It took me that entire three-year assignment to take ownership for where I was at and decide that only I could change it. / CBS News, This story originally aired on November 13, 2019, on the "CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell.". Just two years earlier, women were granted the honor of flying fighter jets by the U.S. Air Force (USAF). This shift in airshow schedules meant that Maj. Currans social media contributions became even more important for maintaining the relevance of the Thunderbirds for public audiences. During the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds most recent headlining appearance in 2019, over 366,000 attended the Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach. During her three years of task with the Thunderbirds, she rapidly established herself as a extremely seen and constructive influencer for the Air Force by revolutionary use of social media. I know what I need to do. I actually helped buckle Brie Larson into this very seat, one replies. Curran additionally supplied distinctive and candid transparency about her profession and private life, successfully leveraging social media to convey airshow followers and aviation fans contained in the world of a fighter pilot. People come up and say Im so proud of you, something your mother would say. If the key to flying F-16s is extensive training and rock-hard leg musclesboth things women have access towhy arent there more female Thunderbirds? Really, what we do is life and death sometimes," Curran said. Demerly is an skilled parachutist, holds superior SCUBA certifications, has climbed the very best mountains on three continents and visited all seven continents and has flown a number of kinds of gentle plane. I see that look on faces that light bulb moment., She is the fifth woman to fly with the Thunderbirds (the first was in 2005). We know each other a sisterhood.. including 8,000 doing aerobatics. Before joining the Thunderbirds, Curran completed high-impact combat missions across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, where the challenges were tough, but the rewards were greater. In the hours following our interview, Im ushered from a flight surgeon to on-the-ground training for my flight to a fitting for the g-suit to one rather alarming explanation of how to use the planes ejector seat. So in a way, women make for more natural fighter pilots. With a powerful story and breathtaking visuals, Michelle, also known as Mace, takes her audience on a surprising and compelling journey through her career as a Fighter Pilot, culminating in her role as the Lead Solo Pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds. Curran was the lead solo pilot for the Squadron. Weve detected you are on Internet Explorer. Known to many as the Greatest Show on Long Island, the Bethpage Air Show was canceled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Please enter valid email address to continue. I got to watch the USAF Thunderbirds arrive at MacArthur Airport ahead of their headlining appearance at the Bethpage Air Show over Memorial Day Weekend at Jones Beach State Park, and then got to speak with the pilots. He is in his first season with the team and hails from Cerritos, Calif. Maj. Michael Brewer is the Slot Pilot for the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, flying the No. Her evolution from struggling with a crippling fear of failure to flying inverted only inches from other aircraft at 500 mph will inspire audiences to get comfortable being uncomfortable. During the latter part of her role on the team, many airshows were cancelled due to the global pandemic. Stay connected. has historically had the most female recruits. Workshop: Going to War with Your Inner Critic. In a Facebook put up from Wednesday afternoon, October 27, 2021, USAF Maj. Michelle Curran, name signal Mace, introduced she is, about to make a big career pivot and will be leaving the Active Duty Air Force in the new year. Drawing on over a decade in high-performance aviation and her own transformation, Mace teaches audiences what they are capable of when they let go of fear, lean into vulnerability, and make bold choices. During a conversation at the Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan for the Thunder Over Michigan Airshow in 2021, Curran told. Flying under the callsign MACE, she was the second woman ever to fly in the lead solo position for the Thunderbirds since the teams founding in 1953. He says that among his favorite things are riding roller coasters (he was looking forward to getting a ride on the Cyclone at Coney Island). After serving in the Air Force, Michelle Curran is dedicated to continuing her service by helping others realize their dreams as the founder and president of Upside Down Dreams. Select this result to view Michelle Fami Curran's phone number, address, and more. Her favorite maneuver is the vertical roll. December 31, 2019 / 4:08 PM Here are photos from the practice performance including: Show headliners the United States Air Force Thunderbirds returning to the Bethpage Air Show for their 8thappearance, performing some new maneuvers; the United States Army Golden Knights Parachute Team performing in their 15thBethpage Air Show; the United States Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II, the first aircraft to be designed for close air support of ground forces (and built on Long Island); and the U.S. Coast Guard Search & Rescue Demonstration. Its like no other organization I have ever been a part of, said Curran, who has been in the Air Force for 12 years. We had the opportunity to speak with Michelle recently as she prepares for the 2019 show season, and here's how it went: After some reflection on that last 13 years, I realized the thing I found the most rewarding was the ability to inspire people that I suddenly had as a Thunderbird. Flying an F-16 also requires an incredibly high degree of athleticism. They act as the public face for the USAF, performing jaw-dropping maneuvers at air shows around the country. All rights reserved. a demonstration performance. And then you have the kiddie gloves! The Air Force turns 72 years old this month. Maj. Curran is broadly referred to as a member of the U.S. Air Force Flight Demonstration Team, the Thunderbirds. You can update your choices at any time in your settings. My time in that role was coming to an end after the 2021 season regardless of what I was going on to do next. Like us at facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures. Day weekend) were flown, including the B-25 Mitchell Bomber used in the Catch The unit adopted the name Thunderbirds, influenced in part by the strong Native American culture and folklore from the southwestern United States where Luke Air Force Base is located. 15 lives, patrol some 96,000 miles of coastline through the US, as well as David The whole squad gets together, talk about dumb mistakes and then you get a call sign. But the origin remains a secret. Initially I credit the breathtaking beauty and the roller-coaster-like thrill of the experience for this, but then I remember another thing the flight surgeon told me: Women tend to have a lower center of gravity, giving them something of a natural advantage against high g-forces. people interested in preserving aviation history, flies aircraft from the 1920s. Curran is in her third year on the air forces elite demonstration team usually, the special assignment only lasts two years, but because of COVID-19, the tour is extended and now is the lead solo pilot. From 2019-2021, she flew as the only female pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds and performed for millions across the country and internationally. He is in his third year on the Thunderbirds. by Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate,goingplacesfarandnear.com. The event over Memorial Day Weekend draws almost 400,000 in the course of three days. It means she's front and center in one of. Source: USAF Maj. Michelle Mace Curran, Thunderbird #5, to Leave Team, USAF Maj. Michelle Mace Curran, Thunderbird #5, to Leave Team - Click To Share. "Major Michelle Curran, call sign "Mace," is the only female fighter pilot on the Thunderbirds, the Air Force's demonstration team." -- What an amazing role model! MACE started her career at Undergraduate Pilot training, earning one of only two fighter aircraft spots available and going on to fly the F-16. (where the plane falls from the sky), 4 knife edge tumblers, inside-outside MACE served as Chief of Scheduling, Chief of Standardization and Evaluation, and a Flight Commander at various squadrons. I was so excited, I called everyone in my familyand none of them answered their phones, she deadpans. Curran, whose call sign is "Mace," flies Thunderbird No. n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; *This is a free press release. Most thrilling at this years Memorial Day weekend | By Destination Brevard | Facebook Log In Forgot Account? This was the 16th We dip around a big thunderstorm and run through a set of increasingly intense maneuvers360-degree rolls, extended periods of upside-down flight, turns with increasingly high g's. This isnt a new thing., Currans doing her part to change that perception. "Those women that have blazed the trail for me, they're just regular people that were driven and you know, stepped outside their comfort zone," Curran said. travels at 250 mph. ), First Woman Thunderbird Pilot, Combat Veteran, & Fighter Squadron Commander, Army Ranger School Graduate, Leadership and Peak Performance Expert, Curran has been featured on several leading media publications and programs, including. Curran also provided unique and candid transparency about her career and personal life, effectively leveraging social media to bring airshow fans and aviation enthusiasts inside the world of a fighter pilot. Applying to the team is intimidating and there is a good change of not getting hired, of failure. but I did get hired. Taking that leap can be intimidating, but if you take charge of the things that are in your control like preparation and planning, putting in the work, leveraging your network, and controlling how you react to adversity, you will find you are capable of much more than you realize. She serveda two-month deployment in the skies over Afghanistan in 2016, flying 125 hours in combat and was serving in the 355th Fighter Squadron in Fort Worth, Texas, whenshe was chosen for one of the coveted spots in the Thunderbirds, who train at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and has logged more than 1,700 flight hours, including more than 470 combat hours in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and Operation Freedoms Sentinel. He entered the Air Force in 2002 as a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. Caldwell graduated from the F-16 Replacement Training Unit at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., in 2005. Source: "Major Michelle Curran, call sign "Mace," is the only female fighter pilot on the Thunderbirds." AviationFreak 01:11, 28 November 2020 (UTC) Send comments or questions to[emailprotected]. In hindsight, this response to adversity was so flawed. "I was definitely nervous and excited, but there was so much to learn that is specific to the Thunderbirds that those feelings were overshadowed by the focus needed to keep up with the jet," said Curran. Tom Demerly is a characteristic author, journalist, photographer and editorialist who has written articles which are revealed world wide on TheAviationist.com, TACAIRNET.com, Outside journal, Business Insider, We Are The Mighty, The Dearborn Press & Guide, National Interest, Russias authorities media outlet Sputnik, and lots of different publications. This button displays the currently selected search type. Over the next 18 months, I started running marathons, got into technical mountaineering, traveled to Nepal by myself to trek to Everest Base Camp with a group of strangers, deployed for the first time, and spent a summer instructing in Poland. I knew it was something I wanted to do not that the dream would come true but there are steps and I could do the best I could., He didnt imagine then he would become one of the Thunderbirds, and even now, reflects being proficient is one thing, but it takes luck and timing to get the F-16.. of aerobatics; Golden Knights parachutist Maj. Marissa Chierichella and the Red Lt. Col. Kevin DiFalco is the Director of Operations for the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, flying the No. The thing that floors me is that some people still dont realize its an option, she says. I found myself stuck in my own head and consumed by my self-doubt. No matter how confident and independent we appear to be, we all face pressure to fit in, be liked, and meet the expectations of others. During the latter a part of her function on the group, many airshows had been cancelled due to the worldwide pandemic. The Air Forces official air demonstration team, designated the 3600th Air Demonstration Unit, was activated at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona in 1953. She went on to full the Squadron Officer School in 2014. In a professional way. Michelle "MACE" Curran Motivational Speaker, Thunderbird Pilot 19-21', AF Fighter Pilot, Aspiring Author, Outdoor Enthusiast I help teams get unstuck by empowering them Published Jun 3 . Add to List. Trust and teamwork are obviously essential to the Thunderbirds and any successful team. Michelle "MACE" Curran Expand search. Col. John Caldwell is the Commander/Leader of the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron. 2. Tom Demerly is a feature writer, journalist, photographer and editorialist who has written articles that are published around the world on TheAviationist.com, TACAIRNET.com, Outside magazine, Business Insider, We Are The Mighty, The Dearborn Press & Guide, National Interest, Russias government media outlet Sputnik, and many other publications. . Theres still a long way to go before the Air Force hits total parity, but Curran doesnt see herself as an outlier. She has additionally served as an F-16 Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander on the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas. During her three years of assignment with the Thunderbirds, she quickly established herself as a highly visible and positive influencer for the Air Force through innovative use of social media. Maj. Curran flew as Thunderbird #6, opposing solo, before her advancement to Thunderbird #5, lead solo in the 2020/21 airshow season. She just has one requirement for her life, post-Thunderbirds: I want to keep flying.. It turned out there was a lot more to being a fighter pilot than just flying the jet. Four years into that time she became the first female pilot to fly for the 457th Fighter Squadron. The thing that makes it great are the people I serve with- everyone, the team I work alongside every day. it has been awesome to be part of that, to be in this position, in this time of history. Checking in with Major Michelle Curran call sign "Mace" of the Air Force Thunderbirds as they prepare for this weekend's @Space & Air Show at Orlando. She earned a degree in criminal justice in 2009 because she consideredbecominga crime scene investigatorbut also thought it would be cool to become a pilot. Today theres only one female Thunderbird pilot: Major Michelle Curran, a 32-year-old Wisconsin native who flies the coveted Opposing Solo position. The City of Boston is seeking artists to redesign these . Its especially important to have strong leg, calf, and thigh musclestheyre what you squeeze while going into a maneuver with a high amount of g-forces in order to keep the blood in your head from pooling into your lower extremities. smoke trails of Tucker. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Did_you_know_nominations/Michelle_Curran&oldid=991790654, The first two are great. Focus.. For up-to-date information about this years show, visitwww.bethpageairshow.comorhttps://www.facebook.com/BethpageAirShow/, or contact the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Regional Office, Recreation Department at 631-321-3510. This week, I want to give you a bit of perspective on why I chose to stop flying F-16s and become an entrepreneur. In the works are online coaching programs for personal development, and in person corporate leadership coaching. I had the wrong hook - How about ALT0c: . In total, Curran logged 1,500 total flight hours with the Air Force, including 163 combat hours in Afghanistan as part of Operations Freedoms Sentinel and Resolute Support. Demerly is an experienced parachutist, holds advanced SCUBA certifications, has climbed the highest mountains on three continents and visited all seven continents and has flown several types of light aircraft. aviation lawyer who knew all too well the risks, and she because her father You look absolutely terrifying (Locked-In). Prior to joining the Thunderbirds, he served as the Assistant Director of Operations of the 555th Fighter Squadron and Director of Operations for the 31st Operations Support Squadron at Aviano Air Base, Italy. The Super Bowl was the first public appearance for the current team, which is also performing a flyover at the Daytona 500 in two weeks before the show schedule kicks off next month. These pilot nicknames can quickly identify an aircraft or individual, and they also help to confuse. Early life [ edit] Curran fiercely resisted her assailant, police said. From 2019-2021, she flew as the only female pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds and performed for millions across the country and internationally. t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, During his performance, Ret. Anyone with information about Curran's case is asked to call the Riverside County Sheriff's Office at (909) 341-8817 or the Metropolitan Police Department's Missing Persons Detail at 229-2907. . Force launch out of a plane from 13,000 feet, speeding like Former F-16 Instructor/Thunderbird Pilot, USAF. Its these videos which will be streamed in place of Saturdays performance. During a dialog on the Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan for the Thunder Over Michigan Airshow in 2021, Curran advised TheAviationist.com that, These are long days sometimes, but this is the best job in the world. The Power of Vulnerability. MACE uses her experience in high performance, teamwork, risk assessment, and debriefing to inspire clients to overcome their own challenges and increase performance using the tools of Flawless Execution. Michelle is one of few women in aviation history to fly with the elite fighter pilot squadron, the Thunderbirds, and is known by her call sign "Mace". He has logged more than 1,700 flight hours, including more than 280 combat hours over Iraq and Syria in support of Operations Inherent Resolve. Kenneth Sweet survived Pearl Harbor attack, helped found Wisconsin Air National Guard, Fly along on an F-16 while we tell you what will take its place at Truax Field, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Shes badass, Curran says. In a Facebook post from Wednesday afternoon, October 27, 2021, USAF Maj. Michelle Curran, call sign "Mace", announced she is, "about to make a big career pivot and will be leaving the Active Duty.