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{{Short description|British Royal Air Force officer}}
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Squadron Leader '''Nicola Elizabeth Smith''' is a retired British [[Royal Air Force]] officer. She was the first female military helicopter pilot and in 2002 she became the first female to command a flying squadron.<ref name="mod">[http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/54e6de9e0c383719802572b9005141ed/3893b8af133532c2802572ab004b5876?OpenDocument "RAF Appoints First Woman Squadron Commander", Ministry of Defence, 17 April 2002]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1935151.stm "Honour for high-flying woman", ''BBC'', 2002 ]</ref>
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2018}}
⚫
Squadron Leader '''Nicola Elizabeth Smith''' is a retired British [[Royal Air Force]] officer. She was the first female military helicopter pilot in the United Kingdom and in 2002 she became the first female to command a flying squadron.<ref name="mod">[http://www.wired-gov.net/wg/wg-news-1.nsf/54e6de9e0c383719802572b9005141ed/3893b8af133532c2802572ab004b5876?OpenDocument "RAF Appoints First Woman Squadron Commander", Ministry of Defence, 17 April 2002]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1935151.stm "Honour for high-flying woman", ''BBC'', 2002 ]</ref>


Smith was born in [[Colchester]] and studied aeronautical engineering at [[Emmanuel College, Cambridge]],<ref>[http://www.thecomet.net/news/career_helicopter_pilot_1_2825121 Profile, ''The Comet'', 30 September 2013]</ref> where she joined [[Cambridge University Air Squadron]] in 1986.<ref name="mod" /> Regraded from [[acting pilot officer]] to [[pilot officer]] on 15 July 1989,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=51853|supp=y|page=9957|date=28 August 1989}}</ref> she graduated from the [[RAF College Cranwell]] in 1990 with the Sash of Merit as best female cadet. She was promoted [[flying officer]] on 15 January 1990<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=52045|supp=y|page=1979|date=13 February 1990}}</ref> and in November 1990 she transferred from the Engineer Branch to the General Duties Branch as aircrew,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=52458|supp=y|page=3065|date=26 February 1991}}</ref> becoming one of the first female trainee pilots in the RAF. She was promoted [[flight lieutenant]] on 15 January 1992.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=52838|supp=y|page=2794|date=18 February 1992}}</ref> She went to [[RAF Swinderby]] for elementary flying training, returned to Cranwell for basic flying training,<ref name="mod" /> and then went to [[RAF Shawbury]], where she became the first woman in the British military to qualify as a helicopter pilot in October 1992.<ref>[http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/history-of-aviation-timeline/interactive-aviation-timeline/british-military-aviation/1992.aspx RAF Museum timeline]</ref><ref name="mod" /><ref name="mail">[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-110263/Nickys-wings-ambition.html "Nicky's wings of ambition", ''Daily Mail'', 2002]</ref>
Nicky Smith was born in [[Colchester]] and studied aeronautical engineering at [[Emmanuel College, Cambridge]],<ref>[http://www.thecomet.net/news/career_helicopter_pilot_1_2825121 Profile, ''The Comet'', 30 September 2013]</ref> where she joined [[Cambridge University Air Squadron]] in 1986.<ref name="mod" /> Regraded from [[acting pilot officer]] to [[pilot officer]] on 15 July 1989,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=51853|supp=y|page=9957|date=28 August 1989}}</ref> she passed out from the [[RAF College Cranwell]] in 1990 with the Sash of Merit as best female cadet. She was promoted [[flying officer]] on 15 January 1990<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=52045|supp=y|page=1979|date=13 February 1990}}</ref> and in November 1990 she transferred from the Engineer Branch to the General Duties Branch as aircrew,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=52458|supp=y|page=3065|date=26 February 1991}}</ref> becoming one of the first female trainee pilots in the RAF. She was promoted [[flight lieutenant]] on 15 January 1992.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=52838|supp=y|page=2794|date=18 February 1992}}</ref> She went to [[RAF Swinderby]] for elementary flying training, returned to Cranwell for basic flying training,<ref name="mod" /> and then went to [[RAF Shawbury]], where she became the first woman in the British military to qualify as a helicopter pilot in October 1992.<ref>[http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/history-of-aviation-timeline/interactive-aviation-timeline/british-military-aviation/1992.aspx RAF Museum timeline]</ref><ref name="mod" />


She became a [[search and rescue]] pilot flying [[Westland Sea King]]s, initially with [[No. 202 Squadron RAF|202 Squadron]] at [[RAF Boulmer]] in Northumberland, then with [[No. 202 Squadron RAF|202 Squadron]] at [[RAF Lossiemouth]] in Scotland and later with [[No. 22 Squadron RAF|22 Squadron]] at [[RAF Valley]] on [[Anglesey]], flying more than 250 missions.<ref name="mod" />
She became a [[search and rescue]] pilot, flying [[Westland Sea King]]s, initially with [[No. 202 Squadron RAF|202 Squadron]] at [[RAF Boulmer]] in Northumberland, then with the same squadron at [[RAF Lossiemouth]] in Scotland, and later with [[No. 22 Squadron RAF|22 Squadron]] at [[RAF Valley]] on [[Anglesey]], flying more than 250 missions.<ref name="mod" />


She was promoted [[squadron leader]] in 1999<ref name="mod" /> and, after a staff tour as the Personal Staff Officer to the Air Officer Commanding & Commandant of the [[RAF College Cranwell]], she trained on [[Westland Wessex]] helicopters with [[No. 72 Squadron RAF|72 Squadron]] at [[RAF Aldergrove]] in Northern Ireland before being posted to [[RAF Akrotiri]] in [[Cyprus]] to take command of [[No. 84 Squadron RAF|84 Squadron]] in March 2002.<ref name="mod" /><ref name="mail" />
She was promoted [[squadron leader]] in 1999<ref name="mod" /> and, after a staff tour as the personal staff officer to the Air Officer Commanding and Commandant of the [[RAF College Cranwell]], she trained on [[Westland Wessex]] helicopters with [[No. 72 Squadron RAF|72 Squadron]] at [[RAF Aldergrove]] in Northern Ireland before being posted to [[RAF Akrotiri]] in [[Cyprus]] to take command of [[No. 84 Squadron RAF|84 Squadron]] in March 2002.<ref name="mod" />


She retired from the RAF in September 2006, although keeping her ties with the service by joining the [[Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch)]] as a flying officer,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=58177|supp=y|page=17148|date=12 December 2006}}</ref> and taught mathematics at [[Felsted School]] until September 2007, when she joined [[CHC Helicopter]] as business development manager and [[Soteria Search and Rescue]] as transition manager.<ref name="LI" /><ref>[http://www.helicopterlife.com/2009_04/soteria.html "Soteria's Search and Rescue Bid", ''Helicopter Life'', 2009]</ref> In April 2011, she joined [[Essex and Hertfordshire Air Ambulance]] as an air ambulance pilot and in October 2014 she moved to [[Wiltshire Air Ambulance]].<ref name="LI">[https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/nicky-smith/19/878/88b LinkedIn profile]</ref><ref>[http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/11599413.Trailblazer_Nicky_is_new_pilot_of_air_ambulance/?ref=arc]</ref>
She retired from the RAF in September 2006, although keeping her ties with the service by joining the [[Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch)]] as a flying officer,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=58177|supp=y|page=17148|date=12 December 2006}}</ref> and taught mathematics at [[Felsted School]] until September 2007, when she joined [[CHC Helicopter]] as business development manager and [[Soteria Search and Rescue]] as transition manager.<ref name="LI" /><ref>[http://www.helicopterlife.com/2009_04/soteria.html "Soteria's Search and Rescue Bid", ''Helicopter Life'', 2009]</ref> In April 2011, she joined [[Essex and Hertfordshire Air Ambulance]] as an air ambulance pilot. In November 2014, Captain Smith moved to [[Wiltshire Air Ambulance]].<ref name="LI">[https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/nicky-smith/19/878/88b LinkedIn profile]</ref><ref>[http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/11599413.Trailblazer_Nicky_is_new_pilot_of_air_ambulance/?ref=arc "Trailblazer Nicky is new pilot of air ambulance", ''Salisbury Gazette'', 2014]</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
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[[Category:1960s births]]
[[Category:1960s births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Colchester]]
[[Category:Schoolteachers from Essex]]
[[Category:Alumni of Emmanuel College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Alumni of Emmanuel College, Cambridge]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Women in the Royal Air Force]]
[[Category:Women in the Royal Air Force]]
[[Category:Helicopter pilots]]
[[Category:Women helicopter pilots]]
[[Category:English schoolteachers]]
[[Category:Women's Royal Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Women's Royal Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Colchester]]

Latest revision as of 23:40, 17 August 2024

Squadron Leader Nicola Elizabeth Smith is a retired British Royal Air Force officer. She was the first female military helicopter pilot in the United Kingdom and in 2002 she became the first female to command a flying squadron.[1][2]

Nicky Smith was born in Colchester and studied aeronautical engineering at Emmanuel College, Cambridge,[3] where she joined Cambridge University Air Squadron in 1986.[1] Regraded from acting pilot officer to pilot officer on 15 July 1989,[4] she passed out from the RAF College Cranwell in 1990 with the Sash of Merit as best female cadet. She was promoted flying officer on 15 January 1990[5] and in November 1990 she transferred from the Engineer Branch to the General Duties Branch as aircrew,[6] becoming one of the first female trainee pilots in the RAF. She was promoted flight lieutenant on 15 January 1992.[7] She went to RAF Swinderby for elementary flying training, returned to Cranwell for basic flying training,[1] and then went to RAF Shawbury, where she became the first woman in the British military to qualify as a helicopter pilot in October 1992.[8][1]

She became a search and rescue pilot, flying Westland Sea Kings, initially with 202 Squadron at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland, then with the same squadron at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, and later with 22 Squadron at RAF Valley on Anglesey, flying more than 250 missions.[1]

She was promoted squadron leader in 1999[1] and, after a staff tour as the personal staff officer to the Air Officer Commanding and Commandant of the RAF College Cranwell, she trained on Westland Wessex helicopters with 72 Squadron at RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland before being posted to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to take command of 84 Squadron in March 2002.[1]

She retired from the RAF in September 2006, although keeping her ties with the service by joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (Training Branch) as a flying officer,[9] and taught mathematics at Felsted School until September 2007, when she joined CHC Helicopter as business development manager and Soteria Search and Rescue as transition manager.[10][11] In April 2011, she joined Essex and Hertfordshire Air Ambulance as an air ambulance pilot. In November 2014, Captain Smith moved to Wiltshire Air Ambulance.[10][12]

See also

[edit]

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g "RAF Appoints First Woman Squadron Commander", Ministry of Defence, 17 April 2002
  2. ^ "Honour for high-flying woman", BBC, 2002
  3. ^ Profile, The Comet, 30 September 2013
  4. ^ "No. 51853". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 August 1989. p. 9957.
  5. ^ "No. 52045". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 February 1990. p. 1979.
  6. ^ "No. 52458". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 February 1991. p. 3065.
  7. ^ "No. 52838". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 February 1992. p. 2794.
  8. ^ RAF Museum timeline
  9. ^ "No. 58177". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 December 2006. p. 17148.
  10. ^ a b LinkedIn profile
  11. ^ "Soteria's Search and Rescue Bid", Helicopter Life, 2009
  12. ^ "Trailblazer Nicky is new pilot of air ambulance", Salisbury Gazette, 2014
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