The Drake Group
The Drake Group is a privately held aeronautical engineering firm, founded in 1990, that supplies FAA Designated Engineering Representatives across all disciplines along with System Safety Analyses and certification support to airframe manufacturers, special-mission operators, R&D organizations, and commercial space launch companies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersLas Vegas, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Drake Group does
The Drake Group, Inc. is a privately held aeronautical engineering services firm founded in 1990 by Robert W. Honzik and incorporated in Delaware with operations in Nevada. The company supplies FAA Designated Engineering Representatives (DERs) across all FAA disciplines — Structural, Electrical/Avionics, Propulsion/Fuel, Mechanical, Flight Test, Composites, Software, Damage Tolerance, Loads, and Icing — together with Specialized 1309 System Safety Analyses (compliant with FAA 23.1309/25.1309, SAE ARP 4761/4754, and Monte Carlo simulation), general engineering and CAD services, and project services including investor reviews, proposal assistance, and third-party program monitoring. It owns Supplemental Type Certificate #ST02472LA for the Gulfstream GV G550 Parachuting system.
The Drake Group serves a vertical mix of commercial Part 23/25 airframe manufacturers and suppliers, special-mission military applications, aviation R&D organizations, and commercial space launch companies. Its GTM is enterprise field sales delivered directly to engineering and certification buyers, supplemented by a 10,000+-recipient newsletter and 18 consecutive years of NBAA exhibiting with priority booth selection. A secondary revenue line consists of FAA certification training seminars — half-day live WebEx courses priced at $295 per attendee — conducted in Las Vegas, on-site at client locations, and via web since 1994. The firm is headquartered at Henderson Executive Airport (Alper Airport Center) with 4,500 sq ft of office space and an option on an adjoining suite, and it is currently soliciting external investment while progressing a DCAA application to enable defense contract work.
The Drake Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Drake Group
- Legal name
- The Drake Group, Inc.
- Website
- https://drake-group.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Drake Group is a privately held aeronautical engineering firm, founded in 1990, that supplies FAA Designated Engineering Representatives across all disciplines along with System Safety Analyses and certification support to airframe manufacturers, special-mission operators, R&D organizations, and commercial space launch companies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Drake Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Aviation Certification Engineering Services
- NAICS
- Engineering Services (541330), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regulatory, Compliance & Type Training (FAA/EASA/ICAO, Part 147/145) (EDAOAFAN)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Aviation & Aerospace (EDABALAC)
Keywords
Where The Drake Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Las Vegas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Drake Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- FAA DER Professional Services: Engineering services provided through FAA Designated Engineering Representatives across multiple disciplines (Structural, Electrical/Avionics, Propulsion/Fuel, Mechanical, Flight Test, Composites, Software, Damage Tolerance, Loads, Icing) for airframe manufacturers and aviation companies seeking FAA certifications.
- FAA Certification Seminars and Training: Half-day live web-based training courses on FAA certifications, system safety analyses, conformity inspections, qualification testing, program management, and quality manual requirements. Training conducted via WebEx with East/West Coast scheduling.
- Specialized Engineering Services: System Safety Analyses, engineering design and CAD, structural analyses, aero/icing analyses, manufacturing consultants, flight and ground instrumentation, and quality assurance consulting services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Half-Day FAA Certification Training Seminar |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Drake Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Drake Group provides FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) services across all aviation disciplines (Structural, Electrical/Avionics, Propulsion/Fuel, Mechanical, Flight Test, Composites, Software, Damage Tolerance, Loads, Icing) to support Type Certificate (TC), Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), and Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) certifications. The firm complements DER staffing with System Safety Analyses (compliant with FAA 23.1309/25.1309 and SAE ARP 4761/4754), general engineering services (design, CAD, structural/aero/icing analyses, instrumentation, QA consulting), and a portfolio of half-day FAA certification training seminars delivered via WebEx at $295 per attendee.
Product overview
The Drake Group is an Aeronautical Engineering Services company offering a unified portfolio of FAA certification and engineering services. The core offering centers on DER (Designated Engineering Representative) services across all FAA disciplines, complemented by Specialized 1309 Engineering Services (System Safety Analyses), General Engineering Services, Project Services, and Seminar Services. Training products are delivered as half-day live web-based courses priced at $295 each, covering FAA certification topics including TCs, STCs, PMAs, TSOs, System Safety Analyses, Conformity Inspections, Qualification Testing (DO-160), Program Management, and PMA Quality Manual Requirements. The company supports airframe manufacturers under FAA Part 23/25, STC certifications, and Special Mission aircraft.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 18 consecutive years of NBAA exhibition with priority booth selection
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Drake Group
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Drake Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
The Drake Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- National Business Aviation Association (NBAA)coreThe Drake Group has been a continuous member and exhibitor at the NBAA annual conference for 18 years. The company has Priority booth selection due to long-term exhibiting history. NBAA is the premier business aviation association in the United States.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Drake Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Jeppesen (a Boeing subsidiary): Jeppesen, owned by Boeing, provides aviation navigation, charts, and regulatory training content widely used by FAA-certification professionals. Compares to The Drake Group as a much larger provider of FAA certifications training and reference material, overlapping with Drake's seminar catalog.
- FlightSafety International: FlightSafety International, a portfolio company of Berkshire Hathaway, is the dominant provider of professional aviation training including regulatory and crew-resource programs. Comparable to The Drake Group as the broad incumbent in aviation certification training, far exceeding Drake's scale but sharing the FAA-currency training use case.
- CAE: CAE is a global aviation training and simulation leader serving pilots, crew, and maintenance technicians across commercial, business, and defense aviation. Comparable to The Drake Group through its training, regulatory-compliance, and certification-adjacent offerings, though at vastly greater scale and breadth.
- Duncan Aviation: Duncan Aviation is one of the largest business-aviation MRO and engineering services providers in North America, with FAA-certified engineering and modification capabilities. Comparable to The Drake Group through its DER-adjacent engineering and STC modification work for business aircraft, though with much broader MRO scope and scale.
- Cascade Aerospace: Cascade Aerospace, owned by IMP, is a Canadian MRO and modifications provider with FAA-approved engineering and STC capabilities on transport-category platforms. Comparable to The Drake Group through engineering services and certification support for special-mission and transport-category aircraft, primarily in a regional market.
Direct peers
- Conklin & de Decker: Conklin & de Decker is an aviation professional services firm providing cost analysis, fleet planning, and certification-adjacent consulting to Part 23/25 operators. Comparable to The Drake Group as a similarly sized, specialized aviation services firm whose buyer profile (airframe manufacturers, special-mission operators) closely mirrors Drake's enterprise customer base.
- Avitas: Avitas is an independent aviation consulting firm providing fleet forecasting, market intelligence, and technical advisory services to OEMs and operators. Comparable to The Drake Group as a boutique aviation consultancy serving enterprise aerospace clients with high-touch professional service engagements.
- AeroStar Aviation Services: AeroStar Aviation Services provides aircraft engineering, certification, and program management for Part 23/Part 25 platforms and special-mission operators. Comparable to The Drake Group as a similarly scoped boutique DER and certification services firm targeting overlapping enterprise clients.
Emerging players
- Universal Avionics (an Elbit Systems subsidiary): Universal Avionics manufactures and certifies avionics systems and STCs for business and special-mission aircraft, often requiring DER-backed certification support. Comparable to The Drake Group as an avionics certification participant that depends on and sometimes competes with DER service providers in the STC supply chain.
Regional players
- Wipaire: Wipaire is a float and STC modification specialist serving seaplane and Part 23 markets, with FAA certification engineering in-house. Comparable to The Drake Group through ownership of multiple STCs and direct OEM-adjacent certification work, though focused on a narrower float/water-landing niche.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Drake Group social profiles
Digital presenceThe Drake Group compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
The Drake Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Drake Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Drake Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Drake Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Drake Group
What does The Drake Group do?
The Drake Group provides FAA Designated Engineering Representative (DER) services across all aviation disciplines (Structural, Electrical/Avionics, Propulsion/Fuel, Mechanical, Flight Test, Composites, Software, Damage Tolerance, Loads, Icing) to support Type Certificate (TC), Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), and Parts Manufacturer Approval (PMA) certifications. The firm complements DER staffing with System Safety Analyses (compliant with FAA 23.1309/25.1309 and SAE ARP 4761/4754), general engineering services (design, CAD, structural/aero/icing analyses, instrumentation, QA consulting), and a portfolio of half-day FAA certification training seminars delivered via WebEx at $295 per attendee.
Is The Drake Group a public or private company?
The Drake Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Drake Group founded?
The Drake Group was founded in 1990. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Drake Group based?
The Drake Group is headquartered in Las Vegas, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Drake Group make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. FAA DER Professional Services are the primary driver. The others are FAA Certification Seminars and Training and specialized Engineering Services.
Who are The Drake Group's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Jeppesen (a Boeing subsidiary), FlightSafety International, CAE, Duncan Aviation and Cascade Aerospace. Direct peers are Conklin & de Decker, Avitas and AeroStar Aviation Services. Universal Avionics (an Elbit Systems subsidiary) is listed as an emerging player. Wipaire is listed as a regional player.
Does The Drake Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Drake Group.
What industry is The Drake Group in?
The Drake Group's product category is Aviation Certification Engineering Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAOAFAN, Regulatory, Compliance & Type Training (FAA/EASA/ICAO, Part 147/145), with a secondary code of EDABALAC, Aviation & Aerospace. Its NAICS code is 541330.