Rachel Bianchi-Quarshie is a

Ghanaian The Ghanaian people are a nation originating in the Gold Coast (region), Ghanaian Gold Coast. Ghanaians predominantly inhabit the Republic of Ghana and are the predominant cultural group and residents of Ghana, numbering 34 million people as of ...

pilot An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its Aircraft flight control system, directional flight controls. Some other aircrew, aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are al ...

and was the youngest female in the country to fly at a

commercial airline An airline is a company that provides air transport services for traveling passengers or freight (cargo). Airlines use aircraft to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for codeshare agreements, in ...

Biography

Rachel Bianchi-Quarshie is among the few female aviators in

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

. She became interested in becoming a pilot at the young age of ten when she saw a pilot. She was abused by her step father while growing up and her family was financially incapable of helping her pursue her dream of becoming a pilot. Unable to look further, she enrolled at a school of accountancy and obtained the second part professional

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) is the global professional accounting body offering the Chartered Certified Accountant qualification (CCA). Founded in 1904, It is now the fourth-largest professional accounting body ...

(ACCA) certification at the age of 22. She later received financial assistance from friends to pursue an education in flight training, which she started in 2008 at Bournemouth Commercial Flight Training Centre in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

where part of her family lived. She went on to study at the

Stapleford Flight Centre Stapleford Aerodrome is an operational general aviation aerodrome in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England, near the village of Abridge. It is about south of North Weald Airfield and north of Romford. The airfield is just within the M ...

and was awarded the Commencement to Air Transport Pilot Licence in 2010. She again enrolled at the Flight Safety International in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

in 2011 to obtain a US commercial license. She was awarded One of the "Top 20 2019 global women of excellence" from the Multi Ethnic Advisory Task Force of US congressman Danny K. Davis

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bianchi-Quarshie, Rachel Ghanaian aviators Women commercial aviators Commercial aviators Year of birth missing (living people) Living people