Oakville’s Denise Egglestone Receives Trailblazer Award in Aviation

Oakville resident Denise Egglestone has been honored with the prestigious Trailblazer Award from the Northern Lights Aero Foundation. This award recognizes women who have made significant contributions to the aviation and aerospace sectors in Canada. Egglestone will receive her accolade at a gala in Toronto on October 4, 2025.

This recognition underscores a lifetime of dedication and perseverance in the aviation industry, a journey that began in the 1970s. Growing up, Egglestone often visited Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, where her father worked as an employee of Air Canada. These early experiences nurtured her passion for airplanes. “I was always around airplanes,” Egglestone recalled. “Back in those days, there wasn’t much in the way of airport security, so I could go in with them.”

Breaking Barriers in Aviation

Egglestone’s professional journey is marked by a series of pioneering roles. She became a licensed commercial pilot and later made history as Air Canada’s first female ground school instructor for the Boeing 727. Her career also included serving as one of the airline’s earliest female flight dispatchers for over 20 years. Despite her accomplishments, Egglestone faced numerous challenges, particularly as a ground instructor.

“Admittedly, I wasn’t as experienced as all the guys,” she said, highlighting the background of her male counterparts, many of whom had extensive flight or mechanical experience. “I had just been a flying instructor, flying small charter aircraft.” The support she received was often limited. “When I asked them for help, it wasn’t always readily available. They weren’t that forthcoming,” Egglestone explained. The prevailing mentality was that if she believed she could do the job, she would need to put in extra effort to prove herself.

Teaching students who were primarily male and significantly older presented its own difficulties. “I remember walking to class one day, arms full of books,” she said. “I put them down on the table. I said, ‘How are you all doing today?’ And they said, ‘Oh fine, we’re just waiting for the instructor.’ And I go, ‘That would be me.’ They kind of went, ‘Yeah, that’s not happening.’” Despite the initial resistance, Egglestone persevered, motivated in part by the support of her husband, also an Air Canada pilot.

A Legacy of Mentorship and Community Involvement

Now retired from her formal roles, Egglestone remains actively involved in the aviation community. She currently serves as the President of Dreams Take Flight National, a charity launched by Air Canada in 1989 that provides children facing medical or social challenges with a special one-day trip to Disneyland and Disney World. Additionally, she is the Vice-President of the Toronto chapter, coordinating with agencies to select participating children each year.

Egglestone is dedicated to mentoring young women interested in aviation. One of her mentorships began serendipitously when she met a young woman in a grocery store who recognized her Air Canada lanyard. This chance encounter blossomed into a continuing relationship aimed at encouraging more women to enter the field. “I really want to encourage more women into the field. I want to get to women who say ‘I can’t do that’ – yes, you can,” she affirmed.

In addition to her mentoring efforts, Egglestone is a long-time member of The Ninety-Nines, an international organization for female pilots, and currently serves as treasurer for the Women in Aviation Upper Canada Chapter. She also volunteers with CASARA (the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association), motivated by a desire to improve emergency response following a plane crash in 2022.

Denise Egglestone’s contributions to aviation extend far beyond her personal achievements. She not only broke barriers for women in the industry but continues to inspire the next generation, ensuring that the skies are open to all who dare to dream.