Scott Kartvedt

Scott "Intake" Kartvedt is a:

• Blue Angels Pilot
• Top Gun Maverick, Hollywood Stunt Pilot
• Mission Impossible, Aviation Safety Supervisor
• Patriots Jet Team, Airshow Pilot
• Navy Fighter Pilot
• Human Factors, Resiliency and High-Performance Expert
• Recognized Aviation Author
• President, Blue Angels Foundation

Scott Kartvedt watched Top Gun in the theater with his buddies in 1986 and dreamed of being a fighter pilot and landing jets on a carrier. Kartvedt did it, unlike many others who had the same dream.

Upon graduation from Pepperdine University, Kartvedt applied to the naval aviator program, was accepted, and began his career flying FA/18 Hornets. In 1999 Kartvedt was selected as a member of the Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, stationed in Pensacola, FL, where he flew air shows for three seasons before returning to the fleet.

While leading the 250 Sailors of VFA-83, the unit was awarded the 2009 Commander Naval Air Forces Aviation Battle Efficiency Award, the CAPT Michael J. Estocin Award as the Navy’s Strike Fighter Squadron of the Year, and the 2010 CNO Safety Award.

He went on to serve during five combat deployments and flew 91 combat missions in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM (3 tours) and ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan (2 tours), as well as the 1996 TAIWANESE CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS. He has accumulated over 6,300 flight hours and 658 carrier arrested landings on 11 aircraft carriers.

He finally served as the Navy’s first Commanding Officer of the only F-35C Stealth Strike Fighter Squadron in the US inventory, Strike Fighter Squadron ONE ZERO ONE, based in Eglin AFB, Florida, before retiring from the Navy and rejoining civilian life.