Judy Cameron facts for kids

Judy Cameron (born in 1954) is a Canadian pilot who made history. She was the very first woman pilot to fly for Air Canada. She was also the first Canadian woman to become a captain of a Boeing 767 and a Boeing 777 airplane. Judy is a true pioneer in aviation!

Becoming a Pilot

Judy Cameron became interested in flying during a summer job. She was interviewing pilots for Transport Canada, which is a government group that deals with transportation. This job made her want to become a pilot herself.

She decided to stop her studies at the University of British Columbia. Instead, she rode her motorbike for eight hours across British Columbia. Her goal was to join a flight school at Selkirk College in Castlegar.

It was a big challenge for Judy. She was the only woman in her class of 30 men. She also didn't have much experience in math or physics, which are important for pilots. But she worked hard! In 1975, she graduated as the first female pilot from Selkirk College.

After college, Judy started flying for smaller airlines in Alberta. She even spent a year flying a DC-3 plane in Inuvik, NT. There, she helped load planes by herself for supply trips to oil fields in Tuktoyaktuk.

Flying for Air Canada

In 1978, when Judy was 24 years old, she joined Air Canada. This was a huge moment! She became the very first woman pilot hired by Canada's biggest airline. She was also the second woman to fly for any major Canadian commercial airline, after Rosella Bjornson.

Air Canada held a special press conference to announce the news. It even made the front pages of newspapers! At that time, it was very rare for women to be airline pilots. For example, a US pilot named Emily Warner had only been hired a few years earlier in 1973.

Being a pioneer wasn't always easy. Sometimes, passengers were not kind to Judy. They would say mean things or even give her their garbage. But Judy kept flying and proving herself.

A Trailblazing Career

Judy Cameron continued to achieve great things. In 1997, she was promoted to captain. This meant she was in charge of the airplane and its crew.

Then, in 2010, she made history again. She became the first female captain in Canada to fly a Boeing 777. This is a very large and advanced airplane.

In 2015, Judy received the Elsie MacGill Northern Lights Award. This award celebrates women who have made amazing contributions to aviation in Canada.

Judy Cameron retired on May 24, 2015. She had an incredible 37-year career with Air Canada. During that time, she flew for an amazing 23,000 hours! She truly opened the skies for other women.