Caroline Aigle
Encyclopedia
Commandant Caroline Aigle (12 September 1974 – 21 August 2007) was a French
aviatrix who achieved a historical first when, at the age of 25, she became the first woman fighter pilot
in the French Air Force
. Her promising military career was cut short by death from cancer seven years later. She was posthumously awarded the Médaille de l'Aéronautique
(Aeronautics
Medal).
Born in Montauban
, Caroline Aigle spent her early years in Africa
, where her father served as a military physician. After reaching her fourteenth birthday, she matriculated at the Lycée militaire de Saint-Cyr (Saint-Cyr
Military High School), remaining for the three-year period from the second term until graduation. She subsequently proceeded to Prytanée Militaire
, an advanced military high school, and then to the military academy wing of the prestigious École Polytechnique
, France's foremost school of engineering. During her first year (1994-95), she fulfilled the requirements of her military duty while stationed with the 13th Battalion of the elite mountain infantry, the Chasseurs Alpins. She served her final year before graduation from the Polytechnique (1996-97) in the officer school (École de l'air) of the Armée de l'air (French Air Force).
Upon receiving her degree, Caroline Aigle chose to make her career in the French Air Force. Almost from the start, she provided illustration of her top competitive skills as a sportswoman by becoming the 1997 French military champion in triathlon
, followed by the 1997 triathlon world championship in military team competition. Still competing in 1999, she and her team won the triathlon world military vice-championship. She was also a top skydiver
and free-fall parachutist. On 28 May 1999, she became the first woman to receive the Air Force's coveted fighter pilot
wings. She was assigned to the Mirage 2000-5 in the escadron 2/2 Côte-d'Or
in 2000, and promoted to the rank of Commandant (Major
) in 2005. Among the top candidates, she was also on the verge of being selected as an astronaut for the European Space Agency
. By the time of her sudden death three weeks before her 33rd birthday (the cancer, a melanoma
, had been diagnosed only a month earlier), she had accumulated a total of 1600 hours of flight time.
Caroline Aigle and Christophe "Douky" Deketelaere (born 27 September 1964), a pilot and deputy leader of the Breitling Jet Team
, were the parents of two children, sons Marc and Gabriel. She was pregnant with Gabriel when the malignancy was first discovered, and refused to undergo an abortion despite the increased difficulty in cancer treatment options. Gabriel was delivered by caesarean section
, five-and-a half months into term, fifteen days before her death. On 2 October 2007, President Sarkozy
awarded her a posthumous Médaille de l'Aéronautique (Aeronautics
Medal).
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
aviatrix who achieved a historical first when, at the age of 25, she became the first woman fighter pilot
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
in the French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
. Her promising military career was cut short by death from cancer seven years later. She was posthumously awarded the Médaille de l'Aéronautique
Médaille de l'Aéronautique
The Médaille de l'Aéronautique is an order of merit created on 14 February 1945.-History:Before the Second World War, it was envisioned to create an award similar to the Order of Maritime Merit, an Order of Merit, Air, intended for personal civil and military aeronautics. But the war put an end to...
(Aeronautics
Aeronautics
Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere...
Medal).
Born in Montauban
Montauban
Montauban is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It is the capital of the department and lies north of Toulouse....
, Caroline Aigle spent her early years in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, where her father served as a military physician. After reaching her fourteenth birthday, she matriculated at the Lycée militaire de Saint-Cyr (Saint-Cyr
Saint-Cyr-l'École
Saint-Cyr-l'École is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.It used to host the training school for officers of the French army, the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr , which was relocated to Coëtquidan in 1945.The old buildings of the ESM are...
Military High School), remaining for the three-year period from the second term until graduation. She subsequently proceeded to Prytanée Militaire
Prytanée National Militaire
The Prytanée National Militaire, originally Collège Royal Henry-Le-Grand, is a French school managed by the military, offering regular secondary education as well as special preparatory school classes, equivalent in level to the first years of university, for students who wish to enter French...
, an advanced military high school, and then to the military academy wing of the prestigious École Polytechnique
École Polytechnique
The École Polytechnique is a state-run institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, Essonne, France, near Paris. Polytechnique is renowned for its four year undergraduate/graduate Master's program...
, France's foremost school of engineering. During her first year (1994-95), she fulfilled the requirements of her military duty while stationed with the 13th Battalion of the elite mountain infantry, the Chasseurs Alpins. She served her final year before graduation from the Polytechnique (1996-97) in the officer school (École de l'air) of the Armée de l'air (French Air Force).
Upon receiving her degree, Caroline Aigle chose to make her career in the French Air Force. Almost from the start, she provided illustration of her top competitive skills as a sportswoman by becoming the 1997 French military champion in triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
, followed by the 1997 triathlon world championship in military team competition. Still competing in 1999, she and her team won the triathlon world military vice-championship. She was also a top skydiver
Skydiver
A skydiver is a person who engages in the sport of parachuting. It may also refer to:* SkyDiver a futuristic submarine featured in the TV series UFO* "Skydiver" a carnival ride produced by Chance Morgan...
and free-fall parachutist. On 28 May 1999, she became the first woman to receive the Air Force's coveted fighter pilot
Fighter pilot
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained in air-to-air combat while piloting a fighter aircraft . Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting...
wings. She was assigned to the Mirage 2000-5 in the escadron 2/2 Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or
Côte-d'Or is a department in the eastern part of France.- History :Côte-d'Or is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was formed from part of the former province of Burgundy.- Geography :...
in 2000, and promoted to the rank of Commandant (Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
) in 2005. Among the top candidates, she was also on the verge of being selected as an astronaut for the European Space Agency
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
. By the time of her sudden death three weeks before her 33rd birthday (the cancer, a melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
, had been diagnosed only a month earlier), she had accumulated a total of 1600 hours of flight time.
Caroline Aigle and Christophe "Douky" Deketelaere (born 27 September 1964), a pilot and deputy leader of the Breitling Jet Team
Breitling jet team
thumb|Breitling jet at Air 04, Payerne, Switzerlandthumb|Breitling Jet Team flying in formation during [[CIAF]] 2009The Breitling Jet Team is the largest civilian aerobatic display team in Europe. Based in Dijon, France, it flies seven Aero L-39 Albatros jets...
, were the parents of two children, sons Marc and Gabriel. She was pregnant with Gabriel when the malignancy was first discovered, and refused to undergo an abortion despite the increased difficulty in cancer treatment options. Gabriel was delivered by caesarean section
Caesarean section
A Caesarean section, is a surgical procedure in which one or more incisions are made through a mother's abdomen and uterus to deliver one or more babies, or, rarely, to remove a dead fetus...
, five-and-a half months into term, fifteen days before her death. On 2 October 2007, President Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....
awarded her a posthumous Médaille de l'Aéronautique (Aeronautics
Aeronautics
Aeronautics is the science involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of airflight-capable machines, or the techniques of operating aircraft and rocketry within the atmosphere...
Medal).