Zoey Williams, from Ontario, Canada, made history as Air Canada’s first Black female pilot to fly a Boeing 777. She holds four college degrees. Wings Magazine also named her one of its top 20 under 40.
The 27-year-old Zoey was raised as the daughter of a pilot, and her upbringing was filled with global travel. In an interview with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Black Female Pilot revealed that she was initially apprehensive about pursuing a career in piloting owing to uncertain scheduling and instead focused on the engineering side of aviation.
However, when she became horrified while flying in a Cessna, she saw it as an opportunity to overcome her phobia and pursued aviation training. She eventually got her wings as a qualified flying instructor at the age of 19.
Throughout her career, Zoey has held a variety of positions in the aviation sector, including flying the Beechcraft 1900 in difficult conditions before making her mark as a First Officer for Sky Regional Airlines and later Air Transat.
Furthermore, Zoey Williams confronted the hurdles posed by the pandemic. Despite setbacks, she pursued an MBA in aviation from Embry-Riddle while working on a variety of projects, including creating a short-term rental business and flying a Boeing 737 with Flair Airlines.
Her journey eventually brought her to Air Canada, where she flew on the Boeing 777 with her father and achieved a milestone.
Beyond aviation, Zoey Williams is a multi-talented individual who actively showcases her musical abilities on different platforms. She’s also making her mark as an author, with her upcoming book, “Go Where You Belong,” which aims to inspire young minds.
“If you have a burning desire to do something, don’t bury it. Keep your focus, build your networks, share your goals, and show your passion in everything you do. That’s how you can end up doing things you love day in and day out,” she said.
