One Ontario resident is making history and breaking barriers in the world of aviation.
Meet Zoey Williams, otherwise known as the first Black female pilot to fly a Boeing 777 aircraft for Air Canada.
This new milestone comes after she was already known as the first Black female pilot to join the airline, according to Black News.
The Caribbean Canadian got to ring in this new turning point in life alongside her father Orrett Williams, who is himself a Boeing 777 Captain at Air Canada.
The young pilot was also named among the Top 20 Under 40 by Wings Magazine.
“I have been around aviation as a child through my father and living close to a flight-training school. I saw a lot of airplanes flying above the house,” she told the magazine.
“After some encouragement from my father, we drove to the airport and I got into a Cessna for an introductory flight lesson. My introductory flight was during a day with some turbulence. I was uncomfortable and there was nothing to hold onto in the airplane. Being so high up made my knees shake and I felt sick to my stomach. Once the engine stopped and we were back on the ground, I thought to myself, ‘There is no way I am going back up there. You can forget about becoming a pilot!’”
Fate had different plans, because last year, Williams proudly shared that she had joined the Canadian airline’s Boeing 777 team.
“I am delighted to announce that I have joined Air Canada as a First Officer on the Boeing 777. This is a dream come true and I look forward to traveling the world on this beautiful aircraft. Here’s to a long career of new places, adventures, and memories,” she wrote on her LinkedIn page.
When not in the sky breaking the glass ceiling for women, Williams can be found singing her heart out on the ground.
She’s also a member of the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) since November 2023.
Between flying and singing, Williams is writing a children’s book focused on flying and encouraging young people to reach for the stars.
