What does Rio mean in Top Gun?

An F-14 radar intercept officer (RIO), Baranek whose callsign was Bio, eventually became commander of his own F-14 squadron.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on smithsonianmag.com


What is an RIO in Top Gun?

Dave 'Bio' Baranek flew the flying aerial sequences in the original 1985 Top Gun film and served as dialogue advisor. His role as radar intercept officer (RIO) – the air flight officer involved in air operations and weapons systems – in the F-14 Tomcat was the same as that of Goose in in the film.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on defence.nridigital.com


What does RIO pilot mean?

RIO – Radar intercept officer, a category of Naval Flight Officer who was the second crewman in the F-14 Tomcat. For crew coordination purposes, RIOs were primarily responsible for communication and navigation, as well as operating the F-14 radar.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on topgunbio.com


Can the RIO fly the plane?

The stick in the rear seat cannot fly the aircraft. It is like a mouse for the weapons system. It controls the cursor on the displays and can move the position of the radar and TCS (Television Camera System) and things like that.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on theaviationgeekclub.com


What does MiG mean in Top Gun?

Table of Contents. MiG, any member of a family of Soviet military fighter aircraft produced by a design bureau founded in 1939 by Artem Mikoyan (M) and Mikhail Gurevich (G). (The i in MiG is the Russian word meaning “and.”)
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on britannica.com


25 Things You Missed In Top Gun: Maverick



What is a bogey in Top Gun?

A bogey is an unidentified aircraft. Once identified, it is referred to as a "friendly" (for friendly aircraft), "bandit" (for non-friendly aircraft) or "hostile" (for non-friendly aircraft that may be fired at).
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on m.imdb.com


Why is everyone so sweaty in Top Gun?

Good looking guys sweating all the time and walking around with their shirts off—yeah, that was definitely Tony Scott and Co.'s bid for female viewership and their attempt to give the film a gritty and edgy sexiness.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on shmoop.com


Does TOPGUN still exist?

TOPGUN, or as its official title goes, the "Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor" program, or SFTI (pronounced 'siff-tee'), is not actually a school, per se, but rather it is an instructional course loaded with schooling, training and tactics development, and it's held at the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development ...
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on allhands.navy.mil


Is TOPGUN a real school?

If you haven't seen it, the movie follows actor Tom Cruise as he competes through the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, often called TOPGUN. The school is actually real and was set up in 1969 as the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School at Naval Air Station Miramar.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on wfaa.com


Why does Goose hit the canopy?

This resulted in his aircraft suffering a flameout of both engines ending in a fatal flat spin. While Maverick was able to safely eject, Goose didn't; he hit the canopy on his way out with the intense impact causing his death.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on screenrant.com


Who was Iceman's Rio in Top Gun?

Tom "Iceman" Kazansky was one of only a few United States Naval Aviators to be sent to TOPGUN. He had an extremely cocky personality and was known for his big ego, as was his RIO, LTJG Ron "Slider" Kerner.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on topgun.fandom.com


Is Top Gun school Navy?

TOPGUN is a nickname for what began as the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School and is now known as the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor Program. Formerly located at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California, TOPGUN is now located at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on topgun.fandom.com


Is a WSO a pilot?

However, it is important to note that the WSO is not a pilot. The WSO is trained to operate the weapons systems, not fly the aircraft, but does have basic flight controls including throttle, stick, rudder pedals, compass, HSI, etc.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on aviation.stackexchange.com


Who was Mavericks Rio after Goose dies?

5. Marcus “Sundown” Williams. Sundown is thrust into a no-win situation when he becomes Maverick's new RIO right after Goose dies. He never stood a chance of vibing with a pilot who didn't know how to process his grief in a hypermasculine environment.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on theringer.com


Can Marine pilots go to Top Gun?

Clemson alumnus becomes first Marine fighter pilot to graduate TOPGUN in F-35. U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Derek “Shootsbe” Heinz, a 2007 Clemson University alumnus, has graduated the Navy Strike Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) course in the nation's newest and most advanced fighter jet, the F-35C.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on news.clemson.edu


How much do Top Gun pilots make?

Salary Ranges for Navy Fighter Pilots

The middle 60% of Navy Fighter Pilots makes $117,290, with the top 80% making $187,200.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on comparably.com


Can Air Force pilots go to Top Gun?

According to the U.S. Naval Institute, a private, non-profit professional military organization, a U.S. fighter pilot could reliably destroy its target with an air-to-air missile (such as the tactics seen on-screen in the Tom Cruise movie Top Gun) roughly 10% of the time when such weapons were used.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on veteran.com


Did Tom Cruise fly the F-18?

As you watch Tom Cruise fly through the sky in an F-18, you might be surprised to learn that one of the real pilots at the controls was a graduate of Lake Orion High School and Eastern Michigan University, who first learned to fly in Southeast Michigan.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on wxyz.com


How much did Tom Cruise get paid for Top Gun: Maverick?

Cruise received $12.5 million in up-front pay for Maverick and gets over 10% of the first dollar gross, which is based on the money Maverick distributor Paramount takes in after theaters get their cut, typically around 50%.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on forbes.com


Is Tom Cruise a real pilot?

Cruise has had his pilot's license since the early 90s. WATCH RELATED: CBS 8 talks with the new squadron of stars from Top Gun: Maverick.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on cbs8.com


What is the famous line from Top Gun?

From Maverick's sarcasm to heartwarming pick-me-ups, here are ten of the best quotes from Top Gun.
  • “Talk To Me Goose”
  • “No Points For Second Place” ...
  • “Watch The Birdie” ...
  • “I Am Dangerous” ...
  • “Your Ego Is Writing Checks Your Body Can't Cash” ...
  • “I'll Fly With You” ...
  • “Time To Buzz The Tower” ...
  • “Great Balls Of Fire” ...
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on thenerdstash.com


Where did they film Top Gun?

The hit action film, Top Gun, starring Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer, was filmed in 1986 at multiple San Diego county locations, most notably a home located on Pacific Street in Oceanside.
Takedown request   |   View complete answer on resortime.com