Zoey Williams, a 27-year-old hailing from Ontario, Canada, made aviation history as Air Canada’s first Black female pilot, taking the helm of a Boeing 777. Born to a pilot father, Williams spent her childhood around the world. She lived in Ho Chi Minh City, Doha, Trinidad & Tobago, and London.
According to an interview with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Williams was initially hesitant to become a pilot despite being exposed to aviation from a young age. Her hesitation was due to airline pilots’ irregular schedules. And so, she decided to explore the engineering side of flying instead. However, things changed when Williams had her first flight in a Cessna as a teenager. She found the experience terrifying. But instead of giving up, she faced her fears by enrolling in flight training. By the age of 19, Williams was a licensed flight instructor.
The Sky is the Limit
Williams’s experience includes working in a variety of aviation-related roles before joining Air Canada. After flying the Beechcraft 1900 and rising through the ranks to First Officer on the Embraer 175 for Sky Regional Airlines, she eventually joined Air Transat. Willams also started a short-term rental business while pursuing an MBA in Aviation program. These were all in addition to the several odd jobs she took to hone her business skills.
As Air Canada’s first Black female pilot and a Boeing 777 First Officer, Williams has been featured in videos by Air Canada and the Elevate Aviation 2023 Women of Inspire. She was also selected among the Top 20 Under 40 by Wings Magazine. As a Boeing 777 first officer at Air Canada, she has shared the flight deck with her dad, Captain Williams. In addition to her aviation career, Williams is a singer, songwriter, and author. She has written a book, Go Where You Belong, which is being published in English and French to inspire “little girls” that they could fly too.
As Williams herself has said, “If you have a burning desire to do something, don’t bury it. ” Her story is a powerful reminder that the sky is not the limit; it’s just the beginning.