FOX Nation, FOX News Media’s streaming service, will debut Top Combat Pilot, a new four-part series hosted by acclaimed actor Dennis Quaid on Monday, November 6th, announced Jason Klarman, president of the platform.
Based in Yuma, Arizona, the series will feature an inside look at the Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course, the most elite aviation program in America, and the US Marines’ version of the Navy’s renowned “Top Gun School.” Following 25 of the best combat pilots from every squadron in the country, viewers will watch as they train in an unrivaled air fleet, including F-18 Hornets and Huey and Cobra combat helicopters. The top performers will seek to distinguish themselves as the best of the best and be invited back as a WTI instructor.
In making the announcement, Klarman said, “Dennis Quaid not only played a pilot in the iconic movie The Right Stuff, but he is also a licensed pilot – we couldn’t think of a better person to host this series.”
Emmy® Award winner and two-time Golden Globe® nominee Dennis Quaid is a global entertainer whose career has spanned movies, television, music, and philanthropy. Quaid is also known for his iconic roles in The Rookie, The Day After Tomorrow, Traffic, Vantage Point, Frequency, The Parent Trap, Soul Surfer, The Right Stuff, Breaking Away, and Midway. His recent big-screen credits include starring roles in Netflix’s uplifting movie Blue Miracle, Sony’s thriller The Intruder, Universal’s A Dog’s Journey and A Dog’s Purpose and Disney’s animated adventure film Strange World. He also recently completed production portraying the 40th president of the United States in the biopic, Reagan, slated for release in early 2024.
In 2023, Quaid released Fallen: A Gospel Record for Sinners via Gaither Music Group which debuted at No. 1 on Top Christian/Gospel Albums chart.
Top Combat Pilot is produced by Whiz Bang LLC for FOX Nation with executive producers Roberto Cardenas, Brian Skope and Chris Rowe.
*Episodic details below
EPISODE 1: THE ELITE OF THE ELITE
WTI’s intense 7-week training program is underway in Yuma, AZ and the best of the best pilots from every Marine squadron are taking to the skies. From the start, these pilots seek to prove who is the elite of the elite.
EPISODE 2: STICK THE LANDING
As WTI heats up, the Cobras battle a Russian combat helicopter straight out of Hollywood. Meanwhile, the Huey students are tested in an exercise attempting to insert Navy Seals at an embassy while contending with an angry mob.
EPISODE 3: NOW OR NEVER
WTI is a gauntlet that can break even the best pilots in America. As the students move into the final weeks of the program, the exercises become larger in scale and the stakes even more intense.
EPISODE 4: THE BIG MISH
Seven weeks of grueling combat training culminated with one final operation, known as FINEX. It’s the last opportunity for student pilots to plant a flag as the best of the best before WTI graduation.
