Nieuport Aviation, owner and operator of the passenger terminal at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, honours Limerick-born aviator Lady Heath on St. Brigid’s Day

TORONTO, ONTARIO – Neil Pakey, President and CEO of Nieuport Aviation, owner and operator of the passenger terminal at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport; Jennifer Quinn, Chief Strategy and Development Officer; and Eve Wiggins, Chief Operating Officer were delighted to welcome Consul General of Ireland Janice McGann and Chairman of the Canada Ireland Foundation Mark Purdy to Billy Bishop Airport to honour Limerick-born aviator Lady Heath as the latest addition to the airport’s Women in Aviation Wall of Fame. The gathering was also an opportunity to observe St. Brigid’s Day, which marks the beginning of spring. St. Brigid is the patroness saint of Ireland who founded the important abbey of Kildare and several other convents of nuns, and February 1 offers an opportunity to celebrate the remarkable contributions that Irish women have made—and continue to make—around the world.

Lady Heath, born Sophie Pierce-Evans from humble beginnings in Limerick in 1896, achieved fame as the first person—woman or man—to fly solo from South Africa to London, a remarkable journey that she accomplished in an open-air cockpit. The 10,000-mile flight was fraught with challenges, including 100-degree heat that caused heatstroke, an air crash in Zimbabwe, and even false reports of her death.

Toronto has a long history of connection with Ireland. Just outside YTZ’s mainland pavilion, Ireland Park commemorates the Irish Famine migrants who arrived on Toronto’s shores between 1846 and 1849. Nieuport Aviation and a panel of judges voted to include Lady Heath in homage to the airport’s Irish neighbours and to the Canada Ireland Foundation, which is working to transform the nearby Corleck Building into a vibrant new venue for arts, cultural and heritage programming.

The Women in Aviation Wall of Fame has been developed by Nieuport Aviation in partnership with the RCAF Foundation. To learn more about Lady Heath, view a digital profile produced by the RCAF Foundation at https://rcaffoundation.ca/portfolio-items/lady-heath/.

Image captions:

(from left) Neil Pakey, President and CEO, Nieuport Aviation; Janice McGann, Consul General of Ireland; Mark Purdy, Chairman of the Canada Ireland Foundation; Jennifer Quinn, Chief Strategy and Development Officer, Nieuport Aviation; and Eve Wiggins, Chief Operating Officer at Nieuport Aviation unveiled a plaque honouring Limerick-born aviator Lady Heath at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

Lady Heath, born Sophie Pierce-Evans from humble beginnings in Limerick in 1896, achieved fame as the first person—woman or man—to fly solo from South Africa to London, a remarkable journey that she accomplished in an open-air cockpit.

About Nieuport Aviation

Nieuport Aviation is the owner and operator of the passenger terminal at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport. Backed by Canadian and international pension funds and supported by significant international expertise in managing aviation operations, we are committed to world-class customer service for the millions of customers using the airport. In addition to managing the passenger terminal, Nieuport Aviation offers passengers a free bus shuttle service between the airport and downtown Toronto, helping to provide a seamless travel experience. For more information, please visit www.nieuport.com. Since acquiring the airport terminal, Nieuport has invested $60 million in upgrades, recently opening the Aspire | Air Canada Cafe for Canadian travellers. Nieuport is further investing in the development of the US Customs pre-clearance facility, to be deilvered in late 2025.