Top Gun's Maverick Wouldn't Last, Expert Reveals: "He Basically Steals The Airplane"
By Published May 13, 2026, 9:54 AM EDT Ben is a Senior Writer on the New TV team at Screen Rant. He graduated from the University of Central Lancashire with a First Class B.A. Degree in English Literature and History.
Born and raised in Ireland, Ben has always had a love for storytelling in all forms of media and operates multiple projects under the name Benjamin Blogs. Ben is a comic book writer and podcast host, in addition to his work as an entertainment journalist. He has worked as both a writer and editor for Screen Rant, Collider, and other media outlets across various departments, including features, news, reviews, and interviews. Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
While Maverick remains the most captivating and talented pilot to ever grace the big screen, his personality would have almost certainly gotten him fired, a fact which has been backed up by real-life TOPGUN pilot and instructor Dave Berke.
ScreenRant recently had the chance to interview Dave Berke, a retired TOPGUN pilot with a career that spanned 23 years, for our exclusive video series, "The Expert Take." Berke is the only Marine to qualify on both the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. And in addition to his decorated career as a TOPGUN pilot, Berke also served as a flight instructor.
On top of all that, Berke has been a huge fan of the original Top Gun movie since its release in 1986, and found himself inspired to pursue a career as a TOPGUN pilot in part because of his love for the movie.
While Berke's adoration for the franchise is plain to see, and his career has given him a wealth of unique insights about just how close the movie and the eventual sequel, , there was one detail that he shared that struck me. For all his determination, skill, and drive, Tom Cruise's Maverick likely wouldn't have lasted long as a Navy pilot.
Maverick Has Never Been The Type To Play By The Rules
Everyone knows that Maverick doesn't play by the rules. That's a huge part of the character's charm, and a significant part of the reason why the films are so gripping. He is unpredictable at times, and despite orders and oversight, he bends and breaks the rules to suit his own ends. Sometimes this pays off, and other times, it leads to tragedy.
For example, when Maverick acts out in , it leads to the tragic death of his friend and co-pilot, Goose. Of course, this leads Maverick to re-examine his choices, his actions, and his behavior, but it also doesn't cause him to be fully compliant. He still takes major risks, and more importantly, he shrugs off orders when he feels he knows better.
As a pilot, it is true that split decisions will need to be made, and the person at the controls will have the most up-to-date and accurate information compared to superior officers and mission command. However, there are also many times when those issuing orders and instructions need to be heeded, because they have a broader perspective and see the full picture.
Maverick's Disobedience Costs A Lot More Than Time & Money
In Top Gun: Maverick, the film opens with an iconic scene where Maverick is now operating as a test pilot for experimental aircraft. In one scene, he is shown to be flying an aircraft that is likely to cost tens of millions to build, never mind the costs to research and develop it, and he is tasked with trying to reach Mach 10.
In typical Maverick fashion, he manages to accomplish that goal with relative ease, even though the aircraft begins to struggle, and everyone celebrates his success despite his failure to listen to warnings and instructions from his superior officers. Dave Berke offered the following insights about this scene:
In case we forgot, in the 30-plus years who Maverick is, this guy is not following the rules. I mean, he basically steals the airplane. He gets airborne when he's not supposed to. The admirals there are telling him to shut it down, and he's pretending he can't talk to them. And then even inside of that, when he gets the mission accomplished of getting that Mach 10 number, it's still not good enough for Maverick. This dude pushes the envelope.
Ultimately, his failure to listen to instructions leads to the plane being destroyed and his ejection from the hypersonic aircraft (which would have also likely killed him). Following this catastrophic moment, he walks into a bar after landing and continues to operate as a revered and celebrated pilot with seemingly no repercussions.
The reality is, Maverick is more than a cheeky pilot who is inclined to disregard instructions on rare occasions and break new ground; he is dangerous. His actions cost lives, and his consistent disobedience creates situations that cause irreparable damage. From the lives lost, to the many millions of dollars wasted, and the risk to his own life, Maverick is not a pilot that the Navy can put their trust in.
The Top Gun Movies Are Focused On Entertainment & Story
At this point, it's important to remember that this is Hollywood, and Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick exist inside a world of fantasy and fiction that leans more on the aspirational than the rational. This fact isn't lost on Berke, who also pointed out how there are clearly moments in the franchise that push the limits of reality and add spectacle to the mix.
While addressing the dogfight that is seen in Top Gun: Maverick, between the fourth-generation fighter plane that Maverick is flying and three fifth-generation fighters, Berke pointed out that despite Maverick's extraordinary skill, he likely couldn't have come out the other side of that fight without a scratch:
Now, of course, in this movie, they took a couple of liberties. Maverick gets his three kills, which is kind of crazy, at least with the help of some friends involved. But in the real world, those fourth-generation airplanes are going to really struggle against fifth-generation fighters.
Evidently, the Top Gun franchise is designed to be a spectacle. It's entertaining, and it excites and inspires those watching. To some extent, it also glorifies and sanitizes the reality of war, and minimizes the reality of shooting down other people just because they are flying under a different flag.
All of that being said, around the globe. Tom Cruise's standout performance and the awe-inspiring prospect of seeing these incredibly brave men and women put their lives on the line make for a stellar movie that continues to draw in crowds, as proven by the enormous $1.5 billion box office figure produced by the long-awaited sequel.
Maverick's Top Gun Legacy Goes On
Top Gun is currently celebrating its 40th Anniversary, and with that, it's the perfect time to look back at everything that made the original movie so fascinating and sparked enough interest to get a sequel made over three decades later. And it's also worth looking ahead to what comes next for the franchise.
currently in the early stages of development. While there is no official release date, it appears that the script is being refined, and actors, directors, and other crew are being announced as attached to the project.
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The previous releases, Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick, managed to inspire and captivate millions, with a huge gap in between releases that appears to have done nothing to diminish the momentum or excitement surrounding the franchise. And while the third film should not have anywhere close to a 30-year delay considering where the project is already up to in its development, it's intriguing to consider how the next movie will resonate with audiences and a new generation.
While Dave Berke is one person who found inspiration and a path forward to achieving the dreams that Top Gun instilled in him when he was just a teenager, Top Gun continues to serve as an inspiration and an incredible motivator for others to nurture the same "need for speed" that drove Maverick to become such a captivating figure.
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Kelly McGillis
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Having retired from his career in the Marines, Dave Berke is now the Chief Development Officer at , where he delivers trainings and instructions for developing leaders. Berke has also released a book titled The Need To Lead, which brings together some of the lessons he learned during his career as a TOPGUN instructor.
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