Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      First female aviator receives Kolligian TrophyPublished May 12, 2022
                    
                    By Staff Sgt. Nick Z. Erwin
                    
                    
                    Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
            **ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) --**Moody AFB pilot becomes first female to receive Kolligian TrophyCapt. Taylor Bye speaks with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. and Maj. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt, Air Force chief of safety, after a ceremony at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., May 11, 2022. Bye was awarded the 2020 Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy to recognize her outstanding airmanship when her A-10C Thunderbolt II suffered a catastrophic gun malfunction and she safely performed a belly landing with the loss of the aircraft landing gear and canopy. (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric Dietrich)
            
            
            Photo Details /
                Download Hi-Res

    










“Where’s the ground? Where’s the ground?” No one wants to ask this question while flying.
For Capt. Taylor Bye, an **A-10C Thunderbolt II** pilot assigned to the 23rd Wing at **Moody Air Force Base**, Georgia, this question blared through her mind when she faced a looming crisis during a routine training sortie two years ago. The experience tested her capabilities as an aviator and her ability to maintain a level head.
For her extraordinary skill and airmanship, Bye was awarded the 2020 **Koren Kolligian, Jr. Trophy** by Air Force Chief of Staff **Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.**, at the Pentagon, May 11.
“I’m thankful every day for the professionalism, capability and competency of Airmen like Capt. Taylor Bye,” Brown said during the presentation. “The day she landed with 66% of her landing gear and wind in her hair is one she’ll never forget. Today, I was honored to recognize her exemplary performance.”
In April 2020, during a routine training sortie, Bye’s A-10’s gun experienced a catastrophic failure, her canopy was sent soaring through the sky during flight and forced her to decide to either eject or attempt a gear-up “belly” landing.
“Looking back, I sometimes have to remind myself of what happened,” Bye said. “Everything happened quickly yet slowly at the same time. I am thankful I didn’t get nervous or overwhelmed, I was able to maintain a level head and take care of each issue as it arose.
She continued by explaining how she didn’t see each problem as impassable. It was a task to be handled.
“I had no reason to feel rushed or that I would ‘fall out of the sky’,” Bye continued. “I knew I had time to analyze what was happening and make the appropriate decision. The peace of mind knowing I had time made a huge difference.”
Bye is the first woman to be awarded the trophy since its inception. The trophy recognizes the outstanding feats of airmanship and skill of aircrew members who avert or minimize the seriousness of an aircraft mishap in terms of injury, aircraft or property damage.
“I cannot believe I am receiving this award, and I am so humbled to be in D.C. for the ceremony,” Bye said. “This whole experience has challenged me in many ways, but to be recognized with this honor is something I will never forget. For a day that had the makings of something less than pleasant, this will definitely be the highlight I dwell on.”
This award recognizes individual accomplishments; however, Bye emphasized the importance of her team both on the ground and in-flight, citing assistance from her wingman Maj. Jack Ingber, another Moody AFB A-10 pilot.
“My wingman was my source of normalcy,” Bye described. “We train to looking over someone else’s jet from the first stages of formation flying, so I knew I was in good hands when he checked out the parts of my jet I was unable to see from my cockpit.
At one point after a decent amount of time into the emergency, he said over the radio ‘you’re doing a good job, one.’ That small statement made the world of difference because it reminded me I had a team helping me.”
There are processes in place to handle some emergencies, but Bye’s actions and competence demonstrated her understanding of the aircraft, airmanship and split-second decision making.
“In that moment, I was just a trained professional doing my job,” Bye said. “There were moments when I had time to read the checklist and think logically on the next step.Moody AFB pilot becomes first female to receive Kolligian TrophyCapt. Taylor Bye and Kory Kolligian II pose with the 2020 Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy during a ceremony at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., May 11, 2022. Bye was awarded the trophy to recognize her outstanding airmanship when her A-10C Thunderbolt II suffered a catastrophic gun malfunction and she safely performed a belly landing with the loss of the aircraft landing gear and canopy. (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric Dietrich)
            
            
            Photo Details /
                Download Hi-Res

    










“We don’t necessarily train for this, but the split-second decision I made was my body’s natural response,” Bye explained.
The trophy memorializes 1st Lt. Koren Kolligian, Jr., an Air Force pilot declared missing in the line of duty when his aircraft disappeared off the California coast in 1955.LR 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



Moody AFB 



Kolligian Trophy 



ACC 



Air Combat Command 



women 



female 



aviator 



A-10C 



Thunderbolt II 



pilot Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil