New museum exhibit celebrates women in aviation

The Alberta Aviation Museum launched a new exhibit this weekend that explores the role of women in the Second World War and Canadian Air Force.

The Alberta Aviation Museum opened a new exhibit about the role of women in the Second World War this weekend.

Surgeon and citizen astronaut Dr. Shawna Pandya attended Saturday’s launch to relay a message of hope to women who aspire to enter similar fields of work.

“We can go into any field that we choose,” Pandya said.

“So to let young women—and also their mothers, who may have grown up in an era that was less welcoming—to allow them to know that they can absolutely get out there and do anything that they want.”

Canada’s first female airline captain, Rosella Bjornson, also attended the event.

Forty-six years ago, Bjornson was the first woman to fly on the flight deck of a Canadian airline jet. Seventeen years later, in 1990, the Lethbridge-born pilot was the first Canadian woman promoted to the rank of captain.

Exhibit visitors can learn about the history of women in the Canadian Air Force, participate in a flight simulator activity and learn Morse code.