I watched it in '86 and was a Ab-Initio OCU stude at the time.
It made the film company millions of $$
It made Ray Ban shades millions of $$
It made Tom Cruise:
It made a whole load of BritMil aviators envious of US military aviation.
Lots of (female) school teachers & nurses became pilot groupies overnight.
Contrary to the bad press above - everyone went to see it.
The music is to this day awesome
Huge white Y fronts never were cool
Kelly McG isn't a patch on Susannah York
For me; the plot speared in when a Pilot cried for a Nav in public..
and I prefer 'Flight of the Intruder'; but then I can relate to a maverick (pardon the pun) pilot.
I dare say that military recruitment on both sides of the pond benefitted.