In the Cockpit of "Top Gun: Maverick" with Blue Angel Pilot, Frank Weisser - NEW INTERVIEW

Described as a “love letter to aviation” by producer Jerry Bruckheimer, the new box office sensation “Top Gun: Maverick” is receiving critical acclaim for its state of the art cinematic sequencing and putting actors inside the cockpit of F18 Super Hornet jets, leaving audiences spellbound. But who was actually at the controls of the twin-engine Boeing fighters during the making of the film? While Tom Cruise is known for executing his own stunts, for this production, he had to rely on the help of the US Navy to achieve the aerial excellence that is creating so much buzz.

Enter Frank “Walleye” Weisser, a retired Navy Commander and former pilot of the Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron. Weisser is one of several Navy pilots that worked directly with Paramount Productions to fly the aerial sequences that are so heavily featured throughout the film.

In this brand new interview, Cdr Weisser will publicly reveal for the first time how he was selected to assist in the production of “Top Gun: Maverick” and how his affiliation with the Blue Angels played a significant role. Walleye will shed light on what it is like to work as a stunt double for Tom Cruise including a humorous misunderstanding with a makeup technician on set. The interview will also provide behind the scenes insight into the iconic scenes that are featured in the trailer as well as his experience flying Tom Cruise in his backseat throughout the production.

The scope of the discussion extends beyond Cdr Weisser’s involvement with Top Gun. Graduating from the Naval Academy in 2000, Weisser goes into detail about what life was like serving in the Navy after the attacks of September 11th and the combat deployments he served on before making the decision to submit an application to the Blue Angels, where he was selected as the team’s Narrator for the 2008 season.

Detailing his time on the Blues, Cdr Weisser shares how he leveraged his role as the Narrator to enhance his transition into the demo as the team’s Opposing Solo for the 2009 season. He also provides insight into the key differences between the Opposing and Lead Solo roles and which one he enjoyed more. He later discusses how he was recalled to the Blue Angels several years after his initial tenure in the wake of the tragic loss of Capt. Jeff Kuss and the challenges he had assimilating back into the team.

Cdr. Weisser also served in a critical role assisting the Blue Angels with their recent transition to the F/18 Super Hornet. In this interview, you’ll hear how Cdr. Weisser was charged with the seemingly impossible task of figuring out how to extend the life of the incoming Super Hornets by making adjustments to the demo profile to limit G-strain on the aircrafts while not dramatically changing the presentation in front of the audience.

Special thanks to the Blue Angels Association and Frank Weisser for making this interview possible.

Conversation Time Stamps:

0:00 Intro
1:07 Attending the "Top Gun: Maverick" premiere
3:01 US Naval Academy experience
4:40 Serving during September 11th, 2001
7:45 T-45 Goshawk flight Instructor
8:25 Combat deployment
9:03 Landing on an aircraft carrier at night
10:26 Applying to become a Blue Angel
11:31 Blue Angels Narrator
12:43 Blue Angels Opposing Solo
13:40 Managing G-force as a Blue Angel
15:51 Differences between Lead & Opposing Solos
17:36 Life after first tour with the Blue Angels
19:40 Returning to the Blue Angels
22:05 Most challenging maneuver
23:23 Transition to the F/18 Super Hornet
27:28 2022 Blue Angels
28:20 Getting the call to fly in "Top Gun: Maverick"
32:10 Behind the scenes of filming the movie
34:23 Safety on set
38:32 Flying Tom Cruise in the back of a Super Hornet

Interview conducted and edited by Ryan Nothhaft
Filmed on Riverside.fm video conferencing platform

Visual Resources:
Paramount Productions: "Top Gun: Maverick" footage
DVIDs: Still images and video of US Navy aircraft and facilities
Ryan Nothhaft: Blue Angels airshow footage

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