USAF Thunderbirds give hometown hero a lift

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Kirsten Wicker
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYDNALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  As part of this year's 2011 Gulf Coast Salute Open House and Air Show held March 26 and 27, the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, known as the Thunderbirds, gave Panama City's own Mary Sittman of Angel Flight, Inc., a lift in the F-16 Fighting Falcon aerial demonstration jet March 24.

The flight was awarded to Mary in appreciation for her dedicated service to the unique aviation company Angel Flight, Inc. While Mary is president of local BayCo Development Company, she is also a pilot with more than 110 flight hours and 38 Angel Flight missions this year.

Mary pilots a 2009 Cessna 182, dubbed "Dorothy" because the airplane was built in Kansas and, "we're not in Kansas anymore," she said.

Dorothy is her own airplane and she uses it to transport individuals to medical centers for any legitimate, charitable, or medically-related need to airport locations across the country. She provides this service free of charge to individuals and health care organizations, covering the cost herself.

"Angel Flight pilots provide all of the fuel and do not seek or receive any reimbursement for any of the associated costs," said Mary.

Mary has also flown compassionate missions for the Wounded Warrior program and for the local sheriff's department.

"I love to fly and feel so blessed to be able to share this gift with people in need of this very special service," she said.

Mary began her Thunderbird experience with a medical check by the team flight surgeon, Capt. Thomas Bowden, Thunderbird number nine, to make sure she was in good physical health for the demands of the flight.

"He taught me how to breathe during G-forces, how to handle those and what to expect to feel while in the air," Mary said. "He wanted to make sure I was fit to fly in this type of airplane."

After her medical briefing was complete, Mary prepared for her flight with life support specialist, Tech. Sgt. Amber Alumpe, to ensure she had the proper flight safety gear and that it fit correctly.

"Putting that G-suit on for the first time was interesting," said Mary. "It felt like a corset or a long-legged girdle once I was all strapped in."

Finally, Mary sat down with Lt. Col. Jason Koltes, Thunderbird number seven, and Mary's pilot for the flight, to discuss what the jet would do once they were in the air.

"Colonel Koltes reassured me this was my flight and he would do what I wanted to do and go where I wanted to go," Mary said. "He wanted to know what maneuvers I liked or wanted to try out."

Out on the flightline, Mary climbed into the cockpit of the F-16, the canopy closed, and off she flew.

"It was exhilarating," she said. "The vertical take-off was the coolest thing of all. We also went upside down and he showed me some maneuvers he does for the air show performance and also some combat maneuvers. We flew really low at one point doing about 500 miles per hour and that was really awesome."

Once on the ground, Mary breathed in a sigh of contentment and smiled from ear to ear.

"I was just floating and completely ecstatic, but oddly enough, I was tired in the end," said Mary. "Feeling the G-force was exhausting."

Mary flew with Colonel Koltes for nearly 45 minutes, reaching over four Gs and flying at speeds more than 600 miles an hour. In just that time, she accomplished something few actually do in a single lifetime.

"It was a great experience, something I'll never forget," she added. "It was a life-long dream come true. A lot of these opportunities weren't available to women when I was learning to fly. It's also reassuring to know what the Air Force is capable of and what Airmen can achieve out there."

"These guys truly are the rock stars of the aviation world," she added.

Tyndall's 2011 Gulf Coast Salute and Air Show drew more than 100,000 people to witness aerial military and civilian acts during the two-day show.