Katie Higgins is an aircraft captain and the first female pilot to fly with the Blue Angels, the United States Marine Corps’ flying demonstration team.
What is the Net Worth of Katie Higgins?
Captain Katie’s piloting job has provided her with the most of her income. She has progressed through the ranks since beginning her career. This has resulted in increased earnings. Despite the fact that her annual income is unknown, credible sources estimate her net worth to be approximately $400,000. This figure is projected to rise in the near future as a result of such a successful career.
View this post on Instagram
Early Life, Age, Family, and Education Background:
Katie was born in 1980 in Severna Park, Maryland, to a military family, since both her father and two grandfathers were military personnel. Katie had originally intended to become a nun, but she changed her mind and opted to carry on her family’s tradition. She graduated from W.T. Woodson High School in 2004 and then went on to the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where she earned a BSc. in Political Science and was commissioned a US Marine Corps Second Lieutenant in 2008. She went on to Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where she earned a Masters 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 finished her T-6B Texan II initial flight training at NAS Whiting Field in Florida and went on to accomplish her intermediate and advanced training. She was assigned to Training Squadron 31 (VT-31) at NAS Corpus Christi in Texas for these two. Katie received her golden wings in October 2001. Katie was then taught to fly the C-130S Hercules, which is used to transport freight to war-torn areas.
Professional Career as a Pilot:
Katie’s military career began when she was a tiny child growing up in her hometown, where she enjoyed seeing military planes because she and her family lived near a military post. The planes piqued the young girl’s interest, and she expressed an interest in flying them. Katie comes from a family of military pilots, and she seems destined to be a marine from the start. Her father was a Navy fighter pilot who flew the F-18, and her paternal grandpa served in World War II in Vietnam and Korea. Katie entered the Marine Corps after graduating from the Naval Academy to continue her family’s legacy. She has served as one of the few female marine aviators on combat missions in Afghanistan, worked as an operative in Uganda, and assisted in the evacuation of US residents from war-torn South Sudan. Katie received a surprise call from a member of the Blue Angel while working in Africa, and she was invited to apply as an elite member of this demonstration squad. Despite the fact that she was just a junior captain at the time, she took a risk and applied for the position.
Katie had to complete all of the team’s service and flying requirements, submit a lengthy application, and attend a number of shows to meet her potential teammates before she could be considered for this position. The final step required her to do a formal interview in front of a panel of 16 people, which she found to be the most daunting aspect. She formally joined the Blue Angeles in September 2014 after being selected to be part of the five-person Fat Albert crew, making her the first female pilot to join the team. The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is used by this crew to transport equipment and personnel. Every year, Fat Albert launches the annual airshow, which attracts millions of spectators. Katie enjoys presenting the C-130 to large groups of people. Katie has flown with the Blue Angels for over 1,000 hours and has garnered numerous medals, including personal and unit awards, as well as five Air Medals. Her decision to join the Navy’s Blue Angels has garnered her international acclaim.
Katie had never imagined herself breaking gender barriers, but she did so when she became the first woman to join the Blue Angels. She considers this a significant milestone in her career and believes that it is a fantastic step toward integrating more women into the ground forces.
Her line of work entails several dangers, some of which can be fatal. Captain Jeff Kuss, for example, was one of her team’s members who died when his F/A-18 Hornet was involved in an accident and crashed while practicing for an airshow in Smyrna, Tennessee. Jeff was a fantastic leader, an exceptional marine, father, husband, and aviator with a calm attitude and excellent communication skills, according to Katie.
Personal Life, Married, and Children:
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 aircraft.
The couple has two children, but nothing is known about them because the couple has kept facts such as their gender and age hidden from the prying public eye. Katie’s children’s birth dates are unknown, although she has previously indicated that she and her navy husband were raising their two children.
Interesting Facts about Blue Angels:
If you don’t know much about the Blue Angels’ stunning air displays, here are some fascinating facts. Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, Chief of Naval Operations, ordered the formation of a demonstration squad shortly after World War II ended. In June 1946, the Blue Angels made their first public appearance in Jacksonville, Florida. The moniker was given to the initial crew after they visited New York City’s Blue Angel nightclub in preparation for a show over the city.
The Blue Angels have the opportunity to entertain over 11 million spectators each year during their air exhibitions. During the Diamond 360 maneuver, their jets get as close as 18 inches to each other. Solo pilots can fly as low as 50 feet or as high as 15,000 feet, with speeds ranging from 120 to 700 miles per hour. All Blue Angels applicants must be active-duty Marine or Navy Corps pilots who have flown for at least 1,250 hours and are carrier-qualified. Their objective is to inspire a service and excellence culture in the nation by demonstrating the professionalism and pride of the US Marine and Navy Corps through flight demonstrations.
