History was made right before kickoff on Super Bowl Sunday. For the first time in NFL history, the U.S. Navy flyover was piloted by all women, lead by Lt. Peggy Dente. The event honors 50 years since women were allowed to be U.S. Navy pilots.
The historic flyover was right after the national anthem and before the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles kicked off for Super Bowl 57.
An unbelievable view of the #SBLVII flyover. ✈️ pic.twitter.com/3ccUy8BD4w
— NFL (@NFL) February 12, 2023
Dente spoke to CBS News about the gravity of the flyover, saying, "I think it'd be crazy if you weren't a little bit nervous, but a little bit of nerves keeps you honest, keeps you humble and keeps you focused on the mission."
She is making sure to remember the women ahead of her who helped pave the way for this moment to take place.
"It's not lost on me how special it is that I get to do what I'm doing today because they did it first," Dente said.
Lt. Arielle Ash and Lt. Saree Moreno will be leading the diamond formation.
"It's definitely a huge honor to be asked to do this and to celebrate those women that have paved this way for all of us," Ash said.
For Moreno, this is business as usual, just with a bigger stage.
She said, "We're used to the mission. Maybe not so much used to the publicity."
The publicity is also a way for the women involved in the flyover to show the next generation what is possible. The representation is important to the U.S. Navy pilots and this is just one more way to show girls and women the possibilities in their futures.
"I think it's a message not just to young girls, but to young people that they can do whatever they set their mind to," Moreno said. "And if they want to be a jet pilot, that is well within possibility for them."
The pilots have been practicing for weeks and had a practice on the Friday before the game.
Women were first entered in flight school in 1973, when eight women enrolled, six of whom earned their wings. Rosemary Mariner was the first woman assigned to pilot a U.S. Navy fighter, one year after graduating. At present, women are 15 percent of naval aviators.
