Viper says the Top Gun class is the top 1% of all Naval Aviators.
But it also seems as though Stinger was essentially forced to send "somebody" from his squadron to the school...as if he wasn't allowed to pass if he didn't think Maverick and Goose didn't cut it.
And is there a new batch of TG students every five weeks? It really seems like at some point the "Top 1%" is going to be just about every Naval Aviator.
The plaque for the alternates is in the ladies john.
shareTHE US Naval Aviators* number over 100 000 active and reserve, with turnover, so 1000 as a literal interpretation is not a low number for TOPGUN to train, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy_Strike_Fighter_Tactics_Instructor_program
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commander,_Naval_Air_Forces has that number under their command.
Apparently, to be able to merely fly the F-14 (the main jet depicted in this movie) you had to be an elite pilot. It was supposed to be extremely difficult to control in carrier landings, thus could only be flown by the best.
I don’t know about being the best of the best. The Air Force have had a lot of aces, so they’re no slouches. The navy does seem to produce a lot of legendary flyers such as the pilots during the Battle of Midway, Swede Vejtasa (who became an ace while flying a dive bomber) and Duke Cunningham.