Born in 1990, Kao studied aviation management at the Republic of China (Taiwan) Air Force Academy (CAFA) in Gangshan District of the southern city of Kaohsiung. She subsequently enrolled in the military branch’s flight school and became the first bachelor’s degree holder from CAFA to complete the combat training program. Kao is one of three female F-5 fighter pilots stationed at Zhihang Air Force Base in southeastern Taiwan’s Taitung County.
“During summer vacation after my second year at Banqiao Senior High School [in New Taipei City], a friend and I signed up for a five-day summer camp for high schoolers and university students at CAFA in Gangshan. The trip also included visits to air force bases in [the southern and offshore counties of] Chiayi and Penghu. This experience proved to be a major turning point for me. At the time, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do with my life. During the camp, we had the chance to see the air force’s Thunder Tiger aerobatics team in action and as I watched the performance, a light went off in my head and I knew I wanted a career in military aviation. A year later, I took the college entrance exam. Although I was shortlisted for the Department of Drama at National Taiwan University of Arts in New Taipei, I decided to use my test scores to apply to CAFA instead.
Of the more than 200 freshmen admitted to the academy that year, I was one of just 13 women. There are four departments at CAFA and I enrolled in aviation management, the only one focusing on social science subjects. The other three teach aeronautics, avionics and mechanical engineering. After graduating four years later, I passed the air force’s flight school screening process. This mainly consisted of a comprehensive physical exam. Any evidence of heart disease or eyesight issues like nearsightedness or colorblindness will lead to exclusion from the program.
During the first six months of pilot training, we learned about aircraft components and procedures as well as emergency survival skills in the mountains and at sea. We also flew T-34 trainers with an instructor. There were two other women in the early stages of flight school with me. One went on to the air force’s Air Transportation Training Section and the other quit. Each year, about 30 to 40 percent of the [more than 100] candidates admitted to the program either fail or drop out for personal reasons. I was committed to becoming a fighter pilot, so after the initial course I went on to the Combat Training Section, where I spent another six months receiving high-level instruction and flying the more advanced AT-3 trainer. Toward the end of 2013, I transferred to Taitung to study advanced combat skills and learn how to fly the F-5, which is a much more complex aircraft than the trainer planes.
(Photo by Huang Chung-hsin)
In March 2014, I completed my first solo F-5 flight. After spending all that time studying, completing emergency preparedness courses and practicing in simulators, it was an extraordinary, unforgettable experience. As I gazed out over the sweeping landscape of Taitung far below, I felt a great sense of personal fulfillment, like all my hard work and dedication had paid off.
I get along well with my military colleagues, the majority of whom are men. We spend so much time working and hanging out together. The only significant difference between us is that we have separate dormitories. Women may be physically weaker than men, but that’s of little consequence when you’re flying a jet, so there’s practically no variation in training procedures or requirements for male and female combat pilots.
Now I’ve reached the stage of my career when I can study to become a flight instructor and that’s my major objective in the near future. In recent years, I’ve been pleased to see a growing number of women signing up for the armed forces, with female pilots qualifying to fly more advanced types of combat aircraft than the F-5 like the Mirage, F-16 and IDF [Indigenous Defense Fighter]. These women are so gifted both in terms of aviation skill and g-force endurance.
In 2017, I was invited back to my senior high in Banqiao to talk with the students about my career. I told them that nowadays the military offers an equally promising and rewarding development path for men and women. With the armed forces actively working to boost the number of female recruits, there are exciting opportunities available to young women who want to serve their country.”
—interview by Pat Gao
Write to Pat Gao at cjkao@mofa.gov.tw