Anna Moores recently made history as the first woman in the 60-year history of Newfoundland and Labrador Air Services to qualify as a captain on a CL-415 water bomber. She completed the proficiency check required to fly from the captain’s left seat. Fewer than 20 women are estimated to fly the CL-415 worldwide, and about half serve as captains.
Anna Moores has flown commercially since 1992. Her career has taken her from northern aviation and air ambulance operations to aerial surveillance and, today, aerial firefighting from the cockpit of a CL-415 water bomber.
Moores has spent 18 years with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Air Services Division, including 14 years flying the King Air 350 for the air ambulance service. Now in her fourth season flying the CL-415, she supports wildfire operations in Newfoundland and Labrador and across Canada.
Her career began with Labrador Airways, where she flew aircraft such as the Twin Otter. She later joined PAL Aerospace, flying King Air 200s on surveillance and reconnaissance missions for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Maritimes and British Columbia. She has also supported Coast Guard operations, ice reconnaissance, and search and rescue, and has experience flying in remote areas of northern Labrador and at off-strip locations.
After more than three decades in aviation, Anna has flown a remarkable range of aircraft and missions. Today, she brings that experience to aerial firefighting, one of aviation’s most specialized and challenging jobs.
Moores values teamwork above all else. She says, “Aerial firefighting depends heavily on teamwork, humility and supporting one another. It is an honour and a privilege to be considered for the left seat. Not only are we reliant on each other as pilots, but we also lean heavily on the maintenance crews that keep us in the air.”
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