Violet Milstead

Violet Milstead Warren (October 17, 1919 – June 27, 2014) was a Canadian aviator, noted for being the first female Canadian bush pilot and one of only four Canadian women to work in the British Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) during WWII. With over 600 hours of flight time during the war, she was the longest serving female Canadian ATA pilot. She worked as a flight instructor at Barker Field in Toronto, Ontario, and her students included commercial pilot Molly Reilly and author June Callwood. She is a member of the Canadian Aviation Hall of Fame, the Order of Canada, and the Bush Pilots Hall of Fame.

Early life Milstead was born October 17, 1919, in Toronto, Ontario. Her parents were Edith and Harold Milstead, and she had one brother named Fred. Ground crews on airfields said that they knew how to recognise ATA pilots approaching, because "no one else would dare to fly in such bad weather". Milstead often flew the Fairchild Husky in her bush work. and commercial pilot Molly Reilly. Impressed by Milstead's skills, Callwood described her as a "Bush Angel", later writing an article about Milstead for a women's magazine.