More to the Story: So I Called TOPGUN Back w/ Xavier Piar

What happens when a curious flight instructor candidate decides to “call TOPGUN?” 

In this episode of More to the Story, host Beth Stanton, NAFI’s director of publications and editor, talks with Mentor author Xavier Piar about the story behind his two-part article series: “So I Called TOPGUN,” which appeared in the March/April issue, and “So I Called TOPGUN Back,” which appeared in the May/June issue. 

What started as a few emails to The Fighter Pilot Podcast led Piar to conversations with four former TOPGUN aviators: Vincent “Jell-O” Aiello, Craig “Crunch” Snyder, Greg “Hoser” Hansen, and Dave “Bio” Baranek.

Together, Stanton and Piar explore:

• What civilian CFIs can learn from TOPGUN instructional philosophy
• Why debriefing may be one of the most overlooked tools in flight training
• The humility and honesty shared by elite military aviators
• How curiosity turned into two Mentor magazine articles and enhanced digital content

From CFII struggles to Tomcat stories, this episode is packed with insight for instructors, students, and aviation enthusiasts alike.

If you aren't already a NAFI member, join us for access to more great content and a network of professional flight instructors. It's quick and easy online at https://nafimentor.org.

Thank you to Sporty's for sponsoring this episode.