Sara Mackmin

Group Captain Sara Bridget Mackmin (born c. 1969) is a British Royal Air Force officer. Appointed commander of the RAF Search and Rescue Force in 2013, she was the highest-ranking female aircrew officer in British military history.[1][2]

Having graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) degree, Mackmin received a short service commission in the Women's Royal Air Force as a pilot officer in the General Duties Branch (i.e. aircrew) on 17 February 1991.[3] As a graduate, on 17 September 1991 she was promoted flying officer with seniority from 17 February 1990.[4] She was promoted flight lieutenant on 17 August 1993.[5] The WRAF fully assimilated into the RAF in 1994 and Mackmin (or Slingsby as she then was) converted to a permanent commission on 22 August 1996.[6]

She qualified as a helicopter pilot in 1994 and flew Puma helicopters in the Bosnian War in 1995 and in Northern Ireland in 1997.[2] She then qualified as the first female helicopter instructor in the British Armed Forces in 1998.[2] She was promoted squadron leader on 1 July 2000[7] and later that year became the first female commander of a flying unit.[2] On 1 July 2006, she was promoted wing commander,[8] and in 2008 took command of No. 202 Squadron RAF, flying Westland Sea King helicopters in the search and rescue role.[2]

Mackmin has also served three tours as a staff officer at the Ministry of Defence, most recently, before her promotion to group captain in 2013, as personal staff officer to the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff.[2] She also volunteers with the RAF Mountain Rescue Service at RAF Valley, where she is based, and competes in equestrian events.[9]