--- title: Ayfer Gök slug: ayfer-gok-30b2a url: /detay/ayfer-gok-30b2a type: biography language: English entity: primary: Ayfer Gök type: biography categories: - name: Intelligence, Security, and Defense slug: istihbarat-guvenlik-ve-askeri-calismalar url: /kategori/istihbarat-guvenlik-ve-askeri-calismalar - name: History slug: tarih url: /kategori/tarih tags: - Konya 3 Main Air Base - F-4 Phantom - Çiğli Main Air Base - First Female Martyr - air forces - war pilot - Ayfer Gök - F-5 - aviation - TSK - pilot author: Meryem Şentürk Çoban created_at: 2026-02-08T10:15:53.258453+03:00 updated_at: 2026-02-08T10:15:53.258464+03:00 image: https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2026/02/07/SaE94VfdYEq2gUUuBNwlS915MdHgJiJ9.png --- # Ayfer Gök > Ayfer Gök (1977–2001) was a combat pilot who served in the Turkish Air Forces. She is remembered as Türkiye's first female martyr pilot. ## KURE Information Cards ![youtube msb.png](https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2026/02/07/U7tWaZg8f8dKFSt1e6lwT538AduiB9bj.png) *Ayfer Gök* | Field | Value | |-------|-------| | Annesi | Ümmü Gülsüm Gök | | Babası | Halit Gök | | Birth | 1977, Burdur | | Profession(s) | Flight Pilot Second Lieutenant (Turkish Air Forces) | | Age at Martyrdom | 23 | ## Article Content **Ayfer Gök** (b. 1977, [Bucak](/en/detay/kahramankazan-district-44b28/llms.txt) – d. 9 February 2001, Karaman/Ermenek) was a **Turkish Air Force** combat pilot. She is remembered as **Turkey’s first female martyr pilot**. She was killed during a training flight in an **F-5A** aircraft while serving at the **3rd Main Jet Base Command**. ### **Youth and Education** [Ayfer Gök](/en/detay/ayfer-gok-1f880/llms.txt) was born in 1977 in the district of Bucak, [Burdur](/en/detay/burdur-il-2/llms.txt), as the fourth daughter of Ümmü Gülsüm Gök and Halit Gök. She lost her father at the age of one and was raised by her mother. During her childhood she worked at a carpet loom. She began her primary education at Bucak Atatürk Primary School and completed her middle and high school education in Bucak. She graduated from high school with excellent grades. It is noted that during her high school years she watched aircraft flying from Antalya Airport over Bucak and expressed her dream of becoming a pilot.[^1] Although she passed the university entrance exam and was accepted into the Mathematics Department of Middle East Technical University, she chose to pursue military education in line with her aviation goals. In 1994 she entered the **Air Force Academy** as a cadet and completed her four-year training, graduating in 1998 with the rank of **second lieutenant**. After graduation she underwent flight training for two years at the **Çiğli Main Jet Base** and began her assignment on 3 November 2000 at the **Konya 3rd Main Jet Base Command**. After completing her flight training, Ayfer Gök served as a **combat pilot** in the F-5 class. [YouTube Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jygHoF7Bx5o) *Martyr Air Force Pilot Second Lieutenant Ayfer Gök (Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Türkiye)* ### **Martyrdom** **On 9 February 2001** she took off from the [Konya 3rd Main Jet Base Command](/en/detay/air-force-museum-84c49/llms.txt) in an [F-5A](/en/detay/northrop-f-5-f8a7a/llms.txt) aircraft for a training flight. The aircraft crashed near the village of **Daran** in the vicinity of Ermenek district, Karaman. As a result of the crash, Ayfer Gök lost her life at the age of 23 and became a **martyr**. Her funeral was held with a military ceremony at the Konya 3rd Main Jet Base and she was buried in her hometown of Bucak. ### **Her Legacy and the Preservation of Her Name** Ayfer Gök’s name is commemorated through various institutions and activities. The name of her former high school has been changed to **Martyr Ayfer Gök Anatolian High School**. Memorial ceremonies are held annually in Bucak on the anniversary of her martyrdom. Additionally, efforts have been made to transfer a retired **F-4 Phantom** combat aircraft from the Turkish Armed Forces inventory to Burdur, where it will be named in her honor and put on display. ## Academic Sources and References 1. Anadolu Ajansı. "Türkiye'nin ilk şehit kadın pilotu anıldı." Accessed February 7, 2026. https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/turkiye/turkiyenin-ilk-sehit-kadin-pilotu-anildi/1388099 2. Burdur Bucak District National Education Directorate. "Commemoration Ceremony for Our First Female Martyr Female Air Pilot, Ayfer GÖK." Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Turkey. Accessed February 7, 2026. https://bucak.meb.gov.tr/www/ilk-kadin-sehit-hava-pilotumuz-ayfer-gok-icin-anma-toreni-duzenlendi/icerik/1126 3. Demirören Haber Ajansı. "Türkiye'nin ilk kadın hava şehidinin adı, F-4 Fantom savaş uçağıyla anılacak." DHA. Accessed February 7, 2026. https://www.dha.com.tr/gundem/turkiyenin-ilk-kadin-hava-sehidinin-adi-f-4-fantom-savas-ucagiyla-anilacak-1733107 4. Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Türkiye. "Gökyüzüne Adanmış Hayatlar: Şehit Hava Pilot Teğmen Ayfer Gök - MSB Podcast." YouTube Video. Accessed February 7, 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jygHoF7Bx5o ## Citations [^1]: T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı, "Gökyüzüne Adanmış Hayatlar: Şehit Hava Pilot Teğmen Ayfer Gök - MSB Podcast," Youtube, Access Date: 7 February 2026, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jygHoF7Bx5o