Debbie Gary Callier (born February 24, 1948) [1] is an American air show pilot. [2] She began flying at age nineteen, and was the first woman to fly in a formation aerobatic team. [3] She also wrote the Bellanca Pilot Proficiency Training Manual. [2]
Callier graduated in 1965 from William McFarland High School in Bordentown Township, New Jersey and attended George Washington University before moving with her father to Saint Thomas. [4]
Gary first took flying lessons in 1966 in New Jersey. [5] Her first solo flight took place in the Virgin Islands, where she had moved with her family. [5] Starting in 1968, she began working as a glider instructor and in 1969, met Jim Holland when she flew a glider at the St. Croix airshow. [5] She learned aerobatics from Holland and joined his airshow. [5] She performed for some time for Holland, then worked for a Canadian aerobatic team. [6] [7] She competed against 40 men for her spot on the aerobatics team. [8] After, she joined the Bede Jet Team. [9] She became the first woman to fly full-time in an aerial formation team. [6] [5] [8] The Star Tribune called Gary "the world's leading woman show pilot" in 1978. [10] She also appeared in episode 12 of the first season of the TV series The Blue Marble in 1974. [11] She has flown a Bede BD-5J and a Pitts S-1A open cockpit biplane doing her stunts. [12] [13]
After 1972, she started working as an instructor at the Flabob Airport. [5] When she was not doing airshows, she worked as an instructor. [12] Later, she worked in Alexandria, Minnesota. [7]
In 1978, Gary married Jim Callier, who was the president of the Bellanca Aircraft Corp. [14] In 1994, Gary earned a journalism degree from the University of Houston. [6] She did an internship at the Houston Post, and wrote for Air & Space, a magazine published by the Smithsonian Institution. [6] [15] She also took time off from air shows to raise her children. [6]
Gary started flying airshows again around 1998. [6] She encourages young people, especially girls, to think about going into aviation as a career. [16] [17]
In 1979, the Supersisters trading card set was produced and distributed; one of the cards featured Gary's name and picture. [18] A photo-lithograph of the card is owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. [19]
Debbie Gary Callier (born February 24, 1948) [1] is an American air show pilot. [2] She began flying at age nineteen, and was the first woman to fly in a formation aerobatic team. [3] She also wrote the Bellanca Pilot Proficiency Training Manual. [2]
Callier graduated in 1965 from William McFarland High School in Bordentown Township, New Jersey and attended George Washington University before moving with her father to Saint Thomas. [4]
Gary first took flying lessons in 1966 in New Jersey. [5] Her first solo flight took place in the Virgin Islands, where she had moved with her family. [5] Starting in 1968, she began working as a glider instructor and in 1969, met Jim Holland when she flew a glider at the St. Croix airshow. [5] She learned aerobatics from Holland and joined his airshow. [5] She performed for some time for Holland, then worked for a Canadian aerobatic team. [6] [7] She competed against 40 men for her spot on the aerobatics team. [8] After, she joined the Bede Jet Team. [9] She became the first woman to fly full-time in an aerial formation team. [6] [5] [8] The Star Tribune called Gary "the world's leading woman show pilot" in 1978. [10] She also appeared in episode 12 of the first season of the TV series The Blue Marble in 1974. [11] She has flown a Bede BD-5J and a Pitts S-1A open cockpit biplane doing her stunts. [12] [13]
After 1972, she started working as an instructor at the Flabob Airport. [5] When she was not doing airshows, she worked as an instructor. [12] Later, she worked in Alexandria, Minnesota. [7]
In 1978, Gary married Jim Callier, who was the president of the Bellanca Aircraft Corp. [14] In 1994, Gary earned a journalism degree from the University of Houston. [6] She did an internship at the Houston Post, and wrote for Air & Space, a magazine published by the Smithsonian Institution. [6] [15] She also took time off from air shows to raise her children. [6]
Gary started flying airshows again around 1998. [6] She encourages young people, especially girls, to think about going into aviation as a career. [16] [17]
In 1979, the Supersisters trading card set was produced and distributed; one of the cards featured Gary's name and picture. [18] A photo-lithograph of the card is owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. [19]