FLYING MYNDZ
Buttons Beat Cigarettes In The Cockpit
Send us Fan Mail She loses her flying medical for three and a half years after a brutal ankle injury, then comes back to finish her licences and build a career that ends as an Air Canada Boeing 777 captain. Jen Nicol joins us to talk through the real steps of an airline pilot journey, from early flight training at Abbotsford to door knocking with a resume, to flying charters, scheduled service, and eventually long-haul Boeings. We dig into what “Respect is earned” looks like on the flight deck, especially when you’re often the only woman in the room. Jen shares the people who changed everything, including mentors who opened doors and leaders who had her back when others didn’t want a female pilot. We also talk about the tougher parts of aviation culture: harassment, the risk junior pilots feel when reporting, and how confidence is built one flight and one training event at a time. From the CRJ to the 767, 787 Dreamliner, and the iconic 777, Jen reflects on how Air Canada and the industry evolve over 25 years, and why one toxic training moment during a 777 command upgrade still sticks with her. We connect that to pilot mental health, support networks like the Ninety-Nines, and why many pilots still struggle in silence. If you care about women in aviation, Canadian airline careers, cockpit leadership, and staying resilient when things get personal, this conversation will hit home. Subscribe to Flying Myndz, share this with a pilot who needs it, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. Support the show
