28 June 2005
First Female Demonstration Pilot Joins U.S. Fighter Jet Team
Air Force’s Thunderbirds welcome first woman pilot to elite group
Washington -- The U.S. Air Force has named the first female demonstration pilot to its elite and highly competitive air demonstration squadron team known as the Thunderbirds.
Captain Nicole Malachowski, a 30-year-old Nevada native and 1996 graduate of the Air Force Academy, will be the first female demonstration pilot on any U.S. military high-precision jet team, according to an Air Force press release.
She will begin training in November 2005 to make her public debut in March 2006. Malachowski will take the Number 3 right wing position when the Thunderbirds fly their signature diamond formation. She will train in the F-16 Falcon, the unit's plane of choice.
The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron is an Air Combat Command unit comprising eight pilots -- including six demonstration pilots – who perform complex formation flying and solo routines. The squadron also includes over 120 military and civilian support personnel.
Captain Malachowski has recently returned from a four-month deployment flying missions over Iraq. She is currently assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.
While women have served as support personnel for the Thunderbirds in previous years, this is the first time a woman has ever been selected as a demonstration pilot.
In a statement released by the Air Force, Malachowski pointed out that “women have been an integral part of the Thunderbird team for decades.” However, she added, becoming the first female Thunderbird pilot is an “exciting responsibility.”
To be considered for a spot on the Thunderbirds, a candidate must log at least 1,000 hours on a fighter or trainer jet, as well as submit letters of recommendation, a biography, and a statement of interest. A set of interviews and a flight test serve to narrow the search to a group of five finalists, among whom three are selected.
The Thunderbirds gave their first performance on June 8,1953, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, where it drew its namesake from local Native American Indian legend, according to the Air Force press release. Since that time, the Thunderbirds have flown before more than 310 million people at 3,944 air demonstration in all 50 U.S. states and more than 60 foreign countries.
See also: Women Star in Cosmic Quest and Space Exploration
