Elite F/A-18 Super Hornet Pilots to Share their Stories

PALM SPRINGS, Calif., Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The iconic Blue Angels F/A-18 Super Hornet featured in Top Gun: Maverick as one of Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell’s on-camera aircraft makes its debut at the Palm Springs Air Museum’s 30^th anniversary celebration on Saturday, November 7, 2026 at 1 PM. The plane will be received into the museum’s permanent collection with Water Salute and short dedication program, followed by birthday cake. Also on hand will be Darkstar from Top Gun: Maverick, and an operational F/A-18 Super Hornet from VFA-122.

Guest speakers for five exclusive evening TOPGUN F/A-18 Super Hornet Visitor Experiences between November 2026 and April 2027 are now set. Each 90-minute experience starts at 6 PM and features a distinguished F/A-18 pilot who will share behind-the-scenes stories, an up-close look inside the cockpit, light refreshments, Darkstar in the hangar, and branded merchandise for sale. Tickets are $65 per person ($50 for PS Air Museum members). Kids 12 & under free with one adult ticket. Evening tickets include admission to the museum during the day.

Captain Jeremy “Silas” Debons, U.S. Navy, former Commanding Officer of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, who flew Bureau Number 165536, said, “This Super Hornet represents the very best of naval aviation. I had the privilege of flying this aircraft as it supported the testing and development of the F-35 program and other advanced flight test missions. It’s fitting that this aircraft now begins a new mission at the Palm Springs Air Museum, where visitors can appreciate not only its role in Top Gun: Maverick, but its real contribution to advancing the future of naval aviation.”

TOPGUN Experience Dates and Confirmed Aviator Speakers:

• Saturday, November 7, 2026 – Lieutenant Commander Evan “Squints” Goss, U.S. Navy. Goss is a combat veteran, instructor pilot assigned to VFA-122, and a member of the Navy’s F/A-18 Tactical Demonstration Team for the 2025–2026 airshow seasons. Goss supported military operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Yemen.
• Saturday, November 28, 2026 – Commander Frank “Walleye” Weisser, U.S. Navy (Ret.) A 21-year Navy veteran, Weisser has over 5,000 flight hours, nearly 500 aircraft carrier landings, and three combat deployments. He then served two tours with the Blue Angels, including Lead Solo Pilot. Weisser flew F/A-18 fighter jets for the spectacular aerial sequences in TOP GUN: MAVERICK.
• Saturday, January 2, 2027 – Capt. Jeremy “Silas” DeBons Commander, USN Test Pilot School PAX River. DeBons has flown over 4,500 mishap free flight hours in over 120 aircraft. He has served as instructor and Commander of the US Naval Test Pilot School.
• Saturday, March 27, 2027 – Capt. A.J. “Face” McFarland, US Navy (Ret.) is an elite test pilot with over 4,000 flight hours and 373 carrier landings. He concluded his service as Commodore of Naval Test Wing Pacific, steering critical test programs through global crises.
• Saturday, April 17, 2027 – Cmdr. Cassidi “Butch” Reese, US Navy, China Lake VX-31 Chief Test Pilot. Reese deployed aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) in support of Operations IRAQI and ENDURING FREEDOM and INHERENT RESOLVE, flying nearly 200 hours over 30 combat missions.

General Admission: $65 | Palm Springs Air Museum Members: $50 | Children 12 and under: Free with paid adult ticket. All evening tickets include daytime admission to the Museum same day.

About the Aircraft

Aircraft Bureau Number 165536 is one of the earliest production F/A-18 Super Hornets ever built. It served as a flight test and chase aircraft supporting the development and evaluation of the F-35 Lightning II and other advanced aviation programs before joining the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration team. It later appeared in Top Gun: Maverick as one of Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell’s featured on-camera Super Hornets. It now begins a new mission as the first F/A-18 Super Hornet ever placed on permanent public display outside a military installation, and will be unveiled Nov 7, 2026 to the public.

About the Palm Springs Air Museum

The Palm Springs Air Museum is home to more than 75 historic aircraft representing World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and modern military aviation. The Museum encompasses more than 91,000 square feet of exhibit space and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission ranges from $24 to $26. Children 12 and under are free with a paid adult. Active-duty military personnel and their immediate families receive free admission with valid ID. For more information visit PalmSpringsAirMuseum.org or call 760-778-6262.

Contact:
Ann Greer – 323-363-8243, ann@palmspringsairmuseum.org

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SOURCE Palm Springs Air Museum