June 23, 2005, updated June 1, 2007 and November 21, 2007

Good job Malachowski, you did it

Major Nicole Malachowski, USAF, prepares to take off for a practice sortie with the Thunderbirds in an F-16 Fighting Falcon. Photo credit: Tech. Sgt. Justin Pyle, USAF

It's hard to believe, but two years ago, in an article of June 2005 entitle, "Keep your airspeed up, Malachowski," we reported about Nicole Malachowski, Captain, USAF, F-15 Strike Eagle driver, callsign "Fifi," 1996 Air Force Academy grad, fourth in her class, officer, combat vet, leader, highest ranked Junior ROTC cadet in the nation, and the first woman to be named an USAF F-16 Fighting Falcon Thunderbird pilot, picked to fly Number 3 right wing position in the diamond formation. At the time, she was scheduled to fly her first public Thunderbird performance in March 2006, part of a team. Well now, Major Malachowski has concluded her two year tour with the Thunderbirds, performing her last show on November 12, 2007 at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Good job Malachowski! We're proud of you and all those before and after you. Aim high, fly Air Force! (112107)

Second woman joins USAF Thunderbirds

June 1, 2007 update: Major Samantha Weeks, 31, has joined the USAF Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron. She's flying Number 6 as the opposing solo pilot. She is the second woman to be on the team. Major Nicole Malachowski was the first, now in her second year. Weeks is a 1997 graduate of the Air Force Academy with a BS in Biology. She previously served with the 12th Fighter Squadron as a flight commander and instructor pilot, flying the F-15C/D "Eagle." She has flown missions for the 94th Fighter Squadron over Iraq enforcing the "Northern and Southern Watch" no-fly zones. With the Thunderbirds, she now flies the F-16 "Fighting Falcon." Weeks and her flight leader intercepted an Iraqi MiG-25 about to enter the no-fly zone, locked up with him, chased him around a bit, and watched him high-tail it out of there. Weeks was low on gas, but her flight lead said she had enough; easy for him to say as he had just gotten some gas before pulling away from his tanker, with weeks waiting in line. She recalls she put her faith in him and headed out after the MiG. She calls Rome, New York her home. Her dad was a senior enlisted man in the USAF with 27 years service. She is married to an USAF major, Curtis Weeks. (060107)

Good job Malachowski, now "just fly the plane!"

May 1, 2006 Update: In June 2005, in an article entitled, "Keep up your airspeed up, Malachowski," we introduced you to then Capt. Nicole Malachowski, USAF, selected as the first woman to be named an USAF Thunderbird pilot. Now Major Malachowski made her public debut as a USAF Thunderbird in March 2006 , having completed four months of intensive training at Nellis AFB, Nevada. The opening show was held March 25-26, 2006 at Ft. Smith, Arkansas. We've got a brief photo gallery update here, followed by the original article. The advice in our updated headline was given to her by her father; she considers it the best advice she has ever received.

As a proud father of two daughters and a retired Air Force officer, your editor, who does not know Major Malachowski, must confess to a bias here: I am very proud of her achievements, and the achievements of all women in our military force. As an aside, Malachowski's husband is from Buffalo, New York, of obvious Polish heritage, and is also an Air Force officer. Your editor is the same in all three categories.

Now to our update, which we will continue as we get more photography. The Thunderbird show season started in March and will run through November.

Maj. Nicole Malachowski, Air Force Thunderbird, talks to attendees at Special Needs Day April 8, 2006, Maxwell AFB, Alabama. Photo credit: Jon Sladek. Presented by Maxwell-Gunter News, April 14, 2006 edition.

Right Wing Thunderbird Maj. Nicole Malachowski, former Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadet (center) poses with cadets at the Florida International Air Show, March 31-April 2, 2006. Photo credit: Capt. Jim Koletta, USAF, presented by ReCAP, April 2006.

The six components of a well oiled machine. The Thunderbirds make a dive over Ft. Smith, Arkansas, including Major Nicole Malachowski in her first public performance with the team, March 2006. Photo credit: Danny Fritsche Airplanespotters. Presented by Airliners.net

Capt. Nicole Malachowski sits in the #3 Right Wing Thunderbird jet before a practice. Photo credit: Julie Ray. Presented by Bullseye, January 13, 2006 edition, Nellis AFB, Nevada.

Thunderbird #3 with one of the newest Thunderbirds in the back seat, Nicole Malachowski. Nellis AFB, Nevada, November 11, 2005. Photo credit: Dave O'Brien, Top Gun Photography. Presented by Airliners.net

June 23, 2005

Meet Nicole Malachowski, Captain, USAF, F-15 Strike Eagle driver, callsign "Fifi", 1996 Air Force Academy grad, fourth in her class, officer, combat vet, leader, highest ranked Junior ROTC cadet in the nation, and now, the first woman to be named an USAF Thunderbird pilot, picked to fly Number 3 right wing position in the diamond formation. She'll fly her first public Thunderbird performance in March 2006, part of a team.

She might be one helluva fighter pilot, but that's all history. She reports to Nellis AFB in November to learn to fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon, and be a USAF Thunderbird. She moves from a two-seater to a single seat. Training simply never stops.

By the way, she is also the first woman demonstration pilot in any US military high performace jet team.

Congrats, Malachowski! You'll be happy to know that Nicole's grandmother, Naomi Ellingwood, said this about her granddaughter: "Nicole was a good little kid."

Now, she's on her way to being a Thunderbird! That's America, folks.

Opening photo credit: USAF photo.