Ilona is a Canadian Armed Forces Veteran, having turned an early fascination of aviation into a career as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Aviation was a family affair, with her father serving 31 years in the RCAF, and her younger brother, now an Aerospace Engineer, also holding pilot licences. Instead of early weekend mornings at the rink, this family spent many dark hours travelling to the airfield in Debert, NS. Ilona’s career path began as a teenager in the Royal Canadian Air Cadet Program, where she gained scholarships to complete both her glider and single-engine aircraft pilot licences. Enrolling in the RCAF as a pilot, Ilona obtained her B.A. (Hons) in Psychology from the Royal Military College of Canada, graduated wings training at the top of her class, and served as a Tactical Helicopter Pilot. After thirteen years in, life threw a curveball, and Ilona was released from the RCAF following an injury. She continued as a civilian helicopter flight instructor for several years before making the difficult decision to retire fully in 2021. Now residing in Halifax, NS, Ilona took the skills she learned throughout her career in aviation and instruction, added a lifelong passion for creativity and craft, and stepped into entrepreneurship. She is owner of Mable & Rose Handmade, a small business that values repair/upcycle, secondhand-first and community. Ilona also advocates for Halifax’s unique urban wilderness areas, volunteering with the Backlands Coalition. Ilona has logged time on the following aircraft: Schweizer 2-33, Cessna-150, Cessna-152, Grob-G120A, CT-156 Harvard II, CH-139 Jet Ranger/Bell 206, Bell 412CF/CH-146 Griffon, Guimbal Cabri G2, and Robinson R44 II. In addition to basic VFR, she has trained in basic aerobatics, formation flying, night flying/night vision goggles, day/night heads up display, low level tactical flight, mountain operations, flight instruction, and instrument flight.