Meeting the first lady Thunderbird

No one was more excited to be at the airport than the Ninety-Nines when the Air Force Thunderbirds landed at Kirtland AFB in June. We were invited to greet the Thunderbirds upon their arrival, but the special treat was that we got to meet the first woman to win a spot on this elite squadron.

Major Nicole Malachowski was very gracious. She seemed as interested in us as we were in her! She told us of her dream in being a fighter pilot since she was 5 years old, and how she has reached that goal. She has actually been flying since she was 12 years old. She graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1996 and ten years later she flew with her squadron over the graduation ceremonies for the class of 2006.

We presented Maj. Malachowski with a chili tote bag filled with New Mexico mementos, including a ticket to the Balloon Museum, a roadrunner pin, an ABQ 99s t-shirt, chips and salsa, Indian fry bread and, of course, an application to become a 99 herself!

The Thunderbirds are an Air Combat Command Unit with 8 pilots -- 6 who fly in precision demonstrations. They fly in a tight formation and demonstrate great skill and cooperation. We are proud of Nicole and her great skill and the way she represents women in aviation. Read more about her at: http://www.nellis.af.mil/thunderbirds/06officerhtms/06officers3.htm 

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