The first woman selected to fly with the Snowbirds in 2000, and then a
decade later the first woman chosen to lead the squadron, it is clear
the two-time history maker has the right stuff. Here is a snapshot of
what makes Lt.-Col. Carmichael tick.
Q
You began your aviation career as an Air Cadet with 630 Squadron in
Beauport Quebec at age 13. What motivated you to join the Air Cadets?
A
I joined the Air Cadets because I was interested in aviation and also to
follow in the footsteps of my three older brothers. Being in the Air
Cadets gave me a solid foundation for my present career in aviation and
in the Canadian Forces.
Q
With more than 3300 hours of Air Force flying, what has been the most rewarding part of your job?
A
Whether I was instructing student pilots in Moose Jaw in the nineties,
transporting VIPs while on the Challenger in Ottawa, or representing the
skill, professionalism, and teamwork of the men and women of the
Canadian Forces during my time with 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, the
Snowbirds, I think the most rewarding part of my flying career has been
contributing to the overall mission of the Canadian Forces.
Q
Becoming the first female pilot in history to fly with the
Snowbirds in 2000 must have been quite an honour. What was that like for
you, and what kind of pressure did you feel in that role?
A
It was indeed quite an honour to be selected to fly with the Snowbirds;
it was also a chance to realize a life-long dream for me. I remember
seeing the Snowbirds at the Bagotville Airshow in the late seventies and
being mesmerized by their performance. I did feel some pressure at the
time. My husband tells the story of hearing of the mid-air collision our
team had in June 2001 (before he and I met) and of his first thought
being “I hope it’s not the girl.” Fortunately, I was not involved in the
accident.
Q
How would you describe your commanding style? What’s the best way to keep your squadron motivated and enthused?
A
I have just completed my first year of command and I have to say that it
is a work in progress. Having been part of 431 (AD) Squadron previously
gives me a great foundation to now lead the men and women that make up
this unit. I know the passion they have, their professionalism, and
their sense of duty; I am very proud of them and what they accomplish on
a daily basis. In order to keep them motivated I just have to ensure
they have lots of airshows to go to and represent the Canadian Forces!
Q
Any at point, did you feel that were not going to achieve your goals in aviation? If so, what changed?
A
I have to say that I worked quite hard during my early pilot training
with the Canadian Forces. The failure rate was quite high and I would
see fellow students returning home on a regular basis. I did not want to
be one of them. One of my goals early on was to fly F-18s, but
unfortunately I was not selected to fly fighters after receiving my
wings. I was disappointed at the time although I ended up realizing
another dream later on, flying with the Snowbirds.
Q
In your opinion, is there anything left to be done to entice young women into a career in aviation?
A
I think the only thing we can do is to expose them at a young age to
aviation and let them know that it is an option and a great one at that!
Although my parents did not work in the aviation sector they certainly
introduced my three brothers and I to airshows and later on the Air
Cadets. Actually, my youngest brother is also a pilot for the Government
of Qu<1>bec, flying its medevac Challenger and Dash-8.
Q
Is there a person, aviator or otherwise, that has inspired you along your career path?
A
There are so many successful/remarkable people that it would be
hard to pinpoint only one. Of course being from Quebec City, I grew up
listening to Celine Dion. What an inspiring example of perseverance,
hard work, and passion. There is also another fabulous lady that shares
those personality traits, Canadian astronaut Julie Payette. Both ladies
are a great source of motivation and inspiration for me.
Q
The Snowbirds exude excellence. What advice can you give young people to strive for excellence in an aviation career?
A
Saskatchewan painter, Yvette Moore, titled one of her latest
work, “The Pursuit of Perfection.” Her painting displays our nine-ship
formation practising during the winter months. I think the title sums up
the Squadron philosophy quite well and I think this is the advice I
would give to young people entering the world of aviation. Never stop
learning……
Q
With an aging fleet of Tutors, what is on the horizon for the Snowbirds?
A
You can expect to see our Tutors at an air show near you as the life
expectancy of the airplane has been extended to the year 2020. This
Canadian plane has performed beautifully over the last 40 years with the
Snowbirds. It is a recognizable source of pride and inspiration for
many generations of Canadians across the country.
Q
What’s it like living in a two-pilot household – any competition?
A
I am very lucky to be married to another Canadian Forces pilot. My
husband knows exactly the demands of my work, what I do, and why. We
often hear that command is lonely; well, in my case, having a husband
that is also about to take command of a unit, it’s quite special as we
get to share ideas, ask the other for advice, and really understand the
challenges of our respective work. There is no real competition between
the two of us…..unless we’re playing a car racing game…
Q
In your current role as Commanding Officer of the Snowbirds, what
are your main duties and what are the main challenges you face?
A
My main duties as the Commanding Officer of 431 Air Demonstration
Squadron are to oversee the entire operation of the Squadron and to lead
the men and the women in fulfilling our day to day mission. During the
summer months I have 22 people that are travelling across North America
presenting our air display to millions of spectators. I also have over
60 people that remain at our home base in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan that
support, maintain and train at home during the summer months.
During the winter months, everyone is back at home preparing and training for the following show season.
Q What is your favourite aircraft to fly? Are there any aircraft you have always wanted to fly, but have not yet?
A I have to say I have two favourite aircraft and both
of them are Canadian! My first one, of course, the CT-114 Tutor aircraft
(our Snowbird jet) for its agility and excellent stability for
nine-plane formation aerobatics; the second would have to be the
Challenger. I actually flew the airplane in two very different roles:
Combat Support and VIP transport. It performed both roles extremely
well; with 434 Combat Support Squadron in Greenwood, Nova Scotia we flew
coastal patrol missions as well as support to the Fighter Force.
Q
What advice would you give a young woman pursuing a career as a pilot?
A
Work hard and follow your passions. I think this is good advice for any
career, but more specifically for aviation; if you love your work you
will not hesitate to put in the hours required to succeed.
Q In your line of business, fitness must be high on
the list of priorities. Do you have a specific fitness regimen for
yourself and your squadron?
A You are right that fitness must be high and that is
the same for all members of the Canadian Forces. For the pilots on
Squadron a lot of the fitness comes from flying the actual show sequence
in the airplane. You slowly build up the endurance over the winter
training months to finally culminate by flying two shows per day during
the intensive spring training deployment in Comox, BC.
For the members of the Squadron, the training routine varies greatly.
For my technicians and pilots that travel for half of the year, it can
sometimes be a challenge to be disciplined on the road. Personally, I
try to get on our treadmill at home first thing in the morning and
(hopefully) get my training done before our girls get up…..
Q What do you see as the best part of your job?
A The best part of my job is getting to meet Canadians
from coast to coast. The members of my Squadron are fortunate since we
meet Canadians on a regular basis. The men and women of the Canadian
Forces that are presently deployed throughout the world do not get to
meet Canadians on a regular basis; we are very fortunate to represent
them.
Q You’re on the road a significant part of the
year. What are your favourite destinations in Canada? Is there a
personal “must have” you can’t live without when you’re on the road?
Starbucks?
A I have to say that I am not on the road as much as my
Air Display Flight. I travel once or twice a month away from Moose
Jaw, to either visit them on the road or to attend meetings/conferences.
I do not have many “must haves” when I am travelling, I try to keep it
simple. Of course a coffee is always required in the morning to wake
up and a blackberry to keep in touch with our operations at home and on
the road.
Q What is your philosophy on achieving success?
A Know what you want and work hard.
Q When you are not busy commanding the 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, what are your main interests and hobbies?
A My husband and I have two young daughters that keep
us busy when we are not at work. I just like taking the time to be with
them and my husband.
Q What is your proudest moment?
A Receiving my Canadian Forces pilot wings in 1994 has to be my proudest moment; even more than making the Snowbirds.
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