Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Deanna (Dee) Brasseur is one of the first women to be trained as a Canadian Forces pilot.

Dee joined the military in 1972. After months of listening to the dental drills as the administration clerk in the Dental Clinic, Dee decided she was not “Being all that she could be,” and applied for a commission. Her posting to North Bay as an Air Weapons Controller put her in contact with many pilots and several jet aircraft and after two orientation rides in 1978 Dee started taking lessons to obtain her private pilot license.

Shown is an image of a special issue stamp celebrating her achievements. When the military started a trial program for women pilots in 1979, Dee was one of four women selected for the program. Following wings graduation in 1981 Dee became the first and only female instructor.

However not until her remarkable emergency forced landing following an engine failure at night, did she feel truly accepted by her male colleagues. In 1988 at age 35 she was one of two women accepted for fighter pilot training. Again in the public eye, and constantly compared with young men, Dee excelled. After completing the training, she was posted to 416 Squadron Cold Lake, AB where she flew her “dream” – the CF-18 Hornet!

In 1994, after 21 years, Dee retired from the Canadian Armed Forces.

(Source: canadian99s.com)

More information on Major Brasseur at Wikipedia, YouTube and the Ottawa Citizen

Missinippi Airways -

One of the oldest air charter services in Northern Manitoba has been operating from its base in The Pas, Manitoba with offices in Winnipeg, Thompson, Norway House and Pukatawagan since 1989. Missinippi Airways serves all First Nations communities in Northern Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nunavut.

Missinippi Airways is able to accommodate business leaders, the government as well as the private sector for air ambulance, corporate shuttles and executive charters with fast, safe and reliable air charter services.

During the recent "Women in Aviation" week, Captain Robyn Shlachetka and First Officer Raven Beardy were flying medevac operations. The pair made Manitoba history that week when they became the province's first female indigenous medevac team.

(Source: CTV News)