Not only is Charlie Blackwood an astrophysicist, shes also a top instructor at what is considered the best of the best of flight school in the country. She can hold her own against Tom Cruise (another actress who could do that, even if she also fell for him in real life!), but she can go toe-to-toe against generals and admirals that send dozens of men to their deaths every day, and still consult with her. While her full set of intellectual skills is never clearly demonstrated in the film, it is completely understood that she is very good at what she does, she is passionate about her job, she is great at teaching, and she can ride a motorcycle under a flying jet, too! No wonder so many women in the mid 80's wanted to be her.