Squadron Leader Nicola “Nicky” Smith became the United Kingdom’s first female military helicopter pilot in 1992. She went on to fly more than 250 search-and-rescue missions in the RAF’s distinctive yellow Sea King helicopters.
In this RAF Stories video, Nicky remembers witnessing Jaguar pilot Jon Witte eject shortly after take-off from RAF Lossiemouth. Already airborne on a test flight, Nicky and her crew watched him descend by parachute before flying over to rescue him.
The grateful pilot reportedly promised his “female heroines” a crate of champagne. When Nicky met him again several years later, she reminded him that it had never arrived. He bought the crew a bottle that evening—although Nicky still wonders what happened to the other eleven.
In 2002, Nicky became the RAF’s first female squadron commander when she took command of No. 84 Squadron. After leaving the RAF, she continued flying as an air ambulance pilot.
