Capt. Beverly Lynn Burns, the first woman ever to captain the Boeing 747 jumbo jet, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 1. The Owings Mills resident — who was dubbed “Queen of the Skies” — was 76.
“I knew Beverly in elementary school and remember her being so adorable. Sometimes I’d wonder what we’d all be doing when we grew up,” posted Baltimore resident Linda Silber on the Sol Levinson & Bros. website. “Who would have known then that she would become a pilot and literally lead the way for other women in what was then a male dominated aviation industry. What a tremendous accomplishment!”
A Northwest Baltimore native and 1967 graduate of Western High School born to Milton and Marilyn Grodnitzky, Burns made history with her maiden voyage as a captain on July 18, 1984, when commanding the People Express aircraft 604 from Newark International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport.
From 1971 to 1978, she worked as an American Airlines flight attendant while attending flight school. She held multiple jobs in the airline industry, working as an aircraft dispatcher, gate agent and baggage handler.
‘When she overheard a colleague say that women were not smart enough to be airline pilots, she resolved to become an airline captain,” the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum in Atchinson, Kansas, posted on social media.
In 1978, she held positions as a flight instructor and charter pilot for Hinson Airways. The following year, she flew as captain for Allegheny Commuter until 1981, when she went to work for People Express.
By the time she retired from Continental Airlines in February of 2008, Burns served as a captain with the airlines for 27 years and logged more than 25,000 hours of flight time. She had captained the 727, 737, 747, 757, 767, 777 and DC-10.
In 1985, Burns was presented the Amelia Earhart Award by New Jersey Gov. Thomas Dean and Donald Burr, CEO of People Express.
She also received an Award of Recognition from Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer, which cited her as one of “Baltimore’s best.”
In the Congressional Record, Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-New Jersey) credited Burns with “opening doors for millions of American women.”
In November of 1985, she received a letter of congratulations from President Ronald Reagan and was invited to the 50th American President Inaugural.
Later, Burns received commendations from President George W. Bush and Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Maryland). On Feb. 6, 2002, a proclamation by Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley designated the date as “Beverly Burns Day in Baltimore.”
Burns also served as a member of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet during Operation Iraqi Freedom, helping provide emergency airlift support.
Burns is survived by her siblings, Alan (Leslie) Grodnitzky and Steve (Wendy) Grodnitzky, and loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband, Capt. Robert Allen Burns, and her parents, Milton and Marilyn Grodnitzky.
Funeral services will be private at the convenience of the family. Interment at Maryland Veterans Cemetery, at 11501 Garrison Forest Road in Owings Mills.
Contributions in her memory may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, Floor 17, Chicago, Illinois 60601.
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