PROFILE: BRIANNA RICKETTS

By Brianna Ricketts

I am 23 years old with 4000 hours and a Captain with Air Borealis in Labrador, Canada flying the legendary De Havilland Twin Otter. Air Borealis is a local company in Happy Valley-Goose Bay that services the coast of Labrador with our fleet of 10 DHC-6-300 Twin Otters. Air Borealis is the lifeline for the Labrador coast. We do scheduled passenger flights, a bunch of different charters, and freighter flights. We also do an outpost charters which is when we take the indigenous people into the country land for fishing/hunting trips. This is one of my favorites because we really get to fly the Twin Otter to its limits. We have big tundra tires, STOL kit (vortex generators, wing fences) and we land on eskers and bogs. Definitely a huge adrenaline rush! We also put one of our aircraft on floats in the summer and bring fishermen into fishing camps (Flowers River Lodge, Hunt River, Igloo Lake Lodge, and lots more). Definitely my favorite part of the job, the Twin Otter on floats is incredible.

The job is very tough, there is no doubt about it. Labrador is one of the most challenging places to fly in the world. There are days when the wind chill is -50C and 80+ km/h wind in low visibility and the weather can be so unpredictable. The biggest challenge is definitely the weather. Each of the communities on the coast have short gravel strips and in the winter it’s like landing on a sheet of glass, super slippery and challenging at times. Also, all the airstrips have RNAV approaches, but occasionally the weather is so bad that we can go a week or more without flying. Nain is definitely our most challenging place. It has the shortest airstrip on the coast, with only of 1,986 feet of runway with the ocean on each end. You will always have a crosswind in Nain…sometimes 30 kts+, 90 degrees off the runway. It definitely keeps you on your toes!

You have to fly the plane, plus load/offload 10,000+ pounds of freight (fruits/vegetables, Amazon packages, fuel drums, lumber, and sometimes dead caribou/fish) to the communities in these extreme weather conditions. Even though the job is tough, I do this work with pride and a smile on my face.

I’ve been flying with Air Borealis for almost four years now and was hired by the company back in 2019 when I turned 19! I did three years as a First Officer and loved every second of it. I’ve been flying since I was 14 years old and that's when I completed my first solo, becoming the youngest female in Canada to fly solo!

I definitely have to thank my amazing parents Brian and Ginette Ricketts. I would have never been able to accomplish so much without them by my side every day! They’re my best friends.

I also must thank the Air Cadet Program for sparking my interest in aviation and giving me accolades like no other. I completed my Glider Pilot License at 16, my Private Pilot License at 17, and my float rating two days after my PPL. I completed my Commercial License at 18 years old and became a Class IV Flight Instructor by 19 at my hometown flight school, Gander Flight Training. I then proceeded with a Multi engine/IFR rating in Cornwall, Ontario. I received Top Air Cadet of Newfoundland & Labrador for 2017/18. Then I ventured North and began my journey with Air Borealis…

Living in the north you definitely fall in love with the outdoors. Dad and I are big into salmon fishing and we have a Cessna 172 on floats that we both share and go on lots of crazy adventures together. Iceberg hunting is one of our favorite pastimes as well. This past winter I purchased my first Skidoo and I’ve had many epic adventures and lots of great times on that. I also do cross country skiing and play competitive table tennis.

I’m very proud of my achievements and I am still so young and know that I have so much more to accomplish in my aviation career. I’m so thankful for all the amazing people who have pushed me to be my best possible self and I am honored to represent women pilots all across the world.

Live life to the fullest, enjoy every moment and always smile. You only live once.

"The plane doesn't know or care about your gender as a pilot. You just have to perform and do your job exceptionally well. That's what matters."