“I am from Kaohsiung City and grew up watching planes taking off and landing at the international airport,” Hsieh said. “My dream is to join the air force’s Thunder Tiger aerobatics team and lead the squad in conducting maneuvers.”
According to the 24-year-old Hsieh, the goal of soaring through the skies with the Thunder Tigers helped her complete the more than two years of rigorous training.
If successful, Hsieh will be the squad’s first female member. But as only pilots with the rank of major or above can join the Thunder Tigers, she has to wait at least another six years for the chance. In the meantime, Hsieh is expected to work at air force academy and fly AT-3 trainers.
Since the air force began training female pilots 21 years ago, most went on to fly helicopters, maritime aircrafts and transport planes. Only Chen Chun-yi and Huang Hsin-hsin completed jet fighter training prior to Hsieh, with Chen now a lieutenant colonel and Huang a civilian.
Hot on the heels of Hsieh is Kao Tzu-yu, another female pilot who is working toward certification on the F-5E/F in Taitung. She is expected to become the air force’s fourth jet fighter pilot in the near future. (DF-JSM)
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