Biography

Katie Higgins

Katie Higgins

Do you know Who is Katie Higgins?

Katie Higgins is an aircraft captain and the first female pilot to work with the Blue Angels, the US Marine Corps’ flight demonstration team.

Early Life

Katie was born in 1980 in Severna Park, Maryland, to a military family that included her father and two grandfathers. Katie wanted to be a nun at first, but changed her mind and decided to carry on her family’s legacy. She matriculated at W.T. Woodson High School in 2004, and later attended the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where she graduated with a BSc. in Political Science in 2008 and was commissioned as a US Marine Corps Second Lieutenant. She later enrolled at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where she earned a Master of Arts in International Security in 2009.

Katie reported to the Pensacola Naval Air Station for her aviation indoctrination in November 2009, following her graduation. She completed her initial T-6B Texan II flight training at NAS Whiting Field in Florida before moving on to intermediate and advanced training. She was assigned to Training Squadron 31 (VT-31) at NAS Corpus Christi in Texas for these two. Katie finally received her gold wings in October 2001. Katie was then trained to fly the C-130S Hercules, an aircraft used to transport cargo to war-torn areas.

Career

Katie’s military career began as a small girl growing up in her hometown, where she enjoyed watching military planes because her family lived next to a military base. The planes captivated the young girl, and she developed an interest in flying them. Katie is a third-generation military pilot who appears to have been destined to be a marine from birth. Her father was an F-18 fighter pilot in the Navy, and her grandfather served in Vietnam and Korea during WWII. Katie joined the Marine Corps after graduating from the Naval Academy to carry on her family’s legacy.

She has flown to Afghanistan as one of the few female combat marine aviators, worked as an operational in Uganda, and assisted in the evacuation of US citizens from war-torn South Sudan. Katie received an unexpected call from a Blue Angel member while working in Africa, and was invited to apply as an elite member of this demonstration team. Even though she was only a junior captain at the time, she took a risk and applied for the position.

Katie had to meet all of the service and flying qualifications required of all team members, submit a lengthy application, and attend several shows to meet her prospective teammates. The final step involved conducting a formal interview in front of a panel of 16 people, which she found the most intimidating. She formally joined the Blue Angeles in September 2014 after being chosen to be part of the five-person Fat Albert crew, becoming the team’s first female pilot. This group flies the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, which transports equipment and personnel.

Every year, Fat Albert opens the airshow, which attracts millions of spectators. Katie enjoys demonstrating the C-130 to large groups of people. Katie has flown with the Blue Angels for over 1,000 hours and has received numerous decorations, including personal and unit awards, as well as five Air Medals. Her decision to join the naval Blue Angels has earned her international acclaim.

Katie had never imagined herself breaking gender barriers. She did when she became the first woman to join the Blue Angels. However, she considers this to be a very important milestone in her career.

Her line of work entails numerous risks, some of which can be fatal.

Net Worth

Captain Katie’s income is primarily derived from her piloting job. She has risen through the ranks since beginning her career. This has resulted in increased earnings. The sources estimate her net worth to be in the $400,000 range. This figure is expected to rise shortly as a result of such a promising career.

Relationship Status

Captain Higgins is now a married woman. Her husband, Ian Higgins, is a naval graduate and a certified pilot who flies military helicopters and other ‘planes.

The couple has two children, but little is known about them. The couple has kept details like their gender and age hidden from the prying public eye. Katie’s children’s birth dates are unknown. She has previously stated that she and her navy husband were raising their two children.

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