Meet Female Pilots of Thunderbirds & Snowbirds Fly Together For First Time at Abbotsford Airshow
195,630
Published 2019-08-10
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Women flying for the first time with both the Thunderbirds and the Snowbirds on Saturday and Sunday:
Maj. Michelle Curran of the Thunderbirds and Capt. Sarah Dallaire of the Snowbirds are set to make history this weekend at the Abbotsford International Airshow
The Abbotsford International Airshow is celebrating its 57th year, but Saturday features a first for the event and for airshows in general.
Saturday marks the first time ever that both the Canadian Forces Snowbirds and the USAF Thunderbirds have a female pilot performing in their ranks.
Capt. Sarah Dallaire of the Snowbirds and Maj. Michelle Curran both take to the skies on Saturday, and the pair are thrilled to see more females entering the cockpit.
Dallaire, a Quebec native, began pilots training back in 2001 when she joined the 776 Air Cadet Squadron. From there she joined the Canadian Armed Forces through the Continuous Education Officer Training Program as a Royal Canadian Airforce pilot in 2007. She was then posted at two Canadian forces flying schools and was also deployed in Kuwait for six months. Dallaire then applied to join the Snowbirds and was selected to join the team in 2017.
Curran, a Wisconsin native, is a 2009 graduate of the University of St. Thomas’s Air Force ROTC program. She also served as an F-16 instructor pilot in Texas and has logged more than 1,200 hours as a pilot, including more than 160 combat hours. This is her first season with the Thunderbirds.
Dallaire is just the second woman ever to perform with the Snowbirds, and said she was inspired by Maryse Carmichael – the first woman to become a Snowbird.
“I was 12 years old and all it took was the first time I heard her name on the PA and she put a flame into my heart,” she told The News on Friday afternoon.
She said never thought she’d become a Snowbird, but she kept pushing and pushing to the next step and realized her dream was in reach.
Curran’s path was similar, with a lot of hard work and pushing to keep reaching the next goal. There have been four other females that have been a member of the Thunderbirds. She said it’s great to see females become more aware and interested in the path she’s taken.
“What’s really cool now is that with social media now people will reach out to me directly and send me messages,” she said. “It’s cool to see tangible results.”
Curran and the Thunderbirds perform at 1:30 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, while Dallaire and the Snowbirds take to the skies both days at 3:30 p.m
For more on the show, visit abbotsfordairshow.com.
#FemalePilot #Abbotsford #Airshow
All Comments (21)
-
Condolences to the Snowbirds family on the loss of Capt. Jenn Casey. May she RIP.
-
RIP / Salute to Capt. Jenn Casey
-
Why would anyone thumbs down someone who can achieve their goals, much respect to you !!
-
Mace is opposing solo which means she's extra badass, Pushing herself and world's one of best aircraft to its limits. Much love and respect for them. Really caught up in the recent event of the snowbirds crash. May all of them stay safe and blessed.
-
The F-16 performance is quite superior than the Tutor. The tutor can't got rolling in the vertical until 15000 ft. RIP Capt Jenn Casey. Hat off for women pilots.
-
Snowbird Pilot Captain Sarah, nice infectious smile. Go get em girl. Glad there are women in this position. 👍👍👍
-
l love how the canadian pilot stare to the american pilot, like she was so happy for have met Maj. Curran. Capt. Dallaire, you are a hero too.
-
What an awesome interview! These pilots are inspiring
-
I'm 5'8, 170lbs and have been right around there since I joined the Navy and flew F4's and F-14's many years ago. G tolerance for shorter frames is a huge benefit. I'm literally the optimal body type to fly high G. It's not necessarily peak G, but endurance. I could easily hold 6g turns without much work much longer than some guys in the 6' range. As well...just getting in and out of the cockpit was a breeze for me. Now...take that and in my civilian flying, I'd MUCH rather be a couple inches longer in the torso in some aircraft. The King Air isn't a good fit for me, nor was one of the Hawker's I flew. The G III-V were all fine as well as every Boeing I've flown. Funny...I was listening to Maj Curran and said "She's GOT to be from the upper midwest somewhere". Sure enough, she's a Wisconsin native as well. I can usually guess within a 3 state radius now!lol!
-
We love to see amazing women inspiring others to pursue careers in aviation!
-
I see two people and they are both super talented ....... they are in these positions in their careers because of hard work and dedication and their drive to succeed .....
-
Congratulations girls. My 92 year old mother would have loved to be where you are. In the 60s she learned in aroncas and tripacers. She became an instructor at all levels and one of only a couple of faa designated examiners, aerobatic instructor and AWTA (all women’s transcontinental air racers) podium placer in the 60s. She has rolled lear jets but never got to fly in fighters although some of her lasting relations are with fighter Pilots she originally taught. So go girls my mother, still going in Prescott az, is my hero
-
That first girl,Capt. Dallaire I think,I love that oh so slight French accent. I like seeing woman getting to prove they can handle this kind of stuff. US finally in the last 5\10 years allowing woman in actual combat flying roles. Been women flying tankers for quite a while now,but finally allowed in "combat aircraft" To cool!
-
Very Proffesional and talented pilots. Take care and be safe. Much sadness over the recent loss off one of your associate's.
-
Thumbs-UP #4 I am, Saturday 10 August 2019! No way I am the first comment! It does not seem possible! Anyway, Thank You So Much for interviewing them! I really enjoyed listening to each! You are a great interviewer!
-
Three amazing women doing great things!!!
-
My thoughts go to the Snowbirds. Loosing Capt. Jennifer Casey, aerobatic team's public affairs officer and injuring pilot Capt. Richard MacDougall is tragic. Capt Sarah Dallaire is a model for a generation. Maj Michelle Curran is badass Jet Fighter pilot. Check her at work in her office: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe_tazJMutM&t=2940s
-
En tant que Vétéran Canadien ,Je suis de tout coeur avec vous pour la perte ressente d'un membre de l'équipe .j'ai un grand respect pour ce que vous accomplissez .Mes sympathies a toute l'équipe ET BRAVO POUR VOTRE TRAVAIL .
-
Michelle Curran you are amazing👍❤
-
The snowbirds came to Oregon a while back and I thought is was a great show.
