David Baranek

Dave Baranek grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and set his sights on flying Navy fighters. He attended Georgia Tech and participated in Navy ROTC. He wasn’t able to be a pilot because his eyesight wasn’t 20/20, so he became a radar intercept officer (RIO), operating the weapons system in the Navy's F-14 Tomcat fighter. After his first F-14 squadron he was selected as an instructor at the elite Navy Fighter Weapons School, better known as Topgun. While serving as an instructor in 1985 he helped make the film "Top Gun." Dave enjoyed a successful 20-year career in the Navy, including command of an F-14 Tomcat fighter squadron. He retired from the Navy in 1999 and recently retired from a second career as a defense contractor. He has written three exciting memoirs, which are described on his website www.TopgunBio.com. He is married and lives in Satellite Beach, Florida.