Her favorite maneuver is. 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. !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? 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". The Air Force turns 72 years old this month. Police answered a call in the early morning of July 20, 1971, after Curran's roommate found her in their shared bedroom. John Klatt Airshows Created by AviationFreak (talk). I didnt realize I was nervous about the day ahead, though, until I was halfway to the 177th Fighter Wing of the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base. and Jack Links Beef Jerky teamed up to create a one-of-a-kind plane, theScreamin "We'll do opposing passes, where we fly right at each other head-on. Her call sign is Mace (which she uses in her social media, @mace_curran) and while she doesnt reveal the secret to what is behind the nickname, she says it is a tradition in a fighter squadron to get a call sign they are mission qualified. Major Michelle Curran, call sign "Mace," is the only female fighter pilot on the Thunderbirds, the Air Force's demonstration team. After going through extensive interviews and testing, she called her parents last summer and excitedly said "you're talking to the newest Thunderbird!". Usually I'll go in the swimming pool in the backyard for a few minutes. In 2021, she was named the Distinguished Alumna of the Year by the University of St. Thomas. 6, also known as the opposing solo pilot. In the Facebook put up saying her profession transition, Michelle Curran wrote: Ill be continuing to serve in a part time capacity and pursing some goals in the business world. 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. Like 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). This was the 16th See photo galleries of Jones Beach Air Shows from 2019 and 2018: By Karen Rubin, Travel 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. hometown hero (from Melville), thrills spectators in his Zivko Edge 540 As a living museum they have a variety of antique aircraft flying on the People come up and say Im so proud of you, something your mother would say. modified and beefed up big time. 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 had the opportunity to speak with Michelle recently as she prepares for the 2019 show season, and here's how it went: The Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach is one of the largest and most respected air shows in the country. Curran, whose call sign is "Mace," flies Thunderbird No. Be sure to look for her at an. Once she visited a base and heard the roar of the jets, though, she knew she wanted to pursue the pilot route. They also plan, along with a lot of family, to see her when the Thunderbirds fly at the Milwaukee Air &Water Show July 27-28 and an air show in Mankato, Minnesota, in June. What happens if you unwittingly commit a faux pas in front of one of the best fliers in the world? And the back-story Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Day weekend) were flown, including the B-25 Mitchell Bomber used in the Catch Focus.. Maj. Curran is widely known as a member of theU.S. Air Force Flight Demonstration Team, the Thunderbirds. See more, including their schedule of performances, at the US Air Force Thunderbirds site, afthunderbirds.com. For the best Barrons.com experience, please update to a modern browser. One way to mitigate the nauseating effects is to drink lots of water, but that meant double the bathroom breaks on the drive there. It really means a lot. Lieutenant Colonel Eric Gorney, call sign "Miami," is in charge of flying civilians. The Thunderbirds dont see combat, but that doesnt mean its an easy life. 5,000 ft. (they have a spare chute). Its become more accepted, but she is aware of things that women have to navigate that men dont even think about. Windmiller has Despite the pandemic, Maj. Curran and the Thunderbirds effectively leveraged social media to maintain visibility of the team across all media channels. This is Currans third season with theThunderbirds. Curran has worked with the Thunderbird team media personnel to bring scintillating in-cockpit viewpoint video of the lead solos dynamic routine during the Thunderbird demonstration, including thrilling video of opposing maneuvers with Thunderbird #6 and her signature vertical rolls during the teams high show. I kicked off my newsletter series with a heavy hitter right out the gate. Game on. The whole team then returns for The Air Forces official air demonstration team, designated the 3600th Air Demonstration Unit, was activated at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona in 1953. Have a question? 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. No. speeds of up to 220 mph that keep his peers and his fans in awe. She has inspired thousands through her passion for breaking barriers and setting the example of what can be accomplished through hard work. Theres still a long way to go before the Air Force hits total parity, but Curran doesnt see herself as an outlier. Her skill is all the more apparent since she is flying 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. This shift in airshow schedules meant that Maj. Currans social media contributions grew to become much more vital for sustaining the relevance of the Thunderbirds for public audiences.Curran has labored with the Thunderbird group media personnel to convey scintillating in-cockpit viewpoint video of the lead solos dynamic routine throughout the Thunderbird demonstration, together with thrilling video of opposing maneuvers with Thunderbird #6 and her signature vertical rolls throughout the groups high show. Prior to joining the Thunderbirds, he served as an F-15E Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander of the 334th Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. day, the Coast Guard, with fewer members than can fit in Yankee Stadium, save "A lot of people who see the Thunderbirds or the Blue Angels. Combat veteran Michelle "MACE" Curran led an impressive career as an F-16 fighter pilot during her 13 years in the United States Air Force. 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. 12,500 ft, at a speed of 120 mph before pulling the cord to release their No, she did not. Im not sure if this is reassuring or not. MACE flew as Thunderbird #6, the Opposing Solo, for the 2019 season and as #5, the Lead Solo, for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. She has founded her company, Upside Down Dreams, to inspire others to overcome setbacks and achieve their goals. 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. In this workshop, combat veteran Michelle Curran draws from her experiences as an F-16 fighter pilot and USAF lead solo pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds to walk audiences through interactive exercises to help them identify characteristics of their own inner critic and the reality (or lack thereof) of what it says, as well as provide tools and resources for overcoming the war within. The plane doesnt fly if just one doesnt do their job., His call sign is Strobe. He wouldnt give the back story of how he came to be called Strobe either, except to say, As a young pilot, I thought I knew what was going on. He is a graduate of the USAF Weapons School, a 2016 and 2020 NASA Astronaut Air Force nominee and has logged over 1,900 hours of flight time, including more than 297 hours of combat pilot experience. USAF Lt Colonel John Klatt experiences forces Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com, www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin, and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. I thought, Thats really cool. You look absolutely terrifying (Locked-In). He reflects that he is just a standard Air force fighter pilot, flying every day, multiple times a day to master maneuvers. Except for the pretty paint and smoke, the maneuvers the Thunderbirds fly are the same for what are used in their combat training. This isnt a new thing., Currans doing her part to change that perception. 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. Is she nervous at all? The whole squad gets together, talk about dumb mistakes and then you get a call sign. But the origin remains a secret. Theres been a steady uptick of female pilots in general and in the fighter community as well, she says. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. High five!'. Though theyve only been allowed to fly fighter jets since 1993, women have been enlisting in the USAF proper since 1976. Noted. Sign in Michelle "MACE" Curran Professional Speaker, Thunderbird Pilot '19-'21, Combat Veteran, Fighter Pilot, Author, Outdoor Enthusiast I help teams get unstuck by empowering them to face. My passion is to inspire individuals and teams to make bold decisions, empower them to face fears, and help them find inner strength to reach their true potential. in 1972 ands composed of aviation professionals, recreational pilots, and Considering the ridiculous aerobatics Klatt performs in the She just has one requirement for her life, post-Thunderbirds: I want to keep flying.. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Did_you_know_nominations/Michelle_Curran&oldid=991790654, The first two are great. Growing up in a small town of about 4,000 people, she knew she didnt want to stay there forever, but she worried about how to pay for college. 2019 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. Prior to the Thunderbirds, she was an F-16 Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. Michelle MACE Curran is an F-16 Mission Commander with over 1800 hours in the aircraft. Up in the air, they were spinning so fast, they created a gravitational force nine times their body weight. Since transitioning out of the military, she has founded her company, Upside Down Dreams, and is committed to empowering men and women of all ages to overcome obstacles and the fear of failure. flying before he got his license and has accumulated 18,000 flight hours, A hug! I made a promise to myself that I would stop letting my self-doubt and fear of failure control every decision. 9 positive Gs and 6 negative Gs. 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. 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. During a conversation at the Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan for the Thunder Over Michigan Airshow in 2021, Curran told. 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. "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. with Jessy Panzer, the only female civilian air show pilot in the USA. Police at the time . I'm the first female to fly in that position, which is, I think, one of the hardest positions to fly," Curran said. 22 series on Hulu. that Michelle Curran was the only female flying with the United States Air Force Thunderbirds as of 2020? Looking for Michele Curran online? Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. Demerly studied journalism at Henry Ford College in Dearborn, Michigan. He performs snap rolls, inverted flat spin This is Currans third season with the Thunderbirds. Curran has flown more than 1,500 hours in the F-16, including 163 combat hours over Afghanistan in support of operations Resolute Support and Freedoms Sentinel. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and has logged more than 3,100 flight hours with 667 hours of combat pilot experience. document,'script','https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');

I make a mental note to not take this for granted anymore. 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. The 31-year-old Medford native isthe first female demonstration pilot for the Thunderbirds since 2014. They plan to travel to Las Vegas, where she recently moved to be near Nellis Air Force Base, early next month to see the Thunderbirds perform a flyover at a NASCAR race. This button displays the currently selected search type. Michelle Curran: Taking Action Towards Your Goals. plane, it is astonishing to learn that the plane is a Taperwing Waco made She reflects what it is like to be part of this very special team there are 130 on the team. There was a good portion of my first assignment where I would have walked away if that were an option. She reflects that last year, the personal contact with people was lacking, but the team did city- flyovers, honoring health workers, essential workers and first responders. 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. He expects he will go back to a combat air squadron after this assignment is finished, and based on his age and experience, could become the director of operations. 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? This often begins at Crunchbase, where we find out the basics of the company and its founders, launching points for further research. 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. I realized I was meeting people all the time that struggled with the things that I did during my first assignment. Since Curran began . Recently, MACE was called back to St. Thomas to receive their Distinguished Alumna of the Year award. So in a way, women make for more natural fighter pilots. other at incredible speed. He is in his second season with the team and hails from Beavercreek, Ohio. #flyaf n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; This page was last edited on 1 December 2020, at 21:01. 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. barrier, where the pilot experiences bone-crushing Gs. Maj. Curran is widely known as a member of the U.S. Air Force Flight Demonstration Team, the Thunderbirds. It was during this time that she realized the flying was incredible, but the best part was inspiring others to overcome their fears and pursue their dreams. 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. Curran defined what it is to be a modern Air Force officer for many outsiders, providing a valuable insight into the Air Force experience and showcasing the opportunities of an Air Force career. 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. That decision to change my mindset completely changed my trajectory. man would weigh 800 lbs. Weve detected you are on Internet Explorer. She also contributes to "60 Minutes. 3 jet. everything happens for a reason - it makes you better,stronger and more resilient. He GEICO Skytypers, a team of advanced training aircraft used in World War II, are I'm the first female to fly in that. Curran and her family enjoy their home city of Las Vegas as a hub to adventure from. Always a thrill seeker at heart, she has a passion for pushing her limits and changing lives. 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. 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. On Sunday, Curran didn't fly reallyhigh, but she flewin close formation at 400 mph with five other Thunderbirds, the prestigious Air Force flight demonstration team, at the Super Bowl in Atlanta. Four years into that time she became the first female pilot to fly for the 457th Fighter Squadron. field including Bi-Planes, Champs, and Cubs. I was told by others again and again how they could never do what I was doing and that I must be so brave. All rights reserved. Although Curran isnt flying with meher plane, #6, isnt a two seatershe gave me the excellent advice to braid my hair and tuck it into my suit. * This specific fee falls within this range. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Im also excited to get into the general aviation world and hopefully also try my hand at helicopters. exquisite, thrilling pas de deux in flight, with incredible precision at 200 I will look back.. At this state park and many others around the state, free COVID-19 vaccines were being administered (with two-day passes to state parks as an additional incentive).