Rosella Bjornson

Rosella Marie Bjornson, AOE (born July 13, 1947) 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]

Rosella Marie Bjornson

AOE
Born (1947-07-13) 13 July 1947
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
OccupationAviator
Spouse(s)Bill Pratt
Children2

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.[3]

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.[4] In 2004, she was inducted into the Women in Aviation, International Hall of Fame.[5]

In 2014, Bjornson was honoured with a commemorative postage stamp. In 2018, she was appointed to the Alberta Order of Excellence.[6]

In 2017 Capt Bjornson was awarded a Masters Commendation by The Honourable Company of Air Pilots for her contributions to equality for women in the airlines in Canada.

References
  1. Klinkenberg, Marty. "Canada's first female commercial pilot honoured with commemorative stamp (with video)". Edmonton Journal.
  2. "Palliser Wall of Fame". Palliser Regional Schools.
  3. "Trophies and Awards 2017 - Air Pilots". www.airpilots.org. Retrieved 2020-09-02.
  4. "Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame".
  5. "2004 Pioneer Hall of Fame". Women in Aviation, International.
  6. "Rosella Bjornson | The Alberta Order of Excellence". www.lieutenantgovernor.ab.ca. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
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