U.S. Navy to Honor 50 Years of Women in Military Aviation with All-Female Flyover at Super Bowl LVII

The U.S. Navy will commemorate 50 years of women in military aviation with an all-female flyover at the 2023 Super Bowl. This will be the first-ever all-female flyover at the Super Bowl in its history. The flyover formation includes two F/A-18F Super Hornets from “Flying Eagles” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 122; a F-35C Lightning II from the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147; and an EA-18G Growler from the “Vikings” Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129.

Seven women from the U.S. Navy will be participating in the historic flight over State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The flyover will recognize 50 years of women flying in the Navy that began in 1973 when the first eight women began flight school in Pensacola, Florida.^[0]

Four female pilots will be part of the Navy’s Super Bowl flyover on Sunday, including Lt. Katie Martinez of Springfield, Virginia, Lt. Lyndsay Evans from Palmdale, California, Lt. Caitie Perkowski from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Lt. Arielle Ash. Lt. Suzelle Thomas will be piloting a F-35C, the Navy's newest aircraft.^[1] Lt. Perkowski, who pilots a F/A-18E fighter jet, told Good Morning America that a flyover like the one planned for Sunday is “any pilot's dream.”^[2]

The flyover will also include Petty Officer 2nd Class Rhiannon Sellinger, Petty Officer 2nd Class Jedd Tabladillo and Petty Officer 2nd Class Mark Crooks who will be carrying the Navy flag with the color guard. In 2019, a historic flyover in Tennessee was conducted by an all-female crew in honor of the late Capt Rosemary Mariner, the first woman to fly a navy jet.^[3]

During the performance of the national anthem, a flyover of three Navy tactical squadrons will occur.^[4] Two F/A-18F Super Hornets, a F-35C Lightning II, and an EA-18G Growler will be showcased. The Super Bowl will be broadcasted on Sunday evening at 6:^[5] Beginning at 8 PM, the show^[6]

Lt. Perkowski and her fellow female aviators are excited to be part of the historic flyover and to honor the legacy of their predecessors.

0. “All-woman crew to perform flyover at Super Bowl LVII” Arizona's Family, 9 Feb. 2023, https://www.azfamily.com/2023/02/09/all-woman-crew-perform-flyover-super-bowl-lvii/

1. “All-female Super Bowl flyover team to make history” ABC News, 9 Feb. 2023, https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Living/female-super-bowl-flyover-team-speaks-making-history/story?id=96983944

2. “NAS-trained pilots part of flyover team at Super Bowl 57” WLBT, 10 Feb. 2023, https://www.wlbt.com/2023/02/10/nas-trained-pilots-part-flyover-team-super-bowl-57/

3. “‘Humbled and honored’: Super Bowl to honor 50 years of female flyers” The Guardian, 10 Feb. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/feb/10/super-bowl-military-flyover-female-flyers

4. “Liberty HS grad to flyover Super Bowl during National Anthem” KGET 17, 9 Feb. 2023, https://www.kget.com/news/local-news/liberty-hs-grad-to-flyover-super-bowl-during-national-anthem/

5. “Sacramento native on the Navy crew that will supply aircraft for Super Bowl flyover” KTXL FOX 40 Sacramento, 10 Feb. 2023, https://fox40.com/news/local-news/sacramento/sacramento-native-on-the-navy-crew-that-will-supply-aircraft-for-super-bowl-flyover

6. “All-Women Team of Navy Pilots to Make History with Flyover at Super Bowl 2023: ‘Humbled and Honored'” Yahoo Entertainment, 10 Feb. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/women-team-navy-pilots-history-195143885.html