Help make more Canadians aware of Lorna deBlicquy, a remarkable aviation pioneer. Buy and use stamps celebrating Lorna’s career.
Stamp purchasers will also receive a printed summary of the highlights of Lorna’s career with an invitation to copy the information and send it along with correspondence featuring the stamp. The stamp features a young Lorna’s early interest in flying. As a youngster Lorna lived with her family in Blyth, Ontario where she was born. By age 14, she was strongly committed to learning to fly. Her parachute jump with the Ottawa Parachute Club in 1947 made her the youngest Canadian to skydive! When Lorna completed the Private Pilot License requirements at the age of 16, few career opportunities existed for female pilots.
Earning her Commercial Licence in 1952 and a BA in 1953, her first career was high school teaching, with flight instructing in her spare time. She had found her passion in aviation and it wasn’t long before she moved in aviation full time.
IN HER WORDS
In Canadian Ninety-Nines: Here and Now, 2006, Lorna summarized her career as follows:
“I also earned a Commercial Helicopter License which I never used, and a Private Glider License which I used with joy. Endorsements included Seaplane, Class I Instructor, Towing, Multi-Engine, Instrument, and Designated Flight Text Examiner, Favourite aircraft included the Canadian Fleet in Ethiopia during the summer of 1986, and flew in Saudi Arabia semi-disguised. IN 1977 I was hired as a DOT inspector, an achievement of which I am proud.
“I have had the best flying life possible for one who never wanted to do anything else – as a Canadian who has healthy, reasonably well educated (BA) and had the ability and breaks necessary to pay my own way by working after school to pay for an early start, with the guarded support of both bewildered parents, (Dad was an anti-aircraft gunner in WW I). I am lucky, thankful and pleased to have spent most of my life doing what I loved.
I would not change anything, except it might have been nice to be born thirty years later.”
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Lorna had a strong sense of fairness. She never wanted to be given a position simply because she was a woman. But neither did she want to be denied a position because she was a woman. She strongly believed that everyone should be treated fairly based on their abilities, knowledge and experience, herself included. At times, she was outspoken in her efforts to achieve that fairness for herself and others.
Through her career Lorna has not only advanced aviation in Canada but she has brought credit to Canada within the international community.
She was a dedicated and talented pilot who has inspired many of us, young and not so young, to follow our dreams to pursue careers in aviation or achieve excellence even when flying recreationally.
In 2008 the East Canada Section of the Ninety-Nines launched a plan to honour noteworthy Canadian women pilots. Through Canada Post’s Picture Postage program the Ninety-Nines have designed stamps which can be used a regular letter postage within Canada.
Since our stamp program began, we have featured Eileen Vollick, Canada’s firs female licensed pilot; Vi Milstead, who flew with the Air Transport Auxiliary during the Second World War and following the war was Canada’s first female bush pilot; and Dorothy Rungeling, a passionate air racer, the first Canadian woman to solo in a helicopter and an enthusiastic writer about aviation. Stamps for these women may also be ordered, but First Day Covers are limited or sold out.
RELEASE DATE OCTOBER 19
Lorna deBlicquy stamps are available in three forms. Order forms may be found on the Canadian 99s website http:/www.canadian99s.org
Domestic Postage sheets of 40 can be used as regular letter postage, even after the rate increases – $ 46. The Keepsake sheet features 20 regular sized stamps plus one large picture of the stamp – $ 32. A limited number of First Day Covers are available for $ 5 each. They will be of particular interest to stamp collectors among your friends and family.
Sheets of 40 stamps, Keepsake sheets and First Day Covers may be ordered by mail from Bev Fraser, Box 56060, Fiesta Outlet, Stoney Creek, ON L8G 5C9
An additional $ 3 cost will be required for mail orders. The stamp will be released on October 19, 2011, the 65th anniversary of the date that Lorna first experienced the exhilaration of flying. Stamp orders must be received by Friday, Sept. 30, 2011.
Stamps and First Day Covers will be mailed in time for you to use them on Christmas cards, or to give to the stamp collectors on your shopping list. Please note that Lorna deBlicquy stamps are not available at postal outlets.
[Article published in Sept. 2011 COPA FLight]
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