Flying Dentists

DR BRYAN FLEMING

For Dr Bryan Fleming, flying was a childhood dream. “I have always been crazy about aircraft since I was a boy,” Bryan recalls. “After graduating, I worked for the Government before entering private practice. It was the beginning of the computer age, and the first flight sims became available. After being told I was spending too much time on the computer, I decided to go to the airport and do a trial instructional flight.”

Bryan got his pilot licence in 1991 and now flies once or twice a week (typically 100 hours a year).

As a country practitioner, having a pilot’s licence has come in handy. “When I worked in Kalgoorlie, I would hire aircraft and fly to clinics in Norseman and Southern Cross,” he says.

“I now live in Bunbury and have a part-time practice in the Wheatbelt at Lake Grace, which I have been servicing for 24 years and flying in with my own aircraft since 2010.”

Bryan says he most enjoys the freedom flying gives him. “I enjoy the continual challenge as I can update my flying skills, which include acrobatics, night flying and am currently upgrading my licence to include Instrument Flying,” he says. “Most importantly it is just fun. A man in his mid-sixties shouldn’t be playing with toys, but that is what I’m doing!”

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Dr John Owen

Dr John Owen has always been interested in aviation. “In 1972 I turned down a cadetship with Qantas to commence studying dentistry at UWA,” he reveals. “While undertaking several years of high-altitude trekking in the mid to late 90s, especially in Pakistan, Nepal and India, I was often on helicopter flights in and out of some very tricky areas. On my last big trek in 1999, I decided my next challenge would be to start my commercial helicopter licence.”

Between 2000 to 2002, when John was the National President of the Australian Society of Orthodontists and the President of the Dental Board of Western Australia, John says he needed a “further distraction” to keep his head in the right place. “I have always found the best way to rest one’s brain is to use another part of it and switch challenges,” he explains. “I found this period was the perfect opportunity, especially being a late-night person, to study and mainly flew on Fridays and weekends. I completed the full licence in February 2003.”

Not one to do things by halves, John then founded the company Adventure Helicopters and with the purchase of two Robinson 44 helicopters, over the next 15 years, had contracts with Ford Japan and Rally Australia, West Australian Newspapers, Variety Club of WA and many more through Rotorvation at Jandakot. 

John adds using the helicopters for the Kimberley Dental Team (from 2009 to 2016) was invaluable. “This allowed me to fly a nurse, a dentist and equipment into many very remote communities,” he says. “After a full day’s work, we would jump back in the helicopter at four o’clock to be home at last light at just after five. Nowadays, knowing the community and members so much better, we now take our two four-wheel drives, off-road caravan and truck and live up to a week in community, which in the early days, was just not possible.”

John ceased flying in early 2017, having flown 1300 hours in Command with no incidents. 

“Jan and I had travelled all over Australia and New Zealand and it was time to start my next venture, Adventure Hovercrafts – Flight Training, which is now underway,” he says.

There have been many highlights of his flying adventures, but one notable one was in 2008 when John and Jan spent the month of February circumnavigating New Zealand.

“These 28-days was probably one of the best trips of our lives,” John says. 

“Firstly, I had to complete my written commercial licence examinations followed by an intensive flight test at Ardmore Airport, south of Auckland. This was quite a long and strenuous day but successful. New Zealand pilots are extremely talented (I didn’t say safe).

“If one cleared a tree/ rocky outcrops, power lines by a foot or two, that was considered fine. Being instructed to land in dense pine plantation was a challenge, but I’m still here to tell the story.”

The next day they departed, travelling down the west coast of North Island. “We planned sensible and regular breaks with overnight stays at often remote but always remarkable and friendly locations,” John recalls. “We flew across the Cook Strait, around the northern tip of South Island, throughout the Marlborough region down the west coast, up Fox and Franz Josef glaciers, into and up spectacular Milford Sound, followed the Milford Track though the mountains and on to Invercargill. A great loop of Stewart Island then back up the East Coast of the South Island, back across the Cook Strait, around the southern tip of the North Island, through Wellington airspace, then anti-clockwise circumnavigation of almost every nook-and-cranny, bay and island of the North Island – eventually returning to Ardmore after a short stay on Waiheke Island. We flew a total of 36 hours and a distance of approximately 5,000 kilometres.”

John says he truly believes his training as a commercial pilot assisted his day-to-day dentistry (in his case as a Specialist Orthodontist) and in his leadership roles.

“In aviation, there’s no time to procrastinate when it comes to flight planning and decision making,” John explains.

“Aviation demands pre-flight preparation, being mechanically and technologically. I believe it makes you a more decisive person."

John says he would encourage any person or dentist who has a passion for aviation to undertake pilot training. 

“I preferred helicopters because of the complexity of their engineering but also the flexibility in traveling and landing in very isolated locations,” he says. “The training definitely assists one with forward thinking, planning and risk management, just as is required in dentistry.

“It also humbles you to understand, appreciate and respect your weaknesses and your vulnerabilities. Overconfidence is one's biggest enemy in any aspect of our lives. 

“Aviation teaches you far more about teamwork then we learn as dental graduates,” he adds. “Communication is critical when working with air traffic control, search and rescue, aviation mechanical engineers and fellow pilots, crew, and especially passengers, who have trusted you with their lives.” 

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Dr Tim Crofts

Dr Tim Crofts decided to get his private pilot’s licence after his experiences early on in his dentistry career. “My first job in Dentistry was based in Derby and I got to go on some RFDS clinics and, monthly flights to Koolan Island near the Horizontal waterfalls,” he recalls. “If you have done that trip you will know how stunning the scenery is; I was hooked!”

Tim now flies about 100 hours a year (which is usually a flight every fortnight) in his own plane. “After dating a few planes for five years I fell in love with a little two-seater called VIKee,” he says. “I have had it for six years now.” 

Although he does not fly for work now, during his time as the ADAWA Country Councillor, he would take his plane to visit members from Kununurra to Esperance and all points in between. “It was so great to be able to reach out to our colleagues and see first-hand their world,” Tim says. “Go Country people!”

For Tim, dentistry and flying have some similarities. “Both jobs are about risk management,” he explains. “Applying your knowledge and mental and physical skills in a safe way to achieve the desired outcome. You need to remain calm at all times!”

To other dentists considering going for their pilot’s licence, Tim recommends taking a Trial Instructional Flight (TIF) to see if it is your thing or not. “Not everyone has the ‘right stuff’, but you won’t know until you give it a go,” he says.

Tim has a YouTube channel, Croftsy, featuring some of his flying videos: youtube.com/channel/UCp-wDEWJLAea7ZZ-4ITtwlg/videos 

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Dr Martin Ford

Dr Martin Ford was always fascinated by the concept of flight (and had a cousin who was a commercial pilot). He vowed to get involved when he could – and completed his first lessons at Port Hedland in 1977.

“I bought my first aircraft in the 1990s as a package deal with a hangar at Serpentine Airfield,” he says. “I enjoy the building and maintenance of my aircraft as much as I do the flying. In 2019 my RV6 had its first flight after many years of construction.

“I wanted to fly for fun, not for work,” Martin adds. “Flying enables me to travel around our amazing country without having to compete with the ‘grey nomads’”. 

Flying has certainly taken Martin on some journeys – in the last year alone, he has travelled to Kununurra and Cockatoo Island via Coral Bay – flying roughly 27 hours total travel time (return).

When asked if his dentistry skills have assisted him in flying, Martin explains that flying and building aircraft both require attention-to-detail.  

“Failure to get it right can lead to major problems,” he says. “Dentistry certainly gives a good grounding in attention-to-detail.”

For Martin, the enjoyment he gets out of flying is the feeling of freedom (real or imagined). “I would certainly encourage others to get into flying,” he says. “Your first solo is one of those things you’ll always remember.”

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Dr Karsten Juengling

Dr Karsten Juengling had a passion for aviation since early childhood, however, his academic parents discouraged pursuing aviation in favour of a university degree. When his eldest son wanted to become an airline pilot and started lessons, Karsten saw his opportunity to join in and obtain his own licence. 

“While he went on to fly for Qantas, I continued to become a commercial pilot and flight instructor and have enjoyed this additional profession for the last twenty years,” Karsten says.

“I am privileged to be able to fly two to three days a week, teaching students as an employee of the Royal Aero Club of WA at Jandakot.”

When asked if the skills he has from dentistry have assisted him in flying, Karsten’s answer is a definite yes. “Dentists become very good at managing and allaying patient’s fears and anxiety related to treatments,” he says. “Flight instruction deals with the same emotions with new students and the dental background is therefore of particular advantage in this respect. In addition, the academic experience obtaining a dental degree and the continuing education requirements make it a lot easier tackling the many theory exams encountered in aviation as you progress. Problem solving skills developed in dentistry certainly help as well.”

Twenty six years after obtaining his licence, flying is still very enjoyable. “Apart from the obvious thrill, there is the constant intellectual challenge, however, my favourite is seat-of-the-pants flying in vintage aircraft.”

To other dentists considering obtaining their pilot’s licence, Karsten says if you are looking to get away from the office for an exhilarating, intellectually-stimulating experience, with a constant learning curve and endlessly exciting and enjoyable challenges, then take up flying. “No one I have ever taken up for a lesson or joy flight has ever regretted their decision to do so,” he explains. “Besides which, the view from this office is unbeatable!”