MEDICUS May 2022

Best seat in the house! Dr Franc Henze on the freedom, the views and the feeling when flying his trusty Cirrus amidst the clouds. Janine Martin reports O n terra firma, within the clinical confines of the operating theatre, Dr Franc Henze proudly pursues his professional calling as an Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon. But it’s in the endless amphitheatre of the sky where he happily indulges another more personal calling. “I’ve always known I wanted to fly, even before I thought about becoming a doctor,” Franc tells me during our phone interview, his infectious enthusiasm rocketing through the wires. I learn it was a keen interest that soared during early childhood, when Franc lived on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao with his family. “My father, an oil and gas engineer, worked there, and I spent the first eight years of my life flying everywhere, as we explored the nearby islands and returned frequently to visit my grandmother in Europe.” Franc first took over the controls solo some 30 years ago, learning to glide in The Netherlands and then, Germany. But it was here at Jandakot Airport that he landed his long- held dream – a fixed wing pilot licence. The technicalities of flying have always appealed, he says, and the freedom of being up in the clouds has him returning to the airstrip twice a week. He admits convenience is a major factor too – besides his thriving private practice in Perth, Franc also sees patients in Karratha, Geraldton and Albany. “What I love most is that freedom to be in the air, to reach your destination faster, and to be safer than on the roads below.” The spectacular views, of course, provide a major incentive. “To see the earth from up above, to see the clouds, and to see the sun rise before anyone else never gets boring!” His favourite part of the flight, he says, is “top of descent”. “It’s that point where you lower the nose of the plane, reduce the power, and approach the airport to land. “Up until then, you’re usually in autopilot mode. But at top of descent, I slide forward, the seat goes back in the upright position, and I concentrate. I make my radio calls and ask for permission from air traffic control. It is a fantastically cool moment!” It’s easy to pick that, had Franc not studied medicine, flying planes would have definitely been on his radar. He confirms he would have become a commercial airline pilot, although he now holds a commercial pilot licence and a command instrument rating. Frequent flier: Dr Franc Henze with his Cirrus SR22 GTS G6, at Jandakot Airport. 32 M E D I C U S M AY 2 0 2 2 P R O F I L E