Since a trio of former Canadian fighter pilots launched Top Aces 25 years ago, the company has largely flown below the radar.  Yet with 70 active aircraft and another 70 or so in reserve to feed its expansion plans, it’s provided contracted air services to the Canadian Armed Forces and other militaries, including Australia and half a dozen European countries. In the United States, Top Aces operates the world’s only private fleet of F-16 jets out of its own airbase in Mesa, Arizona. Top Aces’ 80-plus pilots specialize in simulating combat training in the air. Sometimes they act as friendly forces. More often, they play the bad guys in what are known as adversary air or “Red Air” missions. And in the extremely niche sector in which Top Aces operates, it’s widely recognized as the market leader, making it one of Canada’s most remarkable export success stories.