TOPGUN also runs a seven-week
adversary course, which basically teaches
crews how to create problems in the air for
students and is primarily centered upon
bandit presentations.
CDR Christopher ‘Pops’ Papaioanu is the
present skipper of TOPGUN and was one
of the early cadre of Super Hornet pilots in
the fleet. ‘I came here for my first tour as a
TOPGUN instructor 14 years ago because
TOPGUN instructors are the best in the
business and I wanted to reach that level,’
he says. ‘They were, and still are today, the
aircrew you would just be in awe of over
their level of professionalism and talent in
the jet.’
Papaioanu acknowledges that
manning issues are hitting the navy
hard and that patch-wearers are leaving
in large numbers to join the airlines.
Low maintenance and back-to-back
deployments have hit morale hard.
Indeed, TOPGUN has been forced to
lower its flight hours entry standard from
1,000 to 750 hours due to a lack of flying
time in the fleet. However, it’s down to
the TOPGUN instructors and the school
in general to ensure standards aren’t
allowed to slip.
Explaining the sheer level of qualification
and dedication it takes to become a
TOPGUN instructor, Papaioanu says, ‘What
is 10-12 flights for a student to complete
during the BFM phase, for example, isLeft top to bottom:
A sharp stack of
TOPGUN jets. The
school has tended
to receive older
airframes from
the fleet, which
fly alongside
dedicated assets
such as the F-16s.
The sun rises at
Fallon ahead of a
busy day of flying
mid-way through a
class.
Above left to right:
A fleet of F-16A/Bs
are flown by the
TOPGUN instructors
for dissimilar air
combat training.
The school still
places a high
emphasis on air-to-
air combat skills.
Both US Navy and
US Marine Corps
instructors are
on the TOPGUN
staff. This marine
pilot was a recent
convert to the F-16.// NFWS AT 50
60-67 Supp_TOPGUN Today C.indd 66 19/07/2018 14:13