All-female flight crew makes Alaska aviation history

From left to right: Brig. Gen. Deborah McManus; Capt. Allison Snow; Staff Sgt. Christina Cordes; Capt. Laura Grossman; and Maj. Krista Staff.

Photo by Pfc. Karina Paraoan, Alaska National Guard Public Affairs.

Four women blazed their mark on Alaska aviation history Friday when they flew the huge C-17 Globemaster to Idaho and back to pick up 60 impressed guardsmen.

"When the guys boarded the plane they kind of oohed and awed a little bit, knowing they had an all-women crew flying the aircraft," said Capt. Allison Snow, who started flying back in Illinois when she was 15.

Friday's trip down south was the first Alaska Air National Guard flight to be flown by an entirely female crew. Besides Snow, who commanded the aircraft, the crew included instructor pilot Maj. Krista Staff, co-pilot Capt. Laura Grossman, and loadmaster Staff Sgt. Christina Cordes.

The C-17 took off at 9 a.m. on Friday and headed south for Boise International Guard base. They landed four hours later and spent an hour on the ground while the guardsmen loaded up. They kept the engine running because restarting it would have taken more time and risked complications, and Snow said that with the rain coming down sideways they knew they had to get out of there quickly.

Capt. Laura Grossman goes over C-17 Globemaster pre-flight inspections an hour before takeoff to Boise, Idaho.

Photo by Pfc. Karina Paraoan, Alaska National Guard Public Affairs.

The crew landed back at Elmendorf Air Force Base at 7 p.m.

Snow grew up in Illinois, granddaughter of a military pilot that flew the P-51 Mustang and the B-17 Flying Fortress, and daughter of lower-flying kind of pilot.

"Dad was a crop duster, so it's kind of in our blood," Snow said.

The C-17 is 174 feet long, and can carry three Bradley Fighting Vehicles at one time. When empty the plane weighs about 285,000 pounds and can haul a huge amount (170,900 pounds).

The historic flight crew was accompanied down to Idaho by Brig. Gen. Deborah McManus. Snow said she enjoyed having McManus along on the flight, and that the general told the crew she was honored to be on the flight and that it was a big highlight in her career.

"She said we made it look easy," Snow said.