Zoey Williams has became the first Black female pilot to fly a Boeing 777 aircraft for Air Canada, a significant milestone in aviation history. This achievement is even more impressive considering her childhood fear of the sky.
Zoey Williams, known for breaking barriers as the first Black female pilot to join Air Canada, celebrated this new accomplishment with her father, Orrett Williams, who is also a Boeing 777 Captain at the airline. This family legacy in aviation has inspired Zoey from a young age.
Born to Caribbean Canadian parents, Williams grew up near a flight-training school, constantly exposed to the world of aviation. However, her initial experiences were far from encouraging. “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,” Williams shared in an interview with Wings Magazine. Despite her proximity to aviation, her first flight lesson in a Cessna was a turbulent experience that left her feeling nauseous and frightened. “There is no way I am going back up there. You can forget about becoming a pilot!” she thought at the time.
Despite these early challenges, Williams’s passion for flying persisted. Last year, she proudly announced on LinkedIn that she had joined Air Canada’s Boeing 777 team as a First Officer. “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.
Williams’s accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. She was named among the Top 20 Under 40 by Wings Magazine, recognizing her significant contributions and potential in the aviation industry.
Williams is a talented singer and a member of the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) since November 2023. Her love for music complements her professional life, providing a creative outlet when she is not soaring the skies.
Williams is also an aspiring author, currently writing a children’s book focused on flying and encouraging young people to reach for the stars. Her story aims to inspire the next generation to overcome their fears and pursue their dreams, no matter how daunting they may seem.
