Air Show News: Female pilot flies the massive Hercules

Fom Ria Novosti - a Russian English-language blog: Female pilot flies the massive Hercules

The U.S. delegation presented a large exposition of aircraft at the tenth International Aviation and Space Show, MAKS-2011, in Zhukovsky in the Moscow Region.

The U.S. Air Force and Navy brought 12 combat aircraft to MAKS-2011, including the F-15E and F-16C fighter jets, the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, the C-130J Hercules Tactical Transport Aircraft and the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling military aircraft.

U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Katie Suhrhoff has been piloting the C-130J Hercules aircraft for six months.

Suhrhoff is serving at the MAKS-2011 show as a guide and consultant. She told RIA Novosti that she only has around 500 flight hours, including training courses. Nevertheless, she feels completely confident in the cockpit. According to the lieutenant, a woman piloting an airplane is perfectly common in the U.S. Air Force.

You'd think it'd be common in the Russian air force, too!