Episode 40 - Stunt Flying for Top Gun: Maverick

Behind the Wings

Former F-18 and Blue Angels pilot, Scott Kartvedt, takes us behind the scenes of flying in Top Gun: Maverick.

In this episode hear behind-the-scenes stories of how some of the most realistic flying scenes are made. Scott tells us about his time in the Navy, flying as a Blue Angel and on the Patriots Jet team, and "dogfighting" with a helicopter while filming. This one is going to be cool!

Episode 40 marks the end of Season 4 of the Behind the Wings Podcast. We'll be taking a short break and will be back later this year for Season 5.

Key Takeaways:

• Scott's love of aviation started when he saw Blue Angels flying over his family's campsite. The original Top Gun also fueled his ambition to join the Navy.
• Scott started school as an accountant but later followed his dream of becoming a fighter pilot.
• In the Navy, Scott flew the F-18 as a fighter pilot and for the Blue Angels.
• All flying scenes in Maverick were performed and filmed in real time.
• Scott and his wingman Randy Howell flew as stunt pilots in L-39 jets for the final scene in Maverick. They were later edited over to match the fighters in the movie.
• While filming, Scott would often fly straight at the helicopter and pull away at the last second.
• Scott leaves us with encouraging advice to ask the question. If you don't ask, the answer is always no.

Resources:

• Scott Kartvedt's Website