Cerermony - Tom Cruise honored by the Aéro-Club de France: a tribute to his passion for aviation

By Mulder, Paris, Aéro-Club de France, 08 february 2025

American actor Tom Cruise, a true action movie icon and aviation enthusiast, was honored on Saturday February 8 in Paris by the Aéro-Club de France, one of the world's oldest aeronautical institutions. He was awarded the Grande Médaille, a prestigious distinction given to major figures in the history of aviation, in recognition of his significant contribution to the field and the inspiration he has inspired in the pilots of tomorrow.

The ceremony, held in the presence of spacemen Claudie Haigneré and Thomas Pesquet, marked a special moment for the Top Gun actor. The medal was presented by Catherine Manoury, former world aerobatics champion and president of the Aéro-Club de France. This honor places Tom Cruise alongside legendary aviation figures such as Louis Blériot (1909), Charles Lindbergh (1927) and Jean Mermoz (1930), who were also honored by this institution.

Since the first Top Gun in 1986, Tom Cruise has become a true ambassador for the world of aviation. Unlike many actors who entrust their flight scenes to stand-ins, he has chosen to fly his planes himself. He has held a private pilot's license since 1994, and honed his skills for the filming of Top Gun: Maverick (2022), where he flew real sequences in an F/A-18 Super Hornet, a performance acclaimed by audiences and aviation professionals alike. This is not the first time the actor has been honored for his commitment to aviation. In November 2022, he was named honorary member of the Patrouille de France, a rare privilege announced by General Stéphane Mille, Chief of Staff of the French Air Force. This distinction was awarded to him at the Congrès de l'Aviation de Chasse. The following year, in December 2023, he also received the U.S. Navy's highest civilian honor, in recognition of Top Gun's impact on military recruitment since the release of the first film in 1986.

The Aéro-Club de France's distinction reinforces Tom Cruise's unique link with the world of aviation, a universe he continues to explore through his film roles. His attachment to aerial challenges will once again be showcased in the eagerly-awaited “Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning”, due for release in France on May 21. In this new opus, the actor performs an extreme stunt in which he clings to a biplane in mid-air, a feat that pushed him to his limits: “I fainted several times,” he confided to Empire magazine. A performance that once again testifies to his total commitment to delivering ever more spectacular and realistic action scenes.

With this latest accolade, Tom Cruise has established himself as much more than just an actor: he is a true aviation enthusiast, whose influence extends far beyond the boundaries of cinema. At 62, he continues to embody the image of the intrepid pilot, both in the air and on screen. His decades-long love affair with aviation shows no signs of ending. Thanks to his commitment and image, he has inspired a generation of pilots and helped democratize the fascination of flight. With this recognition from the Aéro-Club de France, he joins the pantheon of aviation's leading figures, proving that, for him, the sky has never been a limit.

Released in 1986, Tony Scott's Top Gun quickly became a cult film, emblematic of the golden age of Hollywood action cinema in the 80s. Starring a charismatic Tom Cruise as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, the film follows the intense training of elite pilots at the US Navy's prestigious air combat school. Featuring rivalries, romances and spectacular aerial sequences, Top Gun marked its era with a legendary soundtrack, including Kenny Loggins' Danger Zone. More than 35 years later, Joseph Kosinski's Top Gun: Maverick (2022) has taken up the sequel challenge, modernizing the legacy of the first opus while capitalizing on nostalgia. With impressive flight scenes shot in real-life conditions and a more emotional narrative centered on an aging Maverick confronting his past and a new generation of pilots, the film not only won over critics but also triumphed at the box office. Proof that certain film legends can survive the decades and still retain their intensity and impact.