- Awarded to Canadian women studying to become commercial pilots or aircraft maintenance engineers
- Four aspiring commercial pilots become CAE Women in Flight ambassadors
MONTRÉAL, March 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Air Canada and CAE, two of Canada’s premiere aerospace companies headquartered in Montréal, are pleased to announce today the eight recipients of the seventh edition of the Air Canada and CAE Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship.
Each year, up to eight Canadian women studying to become commercial pilots or aircraft maintenance engineers are awarded scholarships to pursue their training. Of these recipients, four aspiring commercial pilots will join the CAE Women in Flight program as ambassadors.
“Each year, the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship allows us to witness the incredible talent, perseverance, and passion of women who are shaping the future of aviation in Canada. This year’s recipients stand out not only for their academic excellence and technical skill, but for the leadership and mentorship they demonstrate within their communities,” said Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Public Affairs at Air Canada. “Their achievements embody the very spirit of this scholarship – honouring Captain Judy Cameron’s trailblazing legacy while empowering the next generation of women to pursue careers as commercial pilots and aircraft maintenance engineers. We are proud to support their journeys and remain deeply committed to advancing gender parity in STEM and technical aviation careers.”
“Today, women still represent just about five percent of commercial pilots worldwide. CAE is proud to once again support the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship, an initiative that plays a meaningful role in encouraging more women to pursue careers in aviation and inspire the next generation. This year’s recipients reflect the talent and determination that will help shape the future of our industry, and we are honoured to fuel their aspirations and support their path,” said Marie-Christine Cloutier, Vice President, Strategy & Marketing. “Four of the recipients will become CAE Women in Flight ambassadors to serve as role models, promoting diversity in aviation and inspiring other women to follow in their footsteps.”
“Air Canada launched the Captain Judy Cameron scholarship program seven years ago, and it has been truly inspiring to celebrate the remarkable achievements of past recipients as they go on to become flight instructors, medevac pilots, and First Officers at major airlines,” said Judy Cameron, Boeing 777 Captain at Air Canada (retired), and Director, Northern Lights Aero Foundation. “The 2026 recipients exemplify excellence, not only in their own training, but in the way they actively uplift and encourage other women in their aviation journeys. I am incredibly proud of CAE and Air Canada’s continued commitment to advancing women in aviation through its partnership with the Northern Lights Aero Foundation.”
The Air Canada recipients for 2026 are:
- Faith Mulholland of Eden Mills, Ontario
- Afrah Khan from Edmonton, Alberta
- Aymie Rioux from St. Germain, Québec
- Kesaia Bruni from Mississauga, Ontario
The following individuals will join the CAE Women in Flight Program:
- Katelyn Flear of Caledonia, Ontario
- Madison Crane from Etobicoke, Ontario
- Sophia Hutchcroft of Calgary, Alberta
- Natasha Razzak from Sherwood Park, Alberta
The annual Captain Judy Cameron Scholarships, established in honour of Air Canada’s first female pilot to help foster the next generation of women following in her trailblazing footsteps, are awarded in conjunction with the Northern Lights Aero Foundation.
The Captain Judy Cameron scholarships were introduced in 2019 and initially awarded to four recipients. In 2023, Air Canada and CAE joined forces to double the number of scholarships, awarding a total of eight to eligible students.
About Judy Cameron
Judy Cameron became the first female pilot hired by Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline, in April 1978 at the age of 23. She was the first woman to graduate from Selkirk College’s Aviation Technology Program in 1975. Throughout her flying career of 40 years and over 23,000 hours, she has flown the DC-3, Twin Otter, Hawker Siddeley 748, DC-9, Lockheed 1011, Airbus 320, Boeing 767 and Boeing 777 to the far corners of the world. She became a captain in 1997 and in 2010, she became the first female captain in Canada of a Boeing 777, the largest aircraft in Air Canada’s fleet. She retired in 2015, received the Elsie MacGill Northern Lights award in the Flight Operations category that year, and in 2016 she was chosen by the 99s (International Organization of Women Pilots) to be on its Canadian postage stamp. Today, Captain Cameron continues her volunteer work mentoring and supporting the next generation of female pilots with the Northern Lights Aero Foundation.
About CAE Women in Flight Ambassador Program
CAE’s Women in Flight Ambassador program is helping create a movement to encourage young girls and women to dream big and have no limits. As only five percent of pilots worldwide are women, this program is geared to show women that they too can reach for the sky. The goal of the program is to build a community of ambassadors who demonstrate leadership skills, active involvement in their communities, perseverance, who are passionate about aviation, and inspire women to join the pilot profession.
Launched in 2018, the Women in Flight Ambassador program was expanded in July 2022 to include partnerships with more airline customers to increase the number of scholarships given. This is a co-branded program in which CAE is partnering with airline customers globally to create women pilot ambassadors via scholarships ranging from partially funded to fully funded pilot training.
To learn more about the program, go to CAE Women in Flight Ambassador Program | CAE
About CAE
At CAE, we exist to make the world safer. We deliver cutting-edge training, simulation, and critical operations solutions to prepare aviation professionals and defence forces for the moments that matter. Every day, we empower pilots, cabin crew, maintenance technicians, airlines, business aviation operators, and defence and security personnel to perform at their best and when the stakes are the highest. Around the globe, we’re everywhere customers need us to be with approximately 13,000 employees at around 240 sites and training locations in over 40 countries. For nearly 80 years, CAE has been at the forefront of innovation, consistently seeking to set the standard by delivering excellence in high-fidelity flight simulators and training solutions, while embedding sustainability at the heart of everything we do. By harnessing technology and enhancing human performance, we strive to be the trusted partner in advancing safety and mission readiness — today and tomorrow.
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About Air Canada
Air Canada is Canada’s largest airline, the country’s flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world’s most comprehensive air transportation network. Headquartered in Montréal, Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada’s Aeroplan program is Canada’s premier travel loyalty program, with more than 10 million members worldwide. Members can earn or redeem points on the world’s largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners. Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers more travel choices than any other Canadian tour operator to hundreds of destinations worldwide, with a wide selection of hotels, flights, cruises, day tours, and car rentals. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada’s passenger and freighter aircraft. Air Canada’s climate-related ambition includes a long-term aspirational goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. For additional information, please see Air Canada’s TCFD disclosure. Air Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX (AC) in Canada and the OTCQX (ACDVF) in the US.
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