'Absolutely Incredible': Meet the First Woman to Fly with U.S. Navy's Blue Angels
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- Опубліковано 27 вер 2024
- In a blue and yellow Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, U.S. Navy Lt. Amanda Lee roared into New Century AirCenter on Thursday, ahead of this weekend’s KC Garmin Air Show.
Lee, a Minnesotan, is the first female pilot for the Navy’s elite Blue Angels. You can spot her flying left wing in fighter jet number 3 this weekend in Gardner.
“I kind of fell into flying for the Blue Angels,” said Lee, who enlisted in the Navy in 2007 as an Aviation Electronics Technician. “I used to work on these airplanes as a maintainer, and when I picked up my commissioning program, I transitioned into the pilot spot, kind of hoping to get back to the same aircraft that I used to work on,” she said.
Lee, who joined the Blue Angels team last September, has more than 1,400 flight hours and 225 carrier landings under her wings.
“I can’t believe I got picked up for this incredible team,” Lee said.
As the first female pilot for the elite demonstration squadron, Lee said the support from the public has been “absolutely incredible.”
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Someone like her is definitely a role model for the rest of the women in the military!!! 🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩🛩
Enlisted, then commissioned, then aviator, then Blue Angel. One hell of a role model.
Are you serious? Didn’t know she was enlisted. Thought it’s hard for enlisted to go the piloting route later on due to the age limitations
Meanwhile, the youth consider rappers as role models.
@oceancat0450 ask the media why they don't show more of these types of people.
Why they prefer to desensitize the male populace why. Ask why
NO SHE AINT hahahaha, anyone can apply to be in the "Blue Angels" as long as you have 3000 combat hours.
Admirable lady. A true role model for young women going the pilot route.
Way to go, Amanda. Her story is the American dream; that anyone who works hard can achieve what they want. She is the perfect choice for this team.
yes - the SEALS should all be girls now
You would be hard pressed to find a better role model for our young enlisted/officers alike to emulate. Just an absolutely amazing career path. Wow!
I didn't know one could work their way up with the route she traveled to reach the Blue Angels team.
I think that having Lt. Lee with the Blue Angels is just fantastic! The fact that she is older, and prior enlisted, puts her squarely into a leadership position behind the Boss. Her maturity. and skills have put her where she is and I look forward to watching her career as a Blue Angel and beyond! Well done!
How does her enlisted experience put her in the place of leadership when there other officers who’ve spent more time honing their skills as junior leaders from 2lt rank till now before she joined though?
@@1anre I misstated the idea of her being 'squarely' behind the Boss as a leader. What I really was trying to emphasize is that in my experience, prior enlisted officers make the best, well rounded and experienced leaders in the military.
@reggierico that's very very interesting.
I've heard both sides, with folks saying mustangs are the ones to keep away from, as sometimes they might very the most wicked if you have to deal with them on tge job.
LCDR Lee. Don't demote her.
@@mikegriego3671 Sorry, I missed the promotion board!
You are an inspiration Amanda Lee!! Great job! 👏
Saw her today. She was amazing🤗🎊🤩💗😊
Amanda I follow u guys all over, and I finally got to meet you guys first practice in Pensacola!! U are an awesome young lady and I’m your biggest fan!!!! Jr Rogers😎!!
Going into the slot as number 4 shows how much the team trusts her abilities. Way to go Blue Angels! Can you say “Boss Lee”? She would be awesome as the Boss in a few years.
It's not like that wouldn't have happened, the normal transition dictates she moves to 4
Is no 4 the toughest spot or where the most tricks need to be performed?
I hope she will be and that there will be more female pilots for the Blue Angels ❤
Blue Angels are in town Saturday and Sunday. ( Binghamton NY) I have been seeing them practice I only live 3 miles from the airport. What an inspiration to see this incredible lady on the team way to go!!!! Double ditto for the first female pilot flying Fat Albert too👍🏻 Way to go ladies!!!!
My dream is to become one of the blue angels! I hope it comes true! I get to maybe go to one of their flying shows!! I hope I get to and see her!!❤❤❤❤
You are FANTASTIC: saw the Blue Angels this weekend at the Fort Worth Naval Air Station, GREAT JOB AMANDA we love you !! ❤
Back in the EARLY '70s, a good friend was married to a young woman who started her flight career in Cessnas. Then got a job flying third chair for Delta, and could take off and land the aircraft she worked on. I worked for Prudential as an audio-visual producer and was heading up to Augusta, GA to interview an agent. As I was standing in line with my luggage to check in she came from the side and was stepping over my bag on her way to her job. We nearly collided out of no where and had an incredible meeting as though it had been planned. SHE was a very early pilot pioneer and I would guess that a lot of female pilots have her to thank for paving the way. Way to go, Sharon!
Yea good job. My spouse is a former Marine aviator and an 09. We encountered so many uniformed women who wore their feelings on their sleeve, displayed jealously and tore other women down in public. My advice; I hope that you are stronger and better than those who run and complain & tattle about every little, silly thing that ‘hurts their feelings’. Southerns are kind people who have compassion at heart. If someone is kind, be kind in return. If your course of action is corrected…learn, don’t hold a grudge and move forward. As women we must build others up and support. Fab job! 😎
I am a Amanda Lee Fan forever. Outstanding Lt.
chicks in the COCKpit - what a waste
Welcome to Florida I hear you flying have a great flight be careful and God bless you
AWESOME! Go show those boys/men what you can do! Setting off the car alarms with that pass was cool!
Absolutely heartwarming.
I'm am very glad you were able to follow your dream!
Amanda is such a boss.
Love this Lady!!!!!! She says you can do whatever you want, if you train hard.
Lt. Lee, God bless you for your service to our country.
God bless you for the example you set for all girls and women.
God bless you for the example you set for all boys and men.
Our greatest resource is our people.
Our greatest strength is our people.
You are a shining example of all of these.
👎 There is no god.
Most awesome is the Snowbirds and Blue Angels in the same show.
Canadian snowbirds?
Lady... 👍, .... Pekalongan, Central Java, Indonesia 🙏
Congrats!!❤
I now see Captain's bars on your uniform. Outstanding work, you can be proud Amanda. Your my modern day Amelia. God love ya!!!! Go Blue Angels!!!!!!! At least it looks like Captain's bars to me, correct me if I'm wrong and if I'm not, someone needs to paint Cpt. Amanda Lee on the aircraft. ????
The equivalent rank in the US Navy is Lieutenant. The Navy rank of Captain is the same as Colonel in the other branches.
Thank you for the correction sir@@jamescable1773
This is Awesome 🇺🇸🇺🇸
She is not the first woman to fly with the Blue Angels. She is the first woman to fly as part of the 6 plane demo team. The first woman, Katie Higgins was a Marine aviator who flew the C-130 that goes with the team.
With her precision skills can you imagine what an incredible SURGEON she would be? Maybe when she retires from the Military she’ll get back to her medicine dream. What an inspiration!
Atta Girl ❤
Thanks for today's fly over. Navarre FL 😊🎉
Awesome! Wish we could have seen them in flight!
We also had San Diego NAS first Female Commanding Officer in the 1990
Hmm, I could be a doctor or fly an f-18 in the Blue Angels. What...should...I...do? AFTERBURNER!!!!! 🔥🛫🏆
Enlist
Awesome role model for both enlisted and officer alike. Her resume is incredible.
Pienso que las.mujeres en el taller donde hacen y arreglan a estos pájaros azules son igual de importantes que las.maravillosas mujeres que los vuelan. 👍🏻🙏
Thank you for your service and always everything you do for us all here and every where!!!!; God bless you all and your family ❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊❤
That's one impressive lady. Not only the first female Blue Angel pilot but there can't have been too many Mustangs who have achieved that...
Love this ❤
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻Awesome >!!
Making that LEE name proud
very cool
Oh my gosh,you guys are so awesome,I wanted to say cute,thank you.
that's awesome, hope to see you at the Toronto airshow Sept 3
Where’s the site to register for the Toronto show ?
how is she the first when theres a related video showing the first woman from 8 years ago… might be the same person but something doesnt add up
She's the first woman on to fly the F/A-18 in the demos. The USMC girl flew Fat Albert, the C-130.
@@Ziggy_Moonglow Good info! These news outlets fail us too often.
Amerika love you keren
❤❤❤
Definitely a Blue Angel ❤
One super smart gal
❤
Bien femme ❤
It’s about time, then again it’s not about gender it’s about skills.
good to see new faces! I trive to be one of them some day
Ya'll need to update your title. She isn't the first woman to fly with the Blues. That distinction goes to Katie Higgins in Fat Albert. LT. Lee is the first woman to fly a hornet with the Blue Angels.
not even close to the same thing
@@slappymcgillicuddy7532 It is. Even a pilot of Bert is a member of the Blue Angels. LT. Lee is the FIRST FEMALE, Numbered, Hornet pilot of the Blue Angels. If you want to get even more pedantic over it, there have been dozens of female service members who have ridden in the back of the two seaters over the years, But Ms. Lee isn't the first to be on the team in a flying role. Try again please
A little bit tighter is the understatement of the decade
There was a female pilot C-130 years ago.
And?
lol, does the C130 fly with the F-18's?
I heard she became a fan of the Red Arrows
The British bowling team? Not likely.
I hope to be the 2nd🩷
Why are most of Women who are Fighter Pilots so beautiful?
👍🏽❤️👏🏽
I cannot understand some of these hateful comments. Chauvanistic and Racist! Shame on you people
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤
АМАНДА ЛЕЕ - рад познакомиться ИНОПЛАНЕТЯНИН с соседнего созвездия АЛЬФА ЦИНТАВРА - маяк посадки планета ПРОКСИМА би . Внук ЗЕВСА
ไปรอรอบ 2 แล้วกันรอบนี้คงไม่ทำงบประมาณจัดซื้อ
Mustangs are a step above! Bravo Zulu!!!!
Negative. They’ve already had a Marine Female officer flying the fat Albert. Maybe fix the headline and state first female jet pilot.
not even comparable. flying the C130 is cake compared to the demo team with 5 other fighters flying 3 feet apart
Ashame their FORCED to put a woman on the team and an African American
By whom?
_Ashame_ you didn't *force* _yourself_ to learn proper English, such as the difference between _their_ and _they're._
@@oubrioko Seemed to be a little harsh to call him out on multiple layers of ignorance, but I guess he deserves it. Good on ya.
Obviously you are unlettered and ignorant. Stupid is as stupid does.
Nobody "falls into becoming a Blue Angel." They actively seek selection and assignment. It's like rushing a fraternity/sorority.
Call sign, "Stalin" 👍
I gave it a 100% but was told not qualified for aviators spot! So giving it your all in what you want to do! Is BS
could not find a brown diversity hire?
No need to. The #5 pilot beat out all the other white pilots in the selection pool. Guess the navy got tired of all the white male pilots crashing the planes every few years.
You can only push affirmative action so far . . .
one of the other pilots is black
Amanda I am single...just fyi
Not buying this positive discrimination bs.
Wow. They let girls fly airplanes today? What a crazy future we live in.
Women have flown airplanes since the 1930s. Does the name Amelia Earhart ring a bell?
Plenty of women fly. 😂
Next update that came out: “Blue Angels crash” 😅😅
quota filler ....
Since all team members are unanimously selected, that makes your point invalid.
@@siouxperb5570 lol - sure skippy
@@dl5672 Guess you don't follow the team at all.
@@siouxperb5570 ok fanboy - there was no slot set aside for a chick and black... they were just the absolute best.... sure DEI - Diversity Equity and Isreal - that is why white men no longer will join the military. let the non-whites go fight for occupied palestine....
@@dl5672How many members of this team are white? KKK much?
What do you mean by a "slot set aside"?
Do you have the slightest concept of how the selection process works?
A win for lower standards.
She will end up crashing or causing someone else to crash. 100%.
Just got back from the show! she did GREAT and the show was GOOD so your wrong. sucks for you but great for us!
What an ignorant comment ! 100%.
She has been amazing this year and has been one of if not the best most consistent pilot on the 2023 roster, instead of spewing sexist bullshit maybe get educated?
@@dLucld She literally flew over my house in Olathe.....nothing happened except for getting me excited. DO IT AGAIN!!!!
heck yah @@IrishSetter01
คือแนวคิดมันไม่เหมือนกันกองทัพอากาศชอบจะฝันให้ไกลลงทุนกับเทคโนโลยีที่ซับซ้อน กองทัพเรือเขาจะลงทุนกับเทคโนโลยีที่น่าเชื่อถือมีความทนทานต่อสภาพการใช้งาน
АМАНДОЧКА ЛЕЕЧКА - я болею за ВАС МИЛАЯ - такого от девушек я не ожидал ... ДЯКУЮ . Но в моей жизни встретилась ДЕВУШКА которая убивала БЫКОВ разных мастей ... . И ВОТ ОДНАЖДЫ ОНА ПОДЕЛИЛАСЬ ТЕХНОЛОГИЕЙ УБИЙСТВА - Я ЗАМЕР , а потом пошёл курить . ЖЕНА МЕДИК - открыла РОТ и с этим были проблемы ...
Forget Barbie! This is REAL Girl Power!
Yess I agree 💯❤
You’d hurt the folks that pander
❤❤
Technically, U.S. Marine Corps Major (then Captain) Katie Higgins was the first female Blue Angel pilot in 2015. She flew Fat Albert (the C-130 of the Blue Angels). LT Lee is the first female fighter pilot in the Angels. Semper Fi! Marines leading from the front! 👍
And, Lcdr Amy Tomlinson who flew F-14s preceded Major Higgins on the Blue Angels, yet she is never acknowledged. So there is a distinction between an NFO, a C-130 aviator, and a hornet demo pilot.
that is not a Blue Angel pilot, flying a Herc is nothing close to being a demo pilot in the formation
@@slappymcgillicuddy7532 it absolutely is! I never said she was an F/A-18 pilot. Fact is, she is a pilot and a Blue Angel, thus a Blue Angel pilot. And a Marine at that. Which is in itself more than most. Can you say the same?
Why the name albert
@@andrewbonica3dswhat defines a blue angle pilot ? Doesn’t it have to be a fast Jet Qualification not just any airframe?
I was able to meet her this year when she is #4...wonderful representative of women in the Navy...
Just saw her today in the 4 slot position. ❤
😎👍👍👍👍👍💖 that's great to hear that sweetie you'll do a great job Jim Kansas City
Imagine having gender be your defining trait instead of how good you are.
I would be willing to bet, that behind the scenes there is a LOT of razzing from her peers, but that’s how you know they like you……
That is all levels of impressive. Not only is she obviously a top pilot (afaik you need to be a vet pilot with great experience to even get into Blue Angels), but she also knows all the technical stuff way beyond of what a pilot would need, because she worked as a technician on those birds. Absolutely awesome and hopefully an inspiration for many aspiring pilots.
Add to the fact she teaches how to fly them. 🤩
How did she afford to go to flight school as an enlisted while still doing her regular Techician job.
Heard the pay isn’t that high for enlisted folk, so I’d love to learn how she hacked it all
The Navy is almost 20 years behind the USAF. The Thunderbirds had their first female pilot in 2005 and by the time I saw them in 2007, there were two women flying in the T-Birds. Naval aviation is still very much an "old boys club."
Yes, but you understand the reason for that, do you not?
I could not even climb the ladder to get in the cockpit.
I can barely drive my truck. Where do we find such people?!
..Amanda is an American hero .. and great example for young women... shows you can do it..!!!..
Men can be pilots too. She's a good role model for everyone.
I feel bad for the man that was likely better and more qualified that got the short end for the “diversity” hire.
@@jaredr991 If selection to the team were not by 100% unanimous peer selection, your assertion of a "diversity hire" might carry some water. But, it doesn't. Sorry.
@@jaredr991 You know nothing and prove it, congratulations.
Thank you
I’m glad the boys let a woman play too!
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍😃😃
👏👏👏👏❤
She is an outstanding example of everything that makes America great. Proud of her and all others in the military.
Enlisted and then got her Commission and now flies in the number 3 slot is truly amazing. This woman is what the U.S. Navy is all about!!
The Blue Angels were here this past weekend. I met her and we chatted briefly. Very nice lady.