Rosella Bjornson
Rosella Marie Bjornson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 July 1947 |
| Occupation | Aviator |
| Spouse | Bill Pratt |
| Children | 2 |
Rosella Marie Bjornson, AOE (born July 13, 1947 in Lethbridge, Alberta) is a retired Canadian airline pilot, who was the first female pilot for a commercial airline in North America and the first woman member of the Canadian Air Line Pilots Association, International.[1]
Career
Bjornson was educated at Champion School and County Central High School in Vulcan.[2] She first learned to fly at the Air West Flight School in Lethbridge, as a birthday gift from her parents in July 1964. She went on to become an instructor at the Flying Club in Winnipeg.
Bjornson's ground-breaking flight as a commercial pilot was in April 1973 from Thompson, Manitoba to Winnipeg, on a Transair Fokker F-28. It was another five years before Air Canada hired Judy Cameron.
In 1990, Bjornson was the first Canadian woman promoted to the rank of captain, when flying for Canadian Airlines International. She later flew with Air Canada and Zip before retiring in 2004.
Honours
In 1997, Bjornson was inducted into the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame.[3] In 2004, she was inducted into the Women in Aviation, International Hall of Fame.[4]
In 2014, Bjornson was honoured with a commemorative postage stamp. In 2018, she was appointed to the Alberta Order of Excellence.[5]
References
- ^ Klinkenberg, Marty. "Canada's first female commercial pilot honoured with commemorative stamp (with video)". Edmonton Journal.
- ^ "Palliser Wall of Fame". Palliser Regional Schools.
- ^ "Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame".
- ^ "2004 Pioneer Hall of Fame". Women in Aviation, International.
- ^ "Rosella Bjornson | The Alberta Order of Excellence". www.lieutenantgovernor.ab.ca. Retrieved 2018-10-18.