MISS NEVADA USA BEATS OUT MINDFREAK BOYFRIEND CRISS ANGEL IN 500-MPH USAF THUNDERBIRDS FLIGHT
After a week of living the life of a United States Air Force Thunderbird team member, gorgeous Miss Nevada USA 2008 beauty queen, Veronica Grabowski was ready for the flight of a lifetime. Our ace lensman, Scott Doctor was out at Nellis Air Force Base as the 22-year-old pageant winner traded her crown and sash for a helmet and uniform to make the 500 mph flight.
Veronica, who is dating Mindfreak magician Criss Angel, is a self-described “airforce brat,” having grown up the daughter of former Air Force F-15 fighter pilot, Mike Grabowski at Elgin Air Force base in Florida before the family moved to Nevada.
“Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to fly in a fighter jet,” said Veronica. Earlier last week she had toured the Thunderbird facility, but now it was time for her pre-flight training. She changed into a military green flight suit complete with military issue shoes glossed with a special coating so no scuffs could be left on the jet. SSGT Robbin Bailon affixed several patches to her flight suit and instructed her on how the various parts of it worked. An air-bladder inner tube automatically inflates around her legs when the Jet starts to pull high G’s. A harness vest goes over the flight suit, which attaches her to the ejection seat. The helmet has an oxygen mask, intercom, sun visor and a quick release latch to prevent airsickness from filling the mask. Veronica’s dad even gave advice about handling the high G-forces.
Veronica got a pre-flight medical check from flight surgeon Major Charla Quayle and then she snacked on some crackers! The all-important barf bag was attached to the pocket of her flight suit, and then it was time to meet her pilot, Major Anthony Mulhare, who went through the instructions and ejection process in the event of any unexpected problems. Crew Chief SSGT Patrick Mahoney surprised Veronica at the jet with a special treat as they showed her name had been painted onto the aircraft as a rare honor.
After Veronica was strapped in securely, the jet took off for its 45-minute, 500-mph, upside down, right-side up dancing in the clouds flight out over Death Valley, China Lake and the Edwards Air Force base in California.
Upon safe return Veronica proudly displayed the empty barf bag! She was presented with a souvenir photo-book of her flight and a pin marking the fact she’d pulled 9G’s and remained conscious without being ill.
“I will wear the pin on my sash at the pageant in April,” she told me as all the Thunderbird pilots signed a framed souvenir photo for her. The Thunderbirds have been based in Las Vegas since 1955 and fly six F-16 jets in wing-tip-to-wing-tip formation, demonstrating their skills to communities around the country from March through November of each year. Vegas is also home for their four-month training sessions each year.
Veronica admitted that she’d spoken by phone to her illusionist boyfriend in Montreal before the flight. She laughed: “Criss told me when he flew with the Thunderbirds he’d gotten sick—everybody does the first time. Now I can’t wait to call him and tell him I made it through without problem. Now I’ve got one trick up on him.”
Criss has promised to be front row when Veronica competes at Donald Trump’s Miss USA pageant being held at the Planet Hollywood resort on April 11—ironically the same weekend that Donald’s ex-wife, Ivana gets married at their Palm Beach, Florida estate!