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Saluting women in Canadian aviation and aerospace

To mark International Women's Day, Wings and Helicopters salutes some of the great women profiled in previous issues of the magazines who have forged new paths in aviation and aerospace.

March 8, 2016 By Wings Magazine

Here are five columns Wings and Helicopters columnist Anna Pangrazzi has penned that highlight trendsetting women on the move:

Not just a glorified bus driver People say the darndest things. I have actually heard someone say flying for an airline is just like driving a bus! I have also heard it is not a good career choice for women because there is too much travel involved.
Some 54 countries and counting Passion, curiosity, and a sense of adventure . . . aviation attracts a lot of people with these amazing qualities and Nachelle White has them all in spades. Advertisement
Shooting for the stars When I broke into the aviation fraternity in the 1980s, my generation of female aviators was considered quite a novelty. It was an exciting field, full of adventures, and we did not mind being “one of the boys.” Years later, however, many of my female colleagues are finding it hard to understand why more women did not follow in our footsteps.
Showing them the way As a wife, mother and grandmother with a career in aviation that spans more than 50 years, it’s not farfetched to use the word “remarkable” when describing Thunder Bay native Liz Wieben. Wieben’s journey in aviation began at a time when there were few women in the workplace let alone flying in the bush.
A Wild Ride One of the best things about having a career in aviation is meeting interesting characters and listening to the stories they tell. Mary Ellen Pauli is a prime example. Last fall, I had the honour of presenting Pauli with the Elsie MacGill Northern Lights Award.