Two USAFE officers announced as 2006 'Thunderbird' pilots

  • Published
  • By USAFE News Service
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (USAFENS) --  Two U.S. Air Forces in Europe fighter pilots, including the Department of Defense’s first female jet demonstration team pilot, found out June 16 they will be joining the elite U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron “Thunderbirds” team for the 2006 air demonstration season.

Joining the Thunderbirds Diamond formation in the No. 3 right wing position is Capt. Nicole Malacholwski, currently assigned to the 494th Fighter Squadron, 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. The F-15C/E fighter pilot recently returned from her squadron’s Middle East deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Captain Malacholwski turns a new page in the history books as the first-ever female demonstration pilot on a U.S. military fighter jet demo team.

In addition, joining the team in the No. 8 position is Capt. Tad Clark, an F-16CJ pilot assigned to the 52nd Operations Support Squadron, 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. He will be the team’s advance pilot and air demonstration coordinator, news media and celebrity orientation flight pilot, as well as provide the voice of the Thunderbirds as narrator.

The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron is an Air Combat Command unit, assigned to the 57th Wing, Air Warfare Center, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The team is comprised of eight fighter pilots (including the team’s six air demonstration pilots), four mission support officers, four Air Force and contractor civilians and approximately 120 enlisted Airmen serving in more than 29 career specialties. The military members are all competitively selected for the team.

A Thunderbirds’ demonstration is a mix formation 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 two solos highlight the maximum capabilities of the Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon.

The team's first performance was June 8, 1953 at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz, where Native American Indian legend and lore gave birth to the team’s name. 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.