Exploring a new world in aviation
Dr Andre Coetzee sheds light on what it means to have a PhD in aviation.
Most people know of medical doctors or doctors in academia, however not many people know of doctors in aviation.
Dr Andre Coetzee has a doctorate in aviation.
Andre, who is the CEO of Henley Air, a helicopter flying school at Rand Airport, as well as an engineer and pilot by trade, obtained a PhD in aviation five years ago.
He specialised in aviation management, which focused on a categorisation methodology for new helicopter pilot candidates for Henley Air.
Andre completed his PhD at the Da Vinci Institute in Modderfontein after transferring from the University of the North West.
He explained that this is a method that scientifically gauges an individual’s ability and aptitude to become a pilot.
Andre saw a gap in the aviation industry and a need for this type of aptitude testing in the aviation world.
“The business made me realise that my job was no longer only about managing helicopters and pilots, but actually managing the egos of helicopter pilots, students and aircraft owners,” he said.
“Starting off with my own ego, and how to manage that successfully.
“My business partners and I came to the realisation that we don’t have the luxury of choice, and any guarantee of a prior assessment of the candidate who we get in terms of their egos, which can be a detrimental flaw when it comes to flying.
“This is what motivated me to specialise in aviation management.”
Andre wanted to develop and incorporate an instrument that will be able to gauge this more accurately and scientifically, in order to prevent accidents, behavioural issues and mentalities that do not fit in an aviation company.
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He explained that this form of testing is not invasive, and is voluntary; its job is to detect behaviours that are not in line with the behaviours that are needed in the aviation industry to produce successful, respectful and cautious pilots.
The instrument is able to test 18 different behaviours that are common in most people.
Andre’s interest in flying started when he was a child as his father studied towards a private pilot’s license (PPL).
Andre got his PPL for helicopters at the age of 15, whilst he was still in school.
With regard to PhD studies, he explained that it was extremely difficult and took up a lot of his personal time to extend his studies in addition to running a business, supporting a family and flying.
“It was tough, it put a lot of strain on my family and I, and it took a lot out of me,” Andre said.
However, Andre’s hard work and perseverance paid off. He graduated with his doctorate on the same day and time as his father, Prof Johan Coetzee.
“My dad and I graduated on the same day, he was studying towards his third PhD at the time, so we timed it so that we would be capped together,” he said.
“That for me was just the cherry on top, and made it all worth it,” Andre said.
In the future Andre hopes to be able to spend more time with his family, labelling this as a goal of his.
He believes that there is always time for learning and to better oneself.
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Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za, Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za or Ashley Kiley (Journalist) ashleyk@caxton.co.za.
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