Eden Prairie, MN – On Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 6:30PM, Gary Black, graduate of the famous United States Navy’s Top Gun School, will talk about the capabilities of the F-14 Tomcat jet fighter and what it’s like to actually fly this awesome airplane. This event is part of the Wings of the North Air Museum’s Speaker Series that offers a free presentation on the first Thursday of each month.
Background: Retired Lieutenant Commander Gary Black joined the Navy’s aviation program through the Aviation Officers Candidate School in the mid-1970s. Later he was selected to attend the Top Gun school at Naval Air Station Miramar in California. He completed a nine month deployment aboard the USS America in the Indian Ocean during the Iranian Hostage Crisis of 1980. On later assignments he intercepted Soviet TU-95 “Bear” bombers that would fly close to American airspace in order to test our military’s preparedness and capabilities.
After his military career, Black joined Cirrus Aircraft in Duluth, Minnesota, where he served as a Test Pilot, Director of Flight Operations, and Regional Sales Director for over 22 years. He was one of the test pilots during the certification process for both the SR-20 and SR-22 aircraft as well as for the whole-airplane parachute system. This system can bring an airplane safely to the ground after a complete engine or flight control failure and even if the pilot is incapacitated.
The Wings of the North Air Museum is located at 14893 Sierra Lane on Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie. Access to Flying Cloud Airport is through Gate H, one mile west of Flying Cloud Drive just south of Pioneer Trail. Museum volunteers will assist with directions to parking. The presentation will start at 6:30PM; doors will open at 6:00PM. The event is free but donations are appreciated. Reservations are not required.
More information: www.wotn.org/museum/
Wings of the North is an IRS 501c3 nonprofit organization.