Air Canada and CAE Award 8 Captain Judy Cameron Scholarships as 4 Recipients Join CAE Women in Flight Ambassador Program

Canada – Air Canada and CAE, both headquartered in Montréal, have announced the eight recipients of the seventh edition of the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship — an annual programme honouring Canada's first female Air Canada pilot and designed to support women pursuing careers as commercial pilots or aircraft maintenance engineers.

• Up to eight Canadian women studying towards commercial pilot or aircraft maintenance engineer qualifications are awarded scholarships annually; of the 2026 cohort, four aspiring commercial pilots will join the CAE Women in Flight programme as ambassadors, serving as role models to encourage greater female participation in aviation careers.
• The scholarship programme was established in 2019 with an initial four annual recipients; in 2023, Air Canada and CAE joined forces to double the number of scholarships awarded, bringing the total to eight per year.
• The scholarships are administered in conjunction with the Northern Lights Aero Foundation, a Canadian organisation dedicated to inspiring and celebrating women in aviation and aerospace through mentorship, scholarships, a speaker's bureau, and an annual awards event.
• The scholarship is named in honour of Judy Cameron, Air Canada's first female pilot, who became a Boeing 777 Captain and recipient of the Elsie MacGill Northern Lights award in the Flight Operations category in 2015; she now serves as Director of the Northern Lights Aero Foundation.
• Women currently represent approximately 5% of commercial pilots globally — a figure CAE and Air Canada cite as the structural context underpinning the programme's mandate.
• Past scholarship recipients have progressed into flight instructor, medevac pilot, and First Officer roles at major airlines, reflecting the programme's contribution to building a pipeline of professionally qualified women in commercial aviation.

Statements

• "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. 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," said Arielle Meloul-Wechsler, Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and Public Affairs at Air Canada.
• "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. 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," said Marie-Christine Cloutier, Vice President, Strategy and Marketing at CAE.
• "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. 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," said Judy Cameron, Boeing 777 Captain at Air Canada (retired) and Director, Northern Lights Aero Foundation.

Source: Air Canada and CAE