For the first time, the US Navy’s pre-Super Bowl jet flight was flown by an all-female team.
Four planes flew in formation over State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday to commemorate 50 years since women were allowed to become pilots in the US Navy. The song followed the national anthem before the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Navy Lt. Catie Perkowski told ABC’s “Good Morning America” last week that it was “surreal” to be selected to fly the flight.
“My dad asked me to call him from the sidelines at the Super Bowl,” he said. “I will do my best.”
Most of the logistics, maintenance and ground crew supporting the flight are also women in the US Navy, according to The Aviationist website.
Women were not allowed to fly in the US Navy until 1973, when the first group of women entered flight school. The following year, six women earned their wings, a group that became known as the “First Six.” Despite the 50 years that have passed, the Navy has continued to struggle with the representation of women. Today, women make up only 15 percent of naval aviators, CBS reported.
In 2019, when Capt. Rosemary Mariner, the Navy’s first female aviator, died at the age of 65, the Navy flew the first all-female flight during the memorial service in Maynardville, Tennessee.
“The wisdom he had to share was really amazing,” Perkowski said of Mariner in his “GMA” interview. “To have the ability to represent people like her who came before us and made everything we do possible is truly an honor.”
Sunday’s flight consisted of two F/A-18F Super Hornets from the Flying Eagles of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 122, an F-35C Lightning II from the Argonauts from VFA-147 and an EA-18G Growler from the Squadron “Vikings”. electronic attack (VAQ) 129.
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