Pathway to the Stars
Episode Three
While the history of Canadian aviation is full of stories of the heroes of the air like William Barker and Billy Bishop, this episode of Pathway to the Stars with Story Studio Network addresses the growing numbers of women in aviation.
In the previous episode of Pathway to the Stars, we learned about Amelia Earhart’s connection to Toronto and the Armour Heights airfield in particular.
“One of the lasting things about a story like Amelia Earhart’s is how inspirational she was to the women who came after her, and how much her courage and her adventurous spirit changed the way women approached and were allowed to approach things like aviation.”
– Chantal Gagnon, Historica Canada
Hear from 2021 RCAF Foundation Scholar Agnes Niyondezi of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan about how her dreams to be a pilot stemmed from watching planes fly over the refugee camp where she was born.
Agnes Niyondezi in her element at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum. Photo supplied by Agnes Niyondezi.
From Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland, meet Captain Brianna Ricketts with Air Borealis. She discovered a love of aviation through her glider course at 13 with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets.
“I still get butterflies every time I go flying.”
– Captain Brianna Ricketts
The Royal Canadian Air Cadets are a very frequently cited reason for getting youth excited about aviation. One of Canada’s oldest youth organizations for young people aged 12-18, there are more than 27,000 air cadets across Canada. Girls were not eligible to join Cadets until 1975, but now, in 2022, 30% of all air cadets were girls.
There are many excellent organizations supporting women in aviation across Canada, including Elevate Aviation, Northern Lights Aero Foundation, Hangar Queens, Canadian chapters of The 99s.
