Snowbirds Chose First Female CO

The Canadian Snowbirds have announced a first for a national jet demonstration team, a female commanding officer - Lt. Colonel Maryse Carmichael.

She's not only the first female to lead a North American jet team, she's also the first woman to fly with the Snowbirds, and the second.

In November 2000, Lt. Col. Carmichael was selected to fly the #3 position with 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, becoming the first female pilot to ever fly with the Snowbirds Aerobatic Team. Upon promotion to the rank of Major in 2001 and in her second year with 431 Squadron, she served as the team's Executive Officer.

The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels have never had a woman pilot but the Air Force Thunderbirds have had two. The first was Capt. (now Major) Nicole Malachowski, an F-16 pilot, was chosen in 2006. She was joined in 2007 by Capt. Samantha Weeks, who flew F-15Cs.

Both are now off the team on new assignments.

Lt Colonel Carmichael was born in QuÈbec City, QuÈbec in 1971. She began her career in aviation as an Air Cadet from 1984 to 1988. She enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1990 and completed pilot training in January 1994. She was selected to remain in Moose Jaw as a Flying Instructor with 2 Canadian Forces Flying Training School (2 CFFTS), where she was awarded the A2 instructional category and served as the School Operations Officer and Standards Officer.

She subsequently flew the Bombardier-Canadair CE-144 and CC-144 Challenger Aircraft with 434 Combat Support Squadron in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, and then with 412 Transport Squadron in Ottawa, Ontario, in the VIP transport role.

In November 2000, Carmichael was selected to fly the #3 position with 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, becoming the first female pilot to ever fly with the Snowbirds. Upon promotion to the rank of Major in 2001 and in her second year with 431 Squadron, she served as the team's executive officer.

In 2003, she was posted to 3 Wing Bagotville to serve as the Deputy Wing Operations Officer but returned to flying in 2007, this time on the Canadian C-130 Hercules, flying Tactical Transport missions.

This year, she was promoted and appointed as the 431 Air Demonstration Squadron's Commanding Officer. This new assignment will mark a return to 15 Wing Moose Jaw.

She has accumulated, to this day, over 3200 hours of flying time and is married to Major Scott Greenough, a fighter pilot with the Canadian Forces, and they have two daughters, Georgia and Danielle.

Although the Canadian Air Force has CF-18 Hornets, Lt. Col. Carmichael has apparently never flown one. The Snowbirds use the two-seat CT-114 Tutor in their nine-plane act.