country, mimicking the astonishing stunts of Sean D. Tucker, a living legend Crunchbase always contains a descriptive blurb about each company, and, Weve detected you are on Internet Explorer. Drawing from her 13 years as a Fighter Pilot, Curran delivers actionable content and wit to leave audiences both informed and entertained. Michelle MACE Curran is an F-16 Mission Commander with over 1800 hours in the aircraft. 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. MACE is a 2009 received her degree from the University of St. Thomas where she graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Criminal Justice. I was sure everyone else was better than I was and knew more than I did. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Template:Did_you_know_nominations/Michelle_Curran&oldid=991790654, The first two are great. 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. In an interview posted on the Thunderbirds' website, Curran was asked what it was like to climb into the distinctive red, white and blue Thunderbird jet for the first time. Museum, at Republic Airport (flights available over Memorial 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. He is in his third season with the team and hails from Orlando, Fla. Maj. Ian Lee is the Left Wing Pilot for the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, flying the No. 6, also known as the opposing solo pilot. WAYS TO SEE LONG ISLANDS BETHPAGE AIR SHOW AT JONES BEACH DESPITE WEATHER, 16TH ANNUAL BETHPAGE AIR SHOW AT JONES BEACH, LONG ISLAND, HONORS SPIRIT OF MEMORIAL DAY, PHOTO HIGHLIGHTS FROM 15THANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY BETHPAGE AIR SHOW AT JONES BEACH, LONG ISLAND, 2021 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. She spends so much time flying upside down, that the number 5 on the aircraft is painted upside . Game on. I'm happy to admit struggles and failures if it gives others perspective on what they are going through. 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. Thunderbirds, are a team of Recently, MACE was called back to St. Thomas to receive their Distinguished Alumna of the Year award. This year, she is the lead solo doing the daring-do maneuvers, where two opposing fighters come at each other at, like, 1200 mph. 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 Air Force in the new year. Flying an F-16 also requires an incredibly high degree of athleticism. 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 . I thought, Thats really cool. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. The demonstration squadron boasts some of the worlds most elite fliers, and those skilled enough to make it serve a two-year assignment. 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. All upgraded press releases are ad-free! US Air Force Major Michelle Curran is aware that she is such an inspiration to women and girls everywhere a role she embraces, along with her mission, as a member of the Thunderbirds demo team to recruit, retain, inspire. It is hard to say which she enjoys more the look on a young girls face when she realizes that Curran was flying those death-defying maneuvers in her F-16 fighter jet, or the thrill of flying those death-defying maneuvers in her F-16 fighter jet, going from 1500 feet altitude straight up to 15,000 feet in a matter of seconds. 7 jet. At this writing, there was no decision on whether the Sunday performance would take place. Prior to commissioning, he flew as a commercial flight instructor, cargo pilot and airline pilot. She has also served as an F-16 Instructor Pilot and Flight Commander at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Fort Worth, Texas. n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; It's a very unforgiving job if you make mistakes. man would weigh 800 lbs. 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. The whole team then returns for died in an airplane crash. 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. So now, Im not only anxious about puking or passing out in front of a badass pilot but also concerned Ill be late to meet this badass pilot. The thing that floors me is that some people still dont realize its an option, she says. The headliners, the US Air Force Her aunt Sara Cook, Bill's sister, planned to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, too. In her less visible but equally crucial role with the Thunderbirds, Mace Curran served as Chief of Standardization and Evaluation for the team, a leadership role which will positively impact the trajectory of the team in upcoming seasons. Demerly studied journalism at Henry Ford College in Dearborn, Michigan. The call sign tradition is celebrated by aviation communities across all military branches. Learn more in our Cookie Policy. Find contact's direct phone number, email address, work history, and more. annual Jones Beach air show Ive seen almost all of them and though many of commanding the Opposing Solo; Jessy Panzer, the only civilian woman aerobatic pilot in the David 15 lives, patrol some 96,000 miles of coastline through the US, as well as Maj. Curran flew as Thunderbird #6, opposing solo, earlier than her development to Thunderbird #5, lead solo within the 2020/21 airshow season. MACE flew as Thunderbird #6, the Opposing Solo, for the 2019 season and as #5, the Lead Solo, for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. 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.. 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? The flight surgeon who cleared me for my ride asked if I ever went to SoulCycle or ran marathons, two things that would make me better at handling g-forces. 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. in 1972 ands composed of aviation professionals, recreational pilots, and She has founded her company, Upside Down Dreams, to inspire others to overcome setbacks and achieve their goals. I made a promise to myself that I would stop letting my self-doubt and fear of failure control every decision. Drink a beer. Curran was assigned to the F-16 Fighting Falcon and spent three years stationed in Japan flying throughout the Pacific. During a conversation at the Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan for the Thunder Over Michigan Airshow in 2021, Curran told TheAviationist.com that, These are long days sometimes, but this is the best job in the world. Engine and a General Electric CJ610 (J85) Jet Engine with 3,000 lbs of thrust. Curran fiercely resisted her assailant, police said. See photo galleries of Jones Beach Air Shows from 2019 and 2018: By Karen Rubin, Travel Theres been a steady uptick of female pilots in general and in the fighter community as well, she says. USAF Maj. Michelle Curran, call sign "Mace", arrives at Selfridge ANGB in Mt. See more, including their schedule of performances, at the US Air Force Thunderbirds site, afthunderbirds.com. 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. Vulnerability isnt a weakness, its a super power as a leader! Next year, her last with the Thunderbirds, she'll get bumped up to Lead Solo, where she'll be showcasing the maximum capabilities of the planes. We ask what it feels like to fly. that, These are long days sometimes, but this is the best job in the world. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com, www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin, and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. "We're just bursting with excitement," said Bill Curran. Though she wasn't really interested in football. Drawing the audience in with action-packed stories tied to lessons of grit, perseverance, determination, and teamwork, she shares hard-won lessons on how to reframe challenges, shift your mindset to shift your trajectory, realize the power to success that lies within you, and turn the voice of self-doubt into your biggest cheerleader on the path to success. He majored in Communication Technology and Music and earned his commission in 2010 as a graduate of Ohio State Universitys Reserve Officers Training Corps program. a different plane from the Oracle Challenger 3 biplane. 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. aviation lawyer who knew all too well the risks, and she because her father Im hoping to continue to do that through this platform, public speaking, a childrens booklets just say I have a lot of goals and I hope youll continue to come along for the journey. They act as the public face for the USAF, performing jaw-dropping maneuvers at air shows around the country. Go fly girls! During her ten years flying the Viper, MACE flew combat sorties in Afghanistan and taught Polish Air Force pilots in their aircraft. I live in a fifth-floor walkup, I offered. It means she's front and center in one of. He is the epitome of what the Thunderbirds are about. plane, it is astonishing to learn that the plane is a Taperwing Waco made 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. the most daring feats: US Air Force Thunderbirds pilot Michelle Curran, "I'm a left-wing solo. 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. Across Boston, neighborhood signs welcome residents and visitors to the diverse communities that make up the City. This button displays the currently selected search type. 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. t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, About halfway through her time in ROTC, she was inspired to get her pilot's wingsbecause she wanted to be part of something with a bigger purpose, she said in the website interview, and also because she's a thrill seeker who likes challenges. The amount I needed to learn was so overwhelming that I avoided it by procrastinating. They practice so much, it is all quite routine, even the communications between pilots. USAF Maj. Michelle Mace Curran, Thunderbird #5, to Leave Team. These pilots are at the mercy of a lot of g-forcesthat is, the gravitational force caused by rapid accelerationand its intense on the body. LinkedIn and 3rd parties use essential and non-essential cookies to provide, secure, analyze and improve our Services, and (except on the iOS app) to show you relevant ads (including professional and job ads) on and off LinkedIn. He it has been awesome to be part of that, to be in this position, in this time of history. However, a livestream of Fridays practice sessions include footage from go-pros from the pilots and a Thunderbirds chase plane that shadowed the F-16s in their thrilling maneuvers is airing on Saturday, 10-3 pm. We had the opportunity to speak with Michelle recently as she prepares for the 2019 show season, and here's how it went: She flew 160 combat hours in Afghanistan before joining the team. Imposter syndrome is real! (There have been girls who had really long ponytails get their hair stuck in the seat.) Instead, Im riding with Lieutenant Colonel Eric Gorney, a very kind and patient pilot who showed me, using a model plane, exactly what kind of maneuvers wed be doing once we got into the sky. My presence here wont end when I hand off the #5 and I have a lot more to share with you!. "But if they go out and they, you know, chase a dream that they didn't think they could do because they saw what we can do, then our mission's achieved," she said. fbq('track', "PageView"); Tradition Continues: USAF Thunderbirds To Perform Flyover at 2022 DAYTONA 500, U.S. Air Force and Industry Pass L3Harris F-16 EW System in Critical Design Review, Four Ways To Take Control When Things Fall Apart In Business, U.S. Air Force: Fufeng Grand Forks Project Presents Threat to National Security, U.S. Thunderbirds at Gowen Thunder Airshow This YEAR, Operation Homecoming Kickoff Event February 14th @ 1400 > Maxwell Air Force Base > Display. 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.