Melissa Haney facts for kids

Melissa Haney, born in 1981, is a pilot from Quebec, Canada. She is famous for being the first female Inuk pilot to become a captain with Air Inuit. In 2017, a special postage stamp was made to celebrate her amazing accomplishments.

Growing Up

Melissa Haney's hometown of Inukjuak, in northern Quebec

Melissa Haney was born in 1981. She spent her early years in Inukjuak, a community on the shores of Hudson Bay. As a child, Melissa loved visiting the airport. Airplanes were a common way to travel in her community. They were needed for trips to other towns for things like dental or medical appointments.

When she was eight, Melissa moved south to the Eastern Townships with her mother, who was a teacher. Melissa grew up there and completed a year of university at John Abbott College in Montreal. When she was 19, she learned that Air Inuit was looking for new team members. Melissa thought this sounded exciting. It was also a chance to reconnect with her childhood community in the North.

Becoming a Pilot

In 2001, Melissa Haney started working with Air Inuit as a flight attendant. Soon, she decided she wanted to fly planes herself. In 2003, Melissa began taking flight lessons in Cornwall, Ontario. The next year, she finished her ground school courses with Air Inuit.

One of Melissa's important mentors was Johnny May. He was the first Inuk bush pilot in Nunavik. In 2004, Melissa began flying Twin Otter aircraft for Air Inuit.

= Reaching Captain

An Air Inuit Dash 8-300Q aircraft

In the summer of 2016, Melissa Haney was promoted to captain. When she flew back to Inukjuak in September, hundreds of people from her community gathered at the airport to greet her.

She now regularly flies a Dash 8 Combi-300 aircraft. She often makes tricky landings on runways that are just long enough for her plane.

On August 15, 2017, the Canadian Ninety-Nines released a special postage stamp featuring Melissa Haney. The president of Air Inuit told reporters that Melissa "was a role model for all people in Nunavik." He said this was true for both women and men.

Mentoring Others

As of 2025, Melissa Haney is still a key figure at Air Inuit. She is not only a captain but also helps new pilots. She coordinates The Sparrow program. This program aims to inspire and support Inuit youth who are interested in aviation.

Melissa is also very active with Elevate Aviation. This is a non-profit group that helps people from groups that are not often seen in the aviation industry. She travels and gives presentations to encourage young people to think about careers in aviation.

Personal Life

Melissa Haney is married to another Air Inuit captain named Pierre-Olivier. They have two children together.