Just read a good background writeup on the making of the movie, in the US AOPA mag.
Reportedly Cruise tried to get a solo flight in the FA-18 but the Dept of Defense refused to take the risk 
Did Tom Cruise land the helicopter solo for the movie premiere on the aircraft carrier USS Midway?
After a careful review of the video, it looks like there were at least 3 other people in the helicopter, and it looks more like his friends dropped him off
It would have been a more Alpha move if he could have done that solo. He is an FAA-rated helicopter pilot, so it says online.
He flew mission impossible fallout valley scene solo, landing on USS Midway is non-event do you need CPL(H) for having fun while getting reward?
Peter wrote:
Reportedly Cruise tried to get a solo flight in the FA-18 but the Dept of Defense refused to take the risk
The reason for the refusal is far more profane than risk taking: No civilians are allowed to fly US DOD airplanes unless there is an operational reason (e.g. company test pilots of the manufacturer). So the only way he could have flown an FA18 is to get a private one, which I think does not exist.
Same goes for landing on a carrier in a private helo, even though he would have certainly been capable of this given what he has demonstrated previously. In that case it is even possible that the DoD allowed that one off landing with a safety pilot.
Cruise, whatever people may think of him, is a total aviation person (or flying nut as others would call it). He certainly is a capable pilot, which he has demonstrated many times. The flying sequences in the P51 are all his work and he owns that airplane. There is also a video available of him flying the P51 and a jet airplane he also owns with James Cordon. Cruise is also a skydiver.
I am quite sure that some of his heaviest critics on the aviation side would behave in similar ways regarding aviation if they had the financial means. So there is a lot of sour grapes in that constant drivel about him. I mean, put yourself in his position, you’d also try to get away with as much fun as you can.
Came across this spoof again and thought I’d share it in this thread. While it’s quite old by now, I still call it a darn good piece of amateur film making and darn good fun.
I’ve now watched the film, and it is fun.
There was a short review in the July Info-pilote by captain Alexandre ‘Popov’ Orlowski, air force pilot and previous aerobatics world champion.
Negatives:
In training, they would never fly the aircraft so close together, and it’s very unlikely a pilot would be able to fly again so quickly after ejecting. Like Peter said, decoy flares should be infrared, but these aren’t visible on screen.
Positives:
There has been a noticeable effort for realism, visible in the G forces on the actors’ faces. The screenwriters have used real concepts, e.g. air superiority: in this case they don’t have it, and the tactics used are plausible (low level attack, laser-guided bomb) and is a pre-existing idea from the Cold War. The technical language used is accurate and can only have come from experts.
Am i rhe only one who noticed the incorrect clearance chatter in the beginning? „You are clear to taxi“ (which runway?)… „dark star is ready for takeoff“ (Teneriffa anyone?)
Like Peter said, decoy flares should be infrared, but these aren’t visible on screen.
Radar guided missile defences are radar-reflective metal strips, called “chaff”, traditionally, which indeed don’t look dramatic on the screen, though nowadays I would think active defences (jamming) is the favourite. Anti radar missiles are the best
I still want to know what Tom Cruise uses on his hair
Peter wrote:
I still want to know what Tom Cruise uses on his hair
Scientology.
Does anyone know what planes Tom Cruise owns? The internet is full of garbage, but it looks like a P51 Mustang, HondaJet, Gulfstream IV..?
