Posted on: Monday, June 20, 2005

First female pilot joins Thunderbirds

Air Force Times

WASHINGTON — Every year, the Air Force dispatches a small team of its best pilots to travel the world to perform precision aerial maneuvers on some of the most technologically advanced aircraft the world has ever known. The air shows are designed to lure new recruits and display U.S. military might. For more than half a century this has been the work of men.

Until now, that is. Last Thursday, the Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron announced that it had selected a woman to join the elite unit of eight pilots, known as the Thunderbirds. Capt. Nicole Malachowski, a 1996 Air Force Academy graduate, will be the first female demonstration pilot on any U.S. military high-performance jet team.

Malachowski is an F-15E pilot assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron based in Lakenheath Royal Air Force Base, England. She received the news after returning from a deployment in Southwest Asia.

"It's a great privilege to be given the opportunity to be a part of the Thunderbird team, an organization that represents the finest traditions of our Air Force," said Malachowski, of Las Vegas.

The Thunderbird squadron has 12 officers, including eight pilots, a flight surgeon, a maintenance officer, an executive officer and a public affairs officer. More than 100 enlisted personnel are also part of the team.

Joining Malachowski on the 2006 demonstration team will be:

• Lt. Col. Kevin Robbins, assigned to Air Force Weapons School, Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.

• Capt. Ed Casey, assigned to the 56th Training Squadron, Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.

• Capt. Tad Clark, assigned to the 52nd Operations Support Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany.