Jennifer MacKinnon grew up in the Lucknow area where her parents, Dave and Cathy MacKinnon, and brother, Jonathan, still live. MacKinnon moved to Simcoe (Norfolk County) in 1999 when she became an Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officer.
Two years ago MacKinnon moved to the Toronto area where she is a Detective Constable with the Drug Enforcement Section, and is currently seconded to Pearson International Airport. She was also selected to attend the 2010 Winter Olympics in January in British Columbia to work for 30 – 40 days, and is looking forward to the experience.
“Although I have moved away from Lucknow, I return often and always consider it to be home,” said MacKinnon.
MacKinnon became involved in flying about seven seven years ago when a co-worker took her up in a small airplane (citabria). She obtained her private pilot licence and night rating, and later her commercial pilot licence. MacKinnon is a member of the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association (CHAA), which is where she learned how to fly.
It was at an airshow in Welland in 2006 where MacKinnon met, Cam Harrod, who would later be tasked with selecting pilots to fly in a movie called “Amelia”, featuring Hilary Swank and Richard Gere.
MacKinnon was at work last April, when she received a call from Harrod, asking her if she would like to be in a movie. Harrod had tracked her down and told her he was tasked to coordinate airplanes and pilots for part of a movie called “Amelia”. The movie would feature Hilary Swank, cast as Amelia Earhart, and Richard Gere, cast as her husband, George Putnam. He was looking for female pilots who had an appreciation for vintage aircraft and, of course, who could fly them.
“I thought at first he was playing a joke on me, especially when he told me who was in the movie,” said MacKinnon. “I then realized he was serious. The movie shoot would last three three days at Dunnville airport, and would feature a segment of the “Powder Puff Derby”.
The Powder Puff Derby began in 1929 and was a transcontinental race as part of the National Air Races at Cleveland, and was entered by 20 female flyers. It was also this year that the Ninety-Nine’s women’s aviation organization was born; this organization still exists today.
MacKinnon was cast as a special skills expert, who would be required to fly in the movie, if required (there were three female pilots cast). Basically, she was a “Powder Puff Girl”. She filmed two part days, plus a full day with Hilary Swank “Amelia” and the other “Powder Puff Girls” as part of the derby.
“Swank was a real personable individual, interacting with all of the girls and joking around when we had a bit of downtime,” said MacKinnon. “When it came to filming; she took her role very seriously and it was amazing to see her transform into Earhart. Unfortunately, the Director, Mira Nair, opted that we didn’t fly for liability reasons, but I experienced in three days what it was like to be a movie star.”
MacKinnon and her fellow pilots were all dressed in full, 1929 period costumes. “The movie props were unreal; it really felt like I was living in that time period for those few days,” said MacKinnon. “It was an absolute once in a lifetime thrill to be a part of.”
On June 1, 1937, Earhart and her navigator set off for her next most challenging flight – to be the first woman to fly around the world. Her twin engine Lockheed Electra disappeared somewhere across the Pacific Ocean, near Howland Island, on July 2, 1937. She was declared dead on Jan. 5, 1939. Her body was never found.
The life of this remarkable woman is captured in the upcoming movie “Amelia”. It is due out on Oct. 23.
“I hope I at least make a couple of seconds in the movie, after all the editing,” said MacKinnon. “I know I’d do it all over again, in a heartbeat!”
Article ID# 2120614
~ www.lucknowsentinel.com
