Nicole
Air Force Thunderbird Pilot and Officer
My name is Nicole Malachowski, but my call sign is "FiFi". I am a
major in the Air Force and currently fly as #3/Right Wing with
the USAF Thunderbirds at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada. I
have been an Air Force officer for almost 11 years, a fighter
pilot in the F-15E for 8 years, and I pilot on the Thunderbirds
for 18 months. I'm married to an F-15E WSO, we have no kids,
nor do we have any pets.
I've wanted to be a fighter pilot since I was 5 years old. I came
from a patriotic family, who always supported our military. I
went to an airshow where I saw the F-4 Phantom flying, and fell
in love with the power, technology, and grace of the plane.
That's when I decided to become a fighter pilot. My parents
always supported my dreams, and they laid the foundation for
my being able to achieve them.
I was determined to fly from a very young age...and made that
choice during a time when women were not allowed to be
fighter pilots. I did, at times, run into people who were
adamant that women could not, or should not, pursue a career
as a fighter pilot. But, I always actively stuck to my goals and
chose to surround myself with positive people who believed in
my dreams as much as I did.
I learned to fly in high school at the North Las Vegas airport. I
received a flying scholarship from the Civil Air Patrol that paid
for all of my lessons through my first solo in a Cessna 172. I
have flown a few plans: gliders, Cessna 152, Cessna 172, T-37
Tweet, T-38 Talon, AT-38, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16C/D Falcon.
I do not own my own plane, but the Air Force lets me borrow
theirs. :)
I am a career fighter pilot in the Air Force. I flew the F-15E
Strike Eagle in three operational fighter squadrons, and have
over 1,000 hours in that aircraft. I also have over 190 hours of
combat time, as my primary duty is to fly, fight, and win our
nations wars when asked by our elected government to do so.
Currently, I am serving as the #3/Right Wing pilot on the
Thunderbirds...our job is to travel the country and the world,
representing the 513,000 men and women who are in the Air
Force. It is the greatest honor and privilege of my career...and,
I get to do it while flying the F-16. I chose to become a fighter
pilot, and a Thunderbird, because I simply love my country and
al that it represents.
The best part of my job is having the honor of representing so
many talented people in our Air Force...it is very humbling. It is
also a huge responsibility, and one I take very seriously. I can
think of no higher an honor than to be asked to represent our
Air Force and our country...that, simply put, makes it fun. The
best part of my job is meeting so many people from all over
the country, and the world, and sharing the triumph of the Air
Force story with them. Plus...the flying is quite a fun challenge
as well!
Air Force Thunderbird Pilot and Officer
My name is Nicole Malachowski, but my call sign is "FiFi". I am a
major in the Air Force and currently fly as #3/Right Wing with
the USAF Thunderbirds at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada. I
have been an Air Force officer for almost 11 years, a fighter
pilot in the F-15E for 8 years, and I pilot on the Thunderbirds
for 18 months. I'm married to an F-15E WSO, we have no kids,
nor do we have any pets.
I've wanted to be a fighter pilot since I was 5 years old. I came
from a patriotic family, who always supported our military. I
went to an airshow where I saw the F-4 Phantom flying, and fell
in love with the power, technology, and grace of the plane.
That's when I decided to become a fighter pilot. My parents
always supported my dreams, and they laid the foundation for
my being able to achieve them.
I was determined to fly from a very young age...and made that
choice during a time when women were not allowed to be
fighter pilots. I did, at times, run into people who were
adamant that women could not, or should not, pursue a career
as a fighter pilot. But, I always actively stuck to my goals and
chose to surround myself with positive people who believed in
my dreams as much as I did.
I learned to fly in high school at the North Las Vegas airport. I
received a flying scholarship from the Civil Air Patrol that paid
for all of my lessons through my first solo in a Cessna 172. I
have flown a few plans: gliders, Cessna 152, Cessna 172, T-37
Tweet, T-38 Talon, AT-38, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16C/D Falcon.
I do not own my own plane, but the Air Force lets me borrow
theirs. :)
I am a career fighter pilot in the Air Force. I flew the F-15E
Strike Eagle in three operational fighter squadrons, and have
over 1,000 hours in that aircraft. I also have over 190 hours of
combat time, as my primary duty is to fly, fight, and win our
nations wars when asked by our elected government to do so.
Currently, I am serving as the #3/Right Wing pilot on the
Thunderbirds...our job is to travel the country and the world,
representing the 513,000 men and women who are in the Air
Force. It is the greatest honor and privilege of my career...and,
I get to do it while flying the F-16. I chose to become a fighter
pilot, and a Thunderbird, because I simply love my country and
al that it represents.
The best part of my job is having the honor of representing so
many talented people in our Air Force...it is very humbling. It is
also a huge responsibility, and one I take very seriously. I can
think of no higher an honor than to be asked to represent our
Air Force and our country...that, simply put, makes it fun. The
best part of my job is meeting so many people from all over
the country, and the world, and sharing the triumph of the Air
Force story with them. Plus...the flying is quite a fun challenge
as well!
It is very rare that a stranger believes I've been a fighter pilot for 9
years, let alone that I have the privilege of flying with the
Thunderbirds. Once the initial shock is over...I often find
overwhelming positive support. At the end of the day, most people
are happy to see someone achieve their dreams. I've been blessed by
the amount of encouragement and support I have received.
Q What role do skills in Math, Science, Engineering and
Technology play in supporting your job?
The training to be a fighter pilot is very competitive, but it is very
doable. I received a college degree from the Air Force Academy in
Management, with a minor in French. I must admit I'm not naturally
talented at math and science....BUT it is necessary to being a good
pilot. Understanding the 3-dimensional environment, and topics like
velocity, closure, momentum, G-forces...are crucial to what I do. I've
had to work hard to understand them. Fighter aircraft are on the
forefront of technology, and they are constantly being upgraded. We
must always study to stay "up to date" on advances in our career
field. To be a pilot, I had to go to Air Force pilot training for one year,
then to F-15E school for 10 more months. My training to be a
Thunderbird was 4 months long. It all takes work, but it is certainly
worth it!
Q What activities do you suggest for young children or adults to
prepare them for a career like yours?
I am a huge fan of organizations like the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and
Junior ROTC programs. They can teach you about the aerospace
sciences, but the also teach you crucial skills like leadership and
character development.
Here's my advice for anyone following a dream:
1. Choose to do something you're passionate about.
2. Pursue excellence in all you do.
3. ALWAYS surround yourself with positive people!
Best of luck to each of you!
years, let alone that I have the privilege of flying with the
Thunderbirds. Once the initial shock is over...I often find
overwhelming positive support. At the end of the day, most people
are happy to see someone achieve their dreams. I've been blessed by
the amount of encouragement and support I have received.
Q What role do skills in Math, Science, Engineering and
Technology play in supporting your job?
The training to be a fighter pilot is very competitive, but it is very
doable. I received a college degree from the Air Force Academy in
Management, with a minor in French. I must admit I'm not naturally
talented at math and science....BUT it is necessary to being a good
pilot. Understanding the 3-dimensional environment, and topics like
velocity, closure, momentum, G-forces...are crucial to what I do. I've
had to work hard to understand them. Fighter aircraft are on the
forefront of technology, and they are constantly being upgraded. We
must always study to stay "up to date" on advances in our career
field. To be a pilot, I had to go to Air Force pilot training for one year,
then to F-15E school for 10 more months. My training to be a
Thunderbird was 4 months long. It all takes work, but it is certainly
worth it!
Q What activities do you suggest for young children or adults to
prepare them for a career like yours?
I am a huge fan of organizations like the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) and
Junior ROTC programs. They can teach you about the aerospace
sciences, but the also teach you crucial skills like leadership and
character development.
Here's my advice for anyone following a dream:
1. Choose to do something you're passionate about.
2. Pursue excellence in all you do.
3. ALWAYS surround yourself with positive people!
Best of luck to each of you!
TM
| Using aviation to entertain and educate girls about their limitless opportunities... |
For more information, see: www.airforce.com...
...and www.dosomethingamazing.com
Scholarship! l Membership l Help Wanted l Blog l eZine l Survey