Former Blue Angels solo pilot to speak at Vail Symposium
John “Gucci” Foley shares lessons in “Flying Upside Down and 18 Inches Apart”
Todd Diemer for Unsplash/Courtesy photo
As the lead solo pilot for the legendary Blue Angels flight team and the pilot who did the flying in the iconic film “Top Gun,” John “Gucci” Foley exemplifies the pinnacle of excellence, mastering the art of flying among the top 0.01% of U.S. military pilots. On Saturday from 5-6:30 p.m. at Vail Mountain School, Foley joins Vail Symposium for a special interactive program that kids and “kids at heart” can enjoy.
“Fewer than 300 people have ever flown for the Blue Angels,” Vail Symposium executive director James Kenly said. “We are honored to welcome John Foley to our community to share his experience and inspiring energy.”
Foley was named a “Top Ten Carrier Pilot” six times before leaving his mark as a Marine Instructor pilot and then Lead Solo pilot of the Blue Angels. Foley’s accomplishments include:
- Lead Solo of Blue Angels
- Advisor to successful corporations and leaders, from Wall Street to New Delhi
- Sloan Fellow at the Stanford Graduate School of Business
- Entrepreneur and founder of his own company
- Part of the inner circle of a venture capital firm in Silicon Valley during the boom and bust of 2000
- First American to fly a Russian (the chief test pilot of the Mikoyan Design Bureau) in an F-18
- As Lead Solo, part of first U.S. team ever to fly in Moscow with Russian demonstration teams and to fly in other Eastern Bloc countries
- Did actual flying in the movie “Top Gun” from the carrier deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise
- Two-year letterman for Navy Football; played in Liberty Bowl vs. Ohio State and in Garden State Bowl vs. Houston; last person to intercept Ohio State star quarterback Art Schliester
Foley will share the teamwork, accountability and “Glad to Be Here” approach that not only has made the Blue Angels such an elite flight team but that he has carried to ages and groups of all sizes worldwide, making him a sought-out speaker.
Vail Symposium’s mission is to provide educational programs for the Vail Valley community that are thought-provoking, diverse and affordable. True to that mission, over the past decade, the Symposium has offered more educational programs to more members of the community than almost any other organization in the valley. Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the door; students are free. Please visit vailsymposium.org for more information.
