Friday 27 May 2022 05:04 PM Is Maverick too OLD to be a fighter pilot? His age wouldn't stop him - but his ... trends now

The moment that Top Gun fans have waited more than 30 years for is finally here, with the UK release of Top Gun: Maverick today.

The sequel to the cult classic sees Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, training a cohort of graduates to become test pilots in the Navy. 

Maverick's age is a key plot point in the film, with some colleagues questioning whether, at 57-years-old, he is too old to be a test and fighter pilot.

So does Maverick really have what it takes to be still be a fighter pilot after 30 years of service? 

Here we delve into the details and reveal that, while his age likely wouldn't stop him, his lifestyle might.

Age

While Maverick is in his early 20s in the original Top Gun film, he is now 57 in the sequel.

According to Zippia, the average age of an Air Force Pilot in the US is 45 years old, while 67 per cent of pilots are aged 40+.

Writing for The Conversation, Dr Guy Gratton, an Associate Professor of Aviation and the Environment at Cranfield University, reassured that Maverick would still be young enough to be a test pilot.

'57 is not too old. I've met many test pilots in their 60s, and fighter pilots in their 50s,' he said.

However, it is unlikely he would have been able to join the Air Force at such an advanced age if he wasn't already in the Navy.

To become a pilot now with the US Air Force, you must have begun pilot training between the ages of 18 and 33. 

Height

At 5ft 7', Tom Cruise is known for being quite short, and is believed to regularly wear inserts in his shoes to make him look taller.

Thankfully though, Cruise's height means Maverick is well within the Air Force's height requirements for pilots.

'For pilot and aircrew positions, height specifications vary by aircraft and most applicants can successfully pursue a career in aviation with the U.S. Air Force,' the US Air Force explains.