Melissa Haney

Melissa Haney (born 1981) is an Inuk pilot from Quebec, Canada. She is noted for being the first female Inuk pilot with Air Inuit to reach the rank of captain. In 2017, the Canadian Ninety-Nines released a postage stamp in commemoration of her achievements.

Early life

Haney was born in 1981. She spent her early years in the community of Inukjuak on the shores of Hudson Bay, and as a child, Haney loved going to visit the airport. Planes were an ordinary form of transportation in Haney's community, necessary for travelling to dental and medical appointments in other communities.

Career In 2001, Haney began working with Air Inuit as a flight attendant. She soon decided she wanted to fly planes herself.

In the summer of 2016, Haney was promoted to captain. When she flew back to Inukjuak in September, several hundred people from her community gathered to meet her at the airport.

She now regularly flies a Dash 8 Combi-300, making tight landings on runways that are often just barely long enough for her aircraft. Speaking to reporters, the president of Air Inuit said that Haney "was a role model for all people in Nunavik, whether they're women, whether they're men."

As of 2024, she remains a prominent figure at Air Inuit, not only as a captain but also as a mentor to new pilots, particularly through The Sparrow program, which she coordinates to inspire and support Inuit youth interested in aviation (Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines) (Nunatsiaq News). She is actively involved with Elevate Aviation, a non-profit promoting underrepresented groups in the industry, traveling and giving presentations to encourage youth to consider careers in aviation (Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines).

Personal life Haney is married to another Air Inuit captain named Pierre-Olivier, and the couple has two children.