- Eight scholarships will support Canadian women training as commercial pilots or aircraft maintenance engineers
- Applications open November 1
MONTREAL, Oct. 28, 2026 /CNW/ -- (NASDAQ: CAE) (TSX: CAE) – Air Canada and CAE are once again joining forces to support more women building careers in aviation through the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship. The two Montréal-based global aviation companies announced today that applications for the 2027 scholarship program, presented in conjunction with the Northern Lights Aero Foundation, will open on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
The program will award up to eight scholarships to Canadian women pursuing training as commercial pilots or aircraft maintenance engineers in 2027. Scholarship recipients on the commercial pilot path may also be selected as ambassadors for CAE's Women in Flight program.
"Air Canada is proud to continue investing in the people who will shape aviation's future and to see former scholarship recipients advancing in their careers, including one of our first recipients who is now a pilot on an Airbus A330 at Air Canada," said Murray Strom, Senior Vice President, Safety, Security & Flight Operations at Air Canada. "The Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship helps talented women access training, build confidence and pursue rewarding careers across our industry. We are excited to follow the next group of recipients as they move forward in this dynamic profession."
"Aviation will need 300,000 new pilots by 2034, yet women make up only about 5% of commercial pilots today. If our industry is going to meet that demand, we need to inspire and enable a much broader pool of talent to see aviation as a career for them," said Samantha Golinski, Senior Vice President, Communications at CAE. "That's what the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship program is about: opening doors, creating role models and helping more women see a path to the flight deck. We're proud to work with Air Canada to help build the next generation of aviation talent."
"This year's scholarship recipients came from all across Canada, from New Brunswick to Alberta, but they all shared one important attribute: they actively uplift and encourage other women in their aviation journeys. As I greeted each student on stage at the Northern Lights gala, I was proud not only of their accomplishments in their own training, but also of their commitment to volunteering, mentoring and supporting others," said Judy Cameron, retired Air Canada Boeing 777 Captain and Director, Northern Lights Aero Foundation. "These remarkable young women will be inspiring role models and mentors for the next generation of women in aviation. Thank you to Air Canada for initiating these scholarships eight years ago, and to CAE for joining the program and helping it grow. I look forward to the day when I'm on a flight operated by one of our Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship recipients."
Created in honour of Air Canada's first female pilot, the annual Captain Judy Cameron Scholarships support women following the trail she helped blaze and are presented in partnership with the Northern Lights Aero Foundation.
Launched in 2019 with four awards, the Captain Judy Cameron Scholarship expanded in 2023 when Air Canada and CAE partnered to double the number of scholarships available to eligible students.
Applications open November 1, 2026. Apply here.
To hear the inspiring stories of the 2026 scholarship winners, watch this video: https://youtu.be/u_tis9UypNU.
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 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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CAE Contacts:
Media Relations:
Samantha Golinski, Senior Vice President, Communications
+1-438-805-5856, [email protected]
Investor Relations:
Andrew Arnovitz, Chief Strategy Officer
+1-514-734-5760, [email protected]
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 more than 50 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental partners. Through Air Canada Vacations, it offers a selection of vacation and Flight & Hotel packages, tours, cruises, car rentals, and experiences. 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).
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