F-35’s first female test pilot from Green Bay
GREEN BAY - A 2003 Preble High School graduate became the first female F-35 test pilot in December.
Maj. Rachael Winiecki, a test pilot for the U.S. Air Force, made the historic flight Dec. 14, at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The F-35 is a stealth aircraft used around the world including but not exclusively in combat. Before becoming a test pilot Winiecki served several tours of duty overseas.
Winiecki said her decision to become a fighter pilot was steered by her time at parochial school and Preble High School, where she spent most lunch hours in science teacher Gordon Kendall’s classroom with other members of the school’s engineering team working on projects.
Kendall was her teacher for physical science freshman year and environmental science senior year.
What he remembers most about her is how she performed under pressure.
Kendall would take the team each year to Michigan Technological University to take part in the Engineering Olympics. Participants built catapults and bridges to test their skills.
“She has turned those skills into a profession and not a profession many
people can do,” Kendall said.
Taking flight
Following graduation from Preble, Winiecik enrolled at the University of Minnesota and in ROTC.
“I kind of decided I wanted to be a fighter pilot and being an officer was a very important part of that,” Winiecki said.
“It is extremely competitive to become a fighter test pilot,” said Lt. Col. Tucker Hamilton, Winiecki’s commander for the F-35
Advanced degrees are required. Winiecki holds a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering and mechanics, a Master of Science in aerospace engineering and another masters degree in flight test engineering.
Only 10 people are chosen to train out of the 60 to 120 fighter pilots who apply each year to the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Hamilton said. Only a handful actually become test fighter pilots.
Hamilton has been working with Winiecki since December.
Winiecki called her work as a test pilot a “great job.”
The work can change on a daily basis depending on the needs of the customer she and others are working with.
Simply a test pilot
Winiecki does not want her gender to be the focus of her accomplishments.
“My job is to do safe, secure, effective and efficient flight tests to get the products to the war fighter,” Winiecki said.
Hamilton agreed but pointed out the major is contributing to the area of female test pilots in a number of new ways including the development of new equipment for pilots.
“A lot of times they (the equipment) are catered to men,” he said.
Kendall has nothing but praise for his former pupil.
“I think she’s a good example of it’s not just talent. It’s talent, hard work and commitment and how these types of dreams can come true if a person works really hard,” he said.