaph once I've sorted out how to do it I'm going to be sending you a PM with a question or two just a little something you might be able to help me with or at least point me in the right direction .. If your cool with that

Not surprising really, after all the royal navy no longer has any fighter jets, so the RAF needs to train against someone who can spank its ass to teach its pilots how to fight.

Royal Navy Designed and taught the original pilots for Top gun program in the 60s.

www.telegraph.co.uk...

reply to post by ThePeaceMaker


Always happy to answer any questions that I can.

Just reply to the message I sent you.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Zaph, the F-22 cancellation at the Abbotsford Int'l Airshow is only part of it. I don't see any static displays from the U.S. whatsoever.

Usually, a B-52, an A-10 C-5 F-15s, 16s 18s ...none coming by the looks of it.

All they're gonna have is the CF-18 Display and the Snowbirds a few WW11 planes. Nice but not enough for the trip and cost. It's a no refund show so we're stuck for this year but next year I won't make the same mistake booking in advance that far.

If this is an eg of what's going on nation-wide, the day of the private/non-military base airshow may be done real soon.

A sad day....

reply to post by nwtrucker


Yeah, it's getting pretty bad. Seventeen combat squadrons stood down currently. Everything from A-10s, to B-52s, to RC-135s. Some are standing back up in July, but others there's no idea when.

Odd that he should be reported as the first Brit there when in fact British instructors helped set it up and flew there for many years - eg see here

reply to post by Aloysius the Gaul


Because they were instructors. He's the first British student to go through the program.