Failed the military pilot eye test -- so he built a $1 million-a-day traffic company and bought flying lessons. Now he's Top Gun's stunt pilot | Fortune

Jonathan Spano’s childhood goal of becoming a U.S. Navy pilot was derailed by the eye-sight standards for flying. Unable to meet the “near-perfect” requirement—he says 2020 is the minimum standard—Spano turned to another path: building a traffic control business that later helped finance his aviation ambitions. In 1995, he and his brother launched Traffic Management Inc, offering cones, barricades, signs, and 24/7 emergency dispatch. The company grew to more than 50 U.S. locations and generates over $1 million a day, according to Spano. Today, at 48, he’s a Top Gun: Maverick stunt pilot.