Hi Guys,

I found this which is a great lecture presented at the Smithsonian by Nicole Malachowski.

Any Thunderbird fan, past or present, should be able to find something in this to take onboard. She is a very special lady and I am glad I got to meet her.

She has some great video footage as well, and some hints on how to fly formation which translate very well into the virtual arena.

Video: [url=mms://media1.smithsonian.museum/nasm/2008/2008_03_27_General_Electric_Lecture.wmv]An Evening with America's First Female Thunderbird Pilot[/url] (1:20:22)

Thanks for sharing Cobra!

I remember first seeing this presentation back in the spring of '08 shortly after she had finished her tour with the Thunderbirds in 2007. Definitely worth while watching/listening to if you have some spare time. She is a fantastic speaker and this is a very captivating lecture!!!

Reminds me of the times I met her: 1) Outside the Thunderbird hangar in '07 during her final show weekend with the team, talking shop with us about spacing and more, and; 2) After one of the first public air shows of the season in '06 at Tyndall AFB during her first year, signing our artwork.

Absolutely right, she's a special lady and definitely has the right stuff.

Thanks for posting Cobra - that was an outstanding lecture, very inspiring. Awesome story about achieving ones dreams and serving your country. She certainly has a good head on her shoulders!

YouTube link of the video: An Evening with America's First Female Thunderbird Pilot

As mentioned earler, awesome lecture... never really gets old listening to!