Line Bonde (born c.1979) is a Danish

fighter pilot A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat and sometimes electronic warfare while in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and ...

. In July 2006, aged 27, she became the first female Danish fighter pilot, flying an F-16 jet fighter.

Biography

Bonde was brought up in Billund,

Jylland Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...

, in a traditional Danish family where her father was the main salary earner while her mother worked half-time and took care of the home and her two daughters. While at school, she was a powerful swimmer, later becoming one of the best in Denmark. But swimming was not enough for her. Once she took part in a trial flight in a Danish Air Force

Hercules Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures. The Romans adapted the Gr ...

, she knew she was destined to become a pilot. She failed her first test, not because of the physical or theoretical aspects but simply because the examining psychologist thought she knew too little about flying. She returned a year later, completing basic training in flying in 2002. She then spent two years at officers school followed by 16 months in the United States where she earned her wings after completing a course at the

Sheppard Air Force Base Sheppard Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base located north of the central business district of Wichita Falls, Texas, Wichita Falls, in Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the largest training base and most divers ...

under the EURO-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training programme. At the beginning of 2006, she returned to Denmark to serve at the

Fighter Wing Skrydstrup Fighter Wing Skrydstrup is an air base of the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) situated in southern Jutland. It is home to the 30 operative F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters of the RDAF along with a Saab T-17 Supporter, and a single search and rescue h ...

air force base.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonde, Line Living people 1970s births People from Billund Municipality Danish aviators Danish women aviators