~Maverick~ Top Gun cast

009

Today was the day. The day that they flew the course. It was not the day that they filmed but they still had the cameras to get used to flying with them. Their planes had their call signs printed on the sides and the course was programmed into their Navigations systems. 

Currently the cast was getting their personalized (to their character) helmets and getting briefed by the admiral. While Tom got his old helmet he still had to be briefed even though he had his license. Its not the first time that they are going to be in the air in their F-18s but tis the first time they are flying anything that will be added to the movie, so its a big deal. 

They wont be in the air alone, Maverick, Mickey and another aviator Solitaire who was in their squadron would join them in their test run, just in case. While in the air Tom would be refereed to as Cruise so to not get confused with Katerina, and even though when Ton was int eh air he was used to being called Maverick, the tower and other pilots were more accustomed to her than him, so she got first call. 

The first off of the ground are Maverick, then the singles (Cruise, Rooster and Hangman) and then the Foxtrots (Phoenix/Bob and Fanboy/Payback) then finally Mickey and Solitaire. 

Once everyone is in the air at the programmed altitude Maverick instructed them to put on their nav systems. The first course they are running through is the 'dogfight training exercise' So its a lot of short one move sequences that require a lot of precision. As they go through them the three trained aviators are having trouble hiding their laughter as they watch some of the failed attempts of moves. They may have passed the training but they did not have the practise they needed to be able to do it right on the first try.

Most of the bigger stunts would be done by doubles like the cobra one but the rest they could do for the most part. Every time they forgot do to something Katerina or the other two would remind them. The funniest one was when Glen forgot how to use the targeting system. That resulted in some jokes and another moment that he would never live down.

Tom did really well considering that he was a trained pilot, but even he got some pointers form Katerina who seemed to notice everything.

By the time they have run through each sequence a few times they were almost out of air time so they decided to run through the Bombing pattern once. They each programmed their nav system for the run and got into formation. Maverick and Mickey one each side and Solitaire behind. 

They were not going as fast as the real mission required, about double the speed so the G's weren't as bad, but they were not just up her to practice flying, they were all acting as though the G's were much stronger and the three pilots were having a blast watching them.

They did the 7 and a half G pop up and them headed back to base. As each of the actors jumped out of their jets Katerina could see each of them (Including Tom) carrying a puke bag in their hand.

Monica has posted a photo!