Jake, if....
.... he actually wants to impress•••
Only the best of the best. Only the best were recruited for these missions. Not the best aviators the Navy has to offer, but the best Top Gun graduates.
Why it went, you didn't know at first. The lucky ten, a group that ended up being whittled down to six. You were given time and place. Everything else, everything that would really matter, you would learn from your instructor, whom you also did not know.
After your evening together yesterday in the bar, where the flight students like to meet and spend their free time, together with other townspeople, you were allowed to see familiar faces. Not everyone knew everyone, but the call names at least ensured that you had heard of one or the other and what they had flown for missions so far.
Now, the man stood in front of you, as the new instructor, who had to spend two rounds yesterday because his phone was on the counter, the second thing you didn't catch, and in the end, because he couldn't pay, was 'kicked out'. It was with Penny no kicking out, because serious crap was made or otherwise meant badly, the woman was incredibly nice and helpful, but there were now times with her rules and these were kept in her bar. And these issues, this honorable issue of bouncers, was taken on by two guys in your group who had particularly big mouths. Something the two would not have done if they had known that the 'old man' was their instructor for the next three weeks.
From the beginning, Hangman had made it clear that the leading position in this mission would go to him, because he was the best. For this reason, he tried to make up for yesterday's sacking in order to be in Maveric's good graces, because it was he who decided who was allowed to fly the mission or not.