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{{short description|Aviator}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Beverley Drake
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Beverley Christiani Drake
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1956|06|20}}
| birth_place = [[Georgetown, Guyana]]
| death_date = 
| death_place =
| nationality = Guyanese
| other_names = Beverly Johnson
| occupation = pilot, [[National Transportation Safety Board|NTSB]] accident investigator
| years_active = 1977–present
| known_for = first woman pilot for the Guyana Defence Force
| notable_works =
}}

'''Beverley Drake''' (born 20 June 1956) is a [[Gyana|Guyanese]] [[Pilot (aeronautics)|pilot]] and aviation expert who is an administrator and accident investigation analyst with the United States [[National Transportation Safety Board]] (NTSB). She was one of the first two woman pilots to work in the [[Guyana Defence Force]], first woman commercial pilot of [[Guyana Airways]], and was the first and only black woman to serve as a senior aviation accident investigator for the NTSB. She serves as the manager of the Federal Women's Program of the NTSB and program director of the Industry and Government Affairs division of the NTSB.

==Early life==
Beverley Drake was born on 20 June 1956 in [[Georgetown, Guyana|Georgetown]], [[Guyana]], to Elaine and Clive Drake. She grew up, youngest of two daughters of the family in the Costello Housing Scheme in the neighbourhood known as "La Penitence".{{sfn|McKenzie|2013}} She was a [[tomboy]] and enjoyed playing [[cricket]] with the neighbourhood boys and building model aircraft. She also shared a love of flying with her father, who had wanted to be a pilot.{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=9}} Drake attended St. Pius Primary School before graduating from [[St. Rose's High School, Guyana|St. Rose's High School]] in 1974. She went on to further her education, enrolling in a course for a degree in chemistry and biology at the [[University of Guyana]] in 1975. For two years, she pursued her scientific studies before winning a scholarship to study aviation at [[Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University]].{{sfn|McKenzie|2013}} Ten days after she began her schooling, Drake's mother died suddenly. Though a difficult time, she resolved to remain in school and returned to her studies after the funeral.{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=9}} After completion of the coursework for instrument and crew management, as well as pilot licensing, Drake completed her flight training at the [[Waller Air Force Base|airfield]], in [[Wallerfield]], [[Trinidad]]. She received her commercial pilot's licence from Guyana in 1977.{{sfn|McKenzie|2013}}

==Career==
Upon completion of her training, Drake was hired as one of the first two-woman pilots of the [[Guyana Defence Force]], flying [[Britten-Norman Islander]]s.{{sfn|McKenzie|2013}}{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=9}}{{sfn|''iNews Guyana''|2013}} Her duties involved flying over Guyana's jungles, without navigational aids, to monitor the bush areas.{{sfn|Alleyne|2013}} Within six months, she was transferred to [[Guyana Airways]] as their first woman pilot and began flying [[Hawker Siddeley 748]]s and [[de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter|de Havilland Canada Twin Otter]]s. Her flight schedule involved both local flying and international flights to [[Barbados]], [[Dominica]] and Trinidad.{{sfn|McKenzie|2013}} During this time, she married an army major, Randolph Johnson.{{sfn|Alleyne|2013}}

Drake's first son, Kevin was born in 1979 in Guyana and came with she and her husband when they moved to the United States the following year.{{sfn|McKenzie|2013}}{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=9}} Johnson wanted to pursue career options in New York, but Drake found it difficult to continue flying in [[Brooklyn]]. She tried to join the [[US Air Force]] and pursue other options, but was turned away because she either didn't have the qualifications or wasn't a citizen.{{sfn|Alleyne|2013}} Four years after Kevin's birth, Drake had her younger son, Kurt.{{sfn|McKenzie|2013}}{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=9}} Unable to work in aviation, she took a temporary job in 1984 working for [[Goldman Sachs]] and joined clubs like the Negro Airmen International, for which she became secretary,{{sfn|Alleyne|2013}} and the Black Pilots of New York to keep up with her flying skills.{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=9}}

The job with Goldman Sachs as an analyst{{sfn|Drakes|2005|p=1}} turned into a permanent position, though Drake recognised after the [[Black Monday (1987)|1987 financial melt-down]] that it was unstable.{{sfn|Alleyne|2013}} As a working mother, she had to rely on babysitters, neighbours and friends to help out with her children when she worked nights.{{sfn|McKenzie|2013}} She also continued her networking with the Black Pilots of New York{{sfn|Drakes|2005|p=1}} and when another [[Friday the 13th mini-crash|market crash]] occurred in 1989, Drake began thinking about returning to aviation.{{sfn|Alleyne|2013}} One of the fellow members of the pilots club encouraged her apply for a position as a junior investigator at the [[National Transportation Safety Board]] (NTSB).{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=9}}

In 1991, Drake was hired as an investigator and moved to Washington, D. C.{{sfn|McKenzie|2013}}{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=9}} When she joined the NTSB, Drake was surprised at the sexism she discovered and felt that she had to work "ten times better" than the others in the male-dominated field.{{sfn|McKenzie|2013}} She divorced in 1994{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=9}} and returned to school, completing the program of the NTSB's Accident Investigation School and then a course on aircraft and helicopter accident investigation at the [[USC. Institute of Safety and Systems Management]].{{sfn|Snow|2013}} Drake earned a bachelor's degree in [[aeronautics]]{{sfn|Alleyne|2013}} in 2002 and then in 2005 completed her master's degree in [[Aeronautical Science]], both with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=8}}{{sfn|Drakes|2005|p=1}} She later became the first black woman senior accident investigator of the NTSB{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=8}} and as of 2013 was the only woman to have served in that capacity.{{sfn|Alleyne|2013}}

Drake serves as the manager of the NTSB's Federal Women's Program.{{sfn|Alleyne|2013}} As part of her duties in administration, Drake consults with aviation officials in various countries in an effort to improve their safety records. She has investigated over 300 crashes and shares her expertise as a means of helping reduce mechanical and environmental factors involved in aircraft accidents.{{sfn|''iNews Guyana''|2015}} In 2013, she was promoted to also serve as the Program Manager of the Office of the NTSB's Industry and Government Affairs division, which oversees forums and symposiums on air safety.{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=8}} She has presented safety seminars throughout the United States, including for such organisations as the [[Experimental Aircraft Association]] and The [[National Air and Space Museum]].{{sfn|Snow|2013}}

==Legacy==
In 2013, Drake's image was issued on a postage stamp in her native Guyana to honour her achievement as a pioneer pilot.{{sfn|Withrow|2014|p=8}} She actively works to inspire and mentor young women to pursue careers in aviation and [[Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics|STEM]] fields.{{sfn|Alleyne|2013}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin|30em}}
*{{cite news|last1=Alleyne|first1=Oluatoyin|title=A passion for flying|url=http://www.stabroeknews.com/2013/features/sunday/07/28/a-passion-for-flying/|access-date=24 December 2016|publisher=[[Stabroek News]]|date=28 July 2013|location=Georgetown, Guyana}}
*{{cite news|last1=Drakes|first1=Sean|title=Fly Safe: An aviation investigator sets some ground rules|url=http://www.blackenterprise.com/mag/fly-safe/|access-date=24 December 2016|publisher=[[Black Enterprise]]|date=1 July 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224190627/http://www.blackenterprise.com/mag/fly-safe/|archive-date=24 December 2016|location=New York City|pages=1–2|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite news|last1=McKenzie|first1=Nigel|title=Pilot, analyst and administrator, Beverley Drake, is a 'Special Person'|url=http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/06/09/pilot-analyst-and-administrator-beverley-drake-is-a-special-person/|access-date=22 December 2016|publisher=[[Kaieteur News]]|date=9 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131227103740/http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/06/09/pilot-analyst-and-administrator-beverley-drake-is-a-special-person/|archive-date=27 December 2013|location=Georgetown, Guyana|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite news|last1=Snow|first1=Pamela|title=Beverley Christiani-Drake, Senior Aviation Accident Investigator/Analyst|url=http://www.guyanagraphic.com/science-technology/aviation/guyanese-pilots/beverley-christiani-drake-senior-aviation-accident-inves|access-date=24 December 2016|publisher=Guyana Graphic|date=13 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130407040303/http://www.guyanagraphic.com/science-technology/aviation/guyanese-pilots/beverley-christiani-drake-senior-aviation-accident-inves|archive-date=7 April 2013|location=Georgetown, Guyana|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite journal|last1=Withrow|first1=Sara|title=Flight Path|journal=Lift|date=Fall 2014|volume=10|issue=2|pages=8–9|url=http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/lift_2014fall/?#/10|access-date=24 December 2016|publisher=Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University|location=Daytona Beach, Florida}}
*{{cite news|ref={{harvid|''iNews Guyana''|2013}}|author=|title=Eight women honoured for contributions to local aviation sector; calls echoed for re-engineering of Guyana Airways|url=http://www.inewsguyana.com/eight-women-honoured-for-contributions-to-local-aviation-sector-calls-echoed-for-re-engineering-of-guyana-airways/|access-date=27 December 2016|publisher=iNews Guyana|date=10 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131010220551/http://www.inewsguyana.com/eight-women-honoured-for-contributions-to-local-aviation-sector-calls-echoed-for-re-engineering-of-guyana-airways/|archive-date=10 October 2013|location=Georgetown, Guyana|url-status=dead}}
*{{cite news|ref={{harvid|''iNews Guyana''|2015}}|author=|title=U.S. National Transportation Safety Board Rep. shares Best Practices at Aviation Conf|url=http://www.inewsguyana.com/u-s-national-transportation-safety-board-rep-shares-best-practices-at-aviation-conf/|access-date=24 December 2016|publisher=iNews Guyana|date=24 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161224173944/http://www.inewsguyana.com/u-s-national-transportation-safety-board-rep-shares-best-practices-at-aviation-conf/|archive-date=24 December 2016|location=Georgetown, Guyana|url-status=dead}}
{{refend}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Drake, Beverley}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Georgetown, Guyana]]
[[Category:Women aviators]]
[[Category:Guyanese emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Commercial aviators]]
[[Category:Women commercial aviators]]
[[Category:Goldman Sachs people]]

Beverley Drake - Revision history

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wikipedia>Joncate: added Category:Goldman Sachs people using HotCat