Micky Colton
Encyclopedia
Major Micky Colton is a female Canadian military
pilot. She joined the military in August 1980, just a few weeks after the Canadian military first started accepting female
civilian recruits in their pilot program. Having received her pilot's wings in 1982, she has spent most of her time in the military as a Search And Rescue (SAR) Pilot, operating the CC130 Hercules aircraft. In 2000, she became the first female pilot to log 5000 hours on the Hercules, and in 2009 was honoured by being added to the 100 names to commemorate 100 years of flight in Canada gracing the side of a CF18 demonstration hornet. She is currently the most senior female pilot in the Canadian armed forces.
in May of 1958. As a child and teenager, she had no interest in the military and had aspirations of becoming a veterinarian. However, she developed a love of flying after cashing in coupons for free flying lessons clipped from a magazine. “My boyfriend at the time said, ‘You can’t fly, you’re a girl,’ and I thought, ‘Oh yeah? ’” (Major Colton on the topic of her free lessons). At the time, she had been working as a courier, but got the idea to join the military from a friend. She saw no reason why she would not be allowed to enter the military, and was surprised when the recruitment officer told her excitedly that she was his first ever female pilot recruit.
1997: Promoted to major.
2000: Becomes the first Canadian Woman to log 5000 hours in the CC130 Hercules.
2006: Logs 6000 hours on the Hercules and has log book signed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper
who she was flying to Nunavut when she reached 6000.
2009: Is named as one of the 100 Canadians who have made significant contributions to Canada's aviation history to be painted on the side of the 100 Years Of Flight commemorative CF-18 Hornet.
Colton is an active dressage
rider, and rides and trains her black Dutch Warmblood
horse, Marathon, in Gold (national) level dressage.
Canadian Forces
The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...
pilot. She joined the military in August 1980, just a few weeks after the Canadian military first started accepting female
Women in the military in the Americas
-Canada:During the First World War, over 2,300 women served overseas in the Canadian Army Medical Corps. Canadian women were also organized into possible uniformed home guard units, undertaking military training in paramilitary groups...
civilian recruits in their pilot program. Having received her pilot's wings in 1982, she has spent most of her time in the military as a Search And Rescue (SAR) Pilot, operating the CC130 Hercules aircraft. In 2000, she became the first female pilot to log 5000 hours on the Hercules, and in 2009 was honoured by being added to the 100 names to commemorate 100 years of flight in Canada gracing the side of a CF18 demonstration hornet. She is currently the most senior female pilot in the Canadian armed forces.
Early Years
Major Colton was born in Kitchener, OntarioKitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
in May of 1958. As a child and teenager, she had no interest in the military and had aspirations of becoming a veterinarian. However, she developed a love of flying after cashing in coupons for free flying lessons clipped from a magazine. “My boyfriend at the time said, ‘You can’t fly, you’re a girl,’ and I thought, ‘Oh yeah? ’” (Major Colton on the topic of her free lessons). At the time, she had been working as a courier, but got the idea to join the military from a friend. She saw no reason why she would not be allowed to enter the military, and was surprised when the recruitment officer told her excitedly that she was his first ever female pilot recruit.
Working Years
Major Colton moved through the officer ranks of the Canadian military, and was promoted to major in 1997. Over the years she has been posted to several Canadian military bases including St. Albert, Alberta where her daughter was born; Winnipeg, Manitoba; Greenwood, Nova Scotia and others. Her final posting was to 8 Wing Trenton in Trenton, Ontario, in 1992 where she has been ever since. She has spent the majority of her years in the military flying the Hercules in SAR missions, searching middle- and Eastern-Ontario for missing persons, boats, or aircraft. In 2003, she spent 6 months in Eindhoven, Holland, working with Canadian troops deploying in and out of Afghanistan. Through her time in the military, she has been a role model for other women in the air or other armed forces, and has been a part of the Air Force Speakers Bureau, speaking to high schools and women's clubs about her experiences, since 2008.Notable Accomplishments
1980: Joins the third group of Canadian female military pilots-in-training in Canadian history.1997: Promoted to major.
2000: Becomes the first Canadian Woman to log 5000 hours in the CC130 Hercules.
2006: Logs 6000 hours on the Hercules and has log book signed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
who she was flying to Nunavut when she reached 6000.
2009: Is named as one of the 100 Canadians who have made significant contributions to Canada's aviation history to be painted on the side of the 100 Years Of Flight commemorative CF-18 Hornet.
Personal Life
Major Colton is a wife and mother, married to Lt. Colonel (ret.) Chris Colton. She met Chris in 1982 as he was her first flying instructor when she first started pilot training. They married in 1989, and had their first and only child, a daughter, in 1990.Colton is an active dressage
Dressage
Dressage is a competitive equestrian sport, defined by the International Equestrian Federation as "the highest expression of horse training." Competitions are held at all levels from amateur to the World Equestrian Games...
rider, and rides and trains her black Dutch Warmblood
Dutch Warmblood
A Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland A Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the Koninklijk Warmbloed Paardenstamboek Nederland A Dutch Warmblood is a warmblood type of horse registered with the...
horse, Marathon, in Gold (national) level dressage.