Tom Cruise is known for his commitment while doing his movies, especially when it comes to filming action sequences. The 59-year-old actor isn’t afraid of doing his own stunts, whether he is on a high-speed helicopter chase, climbing one of the tallest buildings in the world or hanging from outside a plane.
And fans of action movies can expect a lot of those with the upcoming seventh ‘Mission Impossible: Dead or Reckoning’, which is coming out next year, and, of course, ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, which will hit theaters on Friday (May 27).
With ‘Maverick’ being a movie about Navy pilots flying high-velocity fighter aircrafts and, knowing that Cruise likes to keep everything as real as possible, it doesn't come as a shock to learn that he actually flew for some of his scenes (but he couldn’t fly the F-18, though). Here, check out how the actor became a pilot and his aircraft collection.
When did Tom Cruise become a pilot?
Tom Cruise has been a licensed pilot since 1994 and his love for flying was one thing that actually drew him to the original ‘Top Gun’ in the first place. He told Wired that he’s a multi-engine instrument rated pilot and he’s been adding feats to his resumé. For example, he learned how to fly a helicopter for 2018’s ‘Mission Impossible: Fallout’ incredible stunts.
Also, for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, he actually flies some of the a P-51 propeller-driven fighter, as well as some helicopters, as producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed. However, the Navy didn’t give him permission to fly an F-18 combat jet, so he had to go in the passenger seat like all of the other actors.
How many airplanes does Tom Cruise have?
In a segment for The Late Late Show, Cruise flew host James Corden on a fighter, his P-51 Mustang. According to World War Wings, in 2001 the actor purchased this World War II fighter The report states that the aircraft was built in 1946. After being donated to a museum in Illinois, it was restored in 1997.
However, that’s not the only airplane Cruise owns. He also has a Gulfstream IV G4 jet, which is his most luxurious aircraft. The jet cost around $20 million and has the capacity to transport up to 19 passengers. It is also equipped with a jacuzzi and a movie-screening room, according to Cheat Sheet.
