On this day in aviation history—May 2, 1977—First Lieutenant Christine E. Schott made history as the first woman to complete a solo flight in the United States Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) program. Flying a Northrop T-38A Talon, Schott took a groundbreaking step forward for women in military aviation, marking a pivotal moment 48 years ago today.
Schott was one of ten pioneering female officers selected for Class 77-08, the first group of women to attend and graduate from the UPT program. They earned their Silver Wings on September 2, 1977, becoming the first women in U.S. Air Force history to graduate from the same pilot training pipeline as their male counterparts. This historic class included Captains Connie Engel, Kathy La Sauce, Mary Donahue, Susan Rogers, and Christine Schott; First Lieutenants Sandra Scott and Victoria Crawford; and Second Lieutenants Mary Livingston, Carol Scherer, and Kathleen Rambo.
Christine Schott’s solo flight was only the beginning. She later became the first woman in the USAF to qualify as an aircraft commander, flying the McDonnell Douglas C-9A Nightingale on medical evacuation and transport missions—an achievement that set the standard for future generations of women aviators. The aircraft in which these trailblazing women trained—the Northrop T-38A Talon—was designed by Edgar Schmued, also known for designing the legendary P-51 Mustang and F-86 Sabre. As the world’s first supersonic trainer, the T-38 has long been the cornerstone of USAF pilot training. Today, 546 T-38s remain in active service, continuing to shape the next generation of Air Force pilots.
