[MilCom] Thunderbirds' First Female Pilot

[FFT]

 PRESS RELEASE -- Secretary of the Air Force, Office
of Public Affairs

Release No. 070605
June 16, 2005

Thunderbirds' first female pilot announced with new
2006 pilots

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. - The U.S. Air Force Air
Demonstration Squadron, "Thunderbirds," have announced
their new pilots for the 2006 demonstration season
which includes the first female demonstration pilot in
the 52-year history of the Thunderbirds.

Leading the team as Thunderbird no. 1,
commander/leader, will be Lt. Col. Kevin Robbins,
currently assigned to Air Force Weapons School, Nellis
Air Force Base, Nevada.

Joining the Thunderbirds in the no. 3 right wing
position will be Capt. Nicole Malachowski, currently
assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron, RAF
Lakenheath, United Kingdom. Captain Malachowski will
turn a new page in history as the first female
demonstration pilot on a U.S. military high
performance jet team.

The 2006 no. 6 pilot, flying the opposing solo
position, will be Capt. Ed Casey, currently assigned
to the 56th Training Squadron, Luke Air Force Base,
Ariz.

The new advance pilot/narrator, Thunderbird no. 8, the
voice of the Thunderbirds, will be Capt. Tad Clark,
currently assigned to the 52nd Operations Support
Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

Returning members of the 2005 team who will round out
the 2006 team include: Maj. Rusty Keen, Thunderbird
No. 2, left wing; Maj. Steve Horton, Thunderbird No.
4, Slot; Maj. Brian Farrar, Thunderbird No. 5, lead
solo; Maj. Jeremy Sloane, Thunderbird No. 7,
Operations Officer; Capt. Todd Randolph, Thunderbird
No. 10, Executive Officer; and Capt. Angela Johnson,
Thunderbird No. 12, Public Affairs Officer. The team
is also in the process of interviewing a new
Thunderbird No. 9, the Flight Surgeon and a new
Thunderbird No. 11, the Maintenance Officer.

The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron is an
Air Combat Command unit comprised of eight pilots
(including six demonstration pilots), four support
officers, four civilians and about 120 enlisted Airmen
performing in more than 29 career specialties.

A Thunderbirds' demonstration is a mix of six
aircraft, performing formation flying and solo
routines. The four-aircraft diamond formation
demonstrates the training and precision of Air Force
pilots, while the solos highlight the maximum
capabilities of the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting
Falcon.

The team's first performance was June 8, 1953 at Luke
Air Force Base, Ariz. Since then, the Thunderbirds
have flown before more than 310 million people at
3,944 air demonstrations in all 50 states and more
than 60 foreign countries. 


		
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