When Christine Faulkner, Manager Sales Operations and Planning at ACV, first called to announce a women in business group was in the offing, Open Jaw President, Nina Slawek, said “It’s been close to my heart to see such an event take place for so long. I’m thrilled Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations have taken up this important baton. There are so many incredible women in travel, it’s time we celebrate them!”
At an intimate evening, Air Canada and Air Canada Vacations launched the series, co-organized by Ana Paul De Souza, Director of Sales, Air Canada Vacations and Tracy Bellamy, Director, Canada Sales & Global Accounts at Air Canada.
What better choice for first guest speaker than retired Air Canada Pilot Judy Cameron, the first female pilot hired by Air Canada.
De Souza says "This event is the first of its kind, and I've wanted to do this for a while. We bring together women in leadership from trade and tourism and provide an opportunity to network, share ideas, and enable each other to do more." She adds, "This evening is also a great opportunity to showcase speakers, a mini Ted Talk, like Captain Judy Cameron, a pioneer in the aviation field".
The gathering was held at the Air Canada offices in the Eaton Centre, where guests mingled over hors d'oeuvres and mimosas. Most were in awe of Captain Judy Cameron’s historic career with Air Canada.
Cameron told this Open Jaw reporter that she experienced her first flight in a single-engine Cessna-150 when she was just 19; she held on to her seat and screamed with terror and delight, and from then on, was hooked on flying. Cameron changed her major from Art to Aviation and the rest, as they say, is history.
Upon graduating from Selkirk College as the first female in Canada with an Aviation Certification in 1975, Cameron worked as a bush pilot. Three years later, Air Canada came calling.
During the presentation, guests listened attentively to Cameron's early days in aviation. In a field dominated by men, Cameron felt the brunt of remarks disparaging her abilities from both pilots and passengers. She was frequently mistaken for a flight attendant, a police officer or even an airport valet, and one time she left the flight deck to use the washroom, and a passenger handed her a baby while they went in the bathroom.
The media had a field day interviewing her as she began flying for Air Canada; while some questions were intelligent, others were downright insulting. Through it all, Cameron persevered.
Throughout her 40 year flying career, Cameron has piloted the DC-3, Twin Otter, Hawker Siddeley 748, DC-9, Lockheed 1011, Airbus 320, and Boeing 767.
In 2010, Cameron became the first female captain in Canada of a Boeing 777, the largest aircraft in Air Canada's fleet. She retired in 2015, her last flight arriving in Toronto from Germany with her husband and daughter on board, the aircraft greeted by a firefighter’s water cannon salute.
Cameron’s achievements did not go unnoticed. Upon retirement, Captain Cameron was awarded the “Elsie MacGill Northern Lights” award in the Flight Operations category, and in 2016 she was chosen by the 99s (International Organization of Women Pilots) to be on its Canadian postage stamp.
Some parting words of wisdom from Cameron:
- Only 6% of pilots worldwide are female. We have to change this and encourage women to enter the aviation field. The need for more pilots will rise in the future.
- My career challenges were not unique. I'm sure many of you have had the experience of being the only woman in the room, and maybe you've had to prove yourself or work just that little bit harder. Keep going!
- Women who form a strong network with other women are way more successful than those who don't have that support system.
- Don't let fear hold you back as a journey to start through one step, as your confidence is solely your confidence. And it also goes without saying your potential is as good as any man's.
- Mentorship is crucial; young women look up to you to lead the way and serve as role models.
- All women tend to underestimate their abilities. We all need a dose of that overconfidence that keep us aiming for the top.
- I may not have had female mentors at work, but I did have the example of a powerful and independent woman, my mother. She taught me to have confidence.
Air Canada offers a $20,000 scholarship in Captain Judy Cameron’s name, administered by the Northern Lights Aero Foundation. Now in its fourth year, 2023 sees CAE joining the sponsorship to double the amount awarded under the scholarship.
