About

About HAIL.

Established in 2021

The 2020 Covid-19 pandemic provided the impetus for the creation of an institution to offer the industry a credible alternative when disaster strikes. How many pilots do you know that have been affected by the overnight devaluation of their flying qualifications? For years the industry believed in the age-old strength of its skills - why would a pilot ever need to be qualified in any other field? We want to ensure that the future aviation generation never be caught with only one qualification and no backup plan again.

Additionally, we believe the the aviation industry is often prone to managers that simply become managers because they are good pilots, with no management training. Alternatively, managers from outside are appointed who know nothing about aviation. Both of these situations are recipes for disaster, and unfortunately all too common in the aviation industry. HAIL aims to change this by providing pilots who aspire to management with a solid academic management foundation, and potential aviation managers from other industries with the necessary technical background knowledge.

Our Goal

By providing quality education to the aviation industry, we plan to change the way that the industry thinks in the following ways:

By moving the focus of theoretical pilot training away from the current practice of simply studying question banks, we aim to provide the industry with individuals that can translate their strong theoretical foundation into practice.
By providing access to a concurrent tertiary qualification at every step of the flight training journey through our partner STADIO Higher Education:
- After one year, you walk out with a SACAA PPL and a Higher Certificate in Management.
- Your CPL/IFR goes hand in hand with a three year Diploma in Management.
- A one year Advanced Diploma in Management accompanies your frozen ATPL.

A tertiary education and flight qualification no longer has to be mutually exclusive, nor sequential - you can now complete both simultaneously!

Our expertise is industry-leading, and growing!

Dr André Coetzee
Operational Director and Moderator

André has a PhD as well as a MSc in Aviation Management from the Da Vinci Institute. He holds a MBA from Henley Business School, a BEng(Mechanical) degree from R.A.U., and is a practicing engineer registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa. He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a highly experienced ATPL helicopter pilot with over 15 000 flight hours to his name, a Grade I Designated Flight Examiner and holds a SACAA AME licence.

Prof Johann Coetzee
Strategic Director and Critical Reader

Johann is a psychologist, mentor, author, helicopter pilot, accomplished athlete and family man. He has a love for learning and holds three doctorates, together with emeritus professorships. Johann has counselled more than 27 000 people during his career as a Psychologist, including World Cup winning coach, Gary Kirsten. He has been a friend and mentor for many airline, aerobatic and helicopter pilots and continues to counsel and de-brief pilots in distress to this day.

Dr Lonell Coetzee
Academic Director and Lecturer

Lonell has completed both a Doctor of Business Leadership and Master of Business Leadership qualification at the University of South Africa's School of Business Leadership. She also holds a BCom(Informatics) degree from the University of Pretoria, is a Member of the Royal Aeronautical Society, an air traffic control instructor at OR Tambo International Airport and a commercial IFR-rated Grade III helicopter instructor with frozen ATPL subjects.

Keith Maleho
Lecturer

Keith is a senior aviation professional and thought leader specialising in air traffic control, regulatory compliance, and future airspace management. A qualified submariner and seasoned air traffic controller with aerodrome and surveillance ratings, he combines deep operational insight with executive experience. Holding a B.Com in Business Management (Aviation), an MBA in AI and Advanced Automation, and pursuing a Ph.D. in Innovation, Keith focuses on developing global airspace standards and regulations. Actively engaged in Advanced Air Mobility and Unmanned Traffic Management, he has been a featured speaker at both NASA events and SACAA conferences. As a certified project management professional (PMP), he bridges regulation and technological innovation, making him a critical voice in the future of the aviation industry.

Jenny Taylor
Programme Coordinator and Lecturer

Jenny is passionate about aviation management and safety, and is keen to encourage her students to keep learning and pursue excellence in the aviation industry. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Air Transport Operations and Management from the University of West London and a Certificate in Small Business Management from the University of Cape Town. Jenny has nine years of experience as an air traffic controller at OR Tambo International Airport and has completed several IATA courses, including Safety Management Systems and Human Factors in Aviation.

Mattheus Wessels
Lecturer

Tewie brings a unique blend of industrial engineering expertise and hands-on aviation experience to the classroom. With a BEng in Industrial Engineering and a professional background as both a Senior Industrial Engineer and a qualified helicopter pilot, Tewie has led complex projects across multiple sectors. His aviation experience includes flying for Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS), flight training, stolen vehicle recovery, and charter operations. Tewie is dedicated to sharing real-world insights and bridging theory with practical application, encouraging students to think critically about complex systems and develop the skills to implement meaningful solutions in dynamic environments.

Captain Sonia Shiel
Lecturer

Sonia is an accomplished helicopter pilot and aviation manager, currently serving as Person Responsible for Flight Operations (PRFO) at Henley Air. Holding an ICAO Airline Transport Pilot Licence (Helicopter) with over 2,400 flight hours—including extensive experience in HEMS, surveillance, and aerial filming—she exemplifies operational excellence and leadership in South African rotary aviation. Sonia not only completed our Diploma programme cum laude; she was recognised as the top aciever for this programme amongst more than 500 students! She is currently completing the Advanced Diploma programme through HAIL and Stadio Higher Education. Recognised for academic and professional achievement, she brings deep expertise in operational oversight, safety, and training to the table.

Megan Stevenson
Lecturer

A qualified commercial pilot (CPL ME/IR) and Gr. II flight instructor, Megan has 24 years’ experience in the industry, specialising in Safety Management, Accident Prevention and Human Factors. Combining her love of aviation safety and psychology, she has completed an Honours Degree in Applied Psychology and Bachelor of Science majoring in Psychology and Physiology. Her field of interest includes cognitive psychology, skills development, emergency response and trauma counselling. Motivated to elevate the industry, Megan believes in the importance and impact of quality education. She has 22 years of lecturing experience coupled with experience across Part 121, Part 127. Part 135, Part 138 and Part 141 operations.

Sam Juncker
Lecturer

Sam is a dynamic young aviation professional and helicopter pilot and graduate of both our Higher Certificate and Diploma programmes. He is currently pursuing the Advanced Diploma in Management with elective focus in Aviation Management. Serving as a first officer in helicopter emergency medical services on the Bell 222 and 230, and as a vehicle tracking and recovery pilot on the Robinson R44 with Henley Air, Sam combines operational skill with a strong academic foundation. His experience spans emergency response and operational improvement initiatives. Passionate about aviation sustainability and people-centred solutions, Sam represents the next generation of South African aviation leaders dedicated to safety, innovation, and excellence.

Captain Thys Kuhn
Moderator

Thys currently serves as a process designer and instructor at Boeing, bringing over four decades of aviation and engineering experience to the job. A former Comair Captain with more than 18,000 flight hours—9,600 as pilot-in-command on the Boeing 737—Thys holds both South African and FAA Airline Transport Pilot Licences, as well as instructor and test pilot ratings on fixed-wing and helicopter aircraft. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA from Potchefstroom University. Combining deep technical expertise with extensive operational experience, Thys specialises in advancing flight training systems and enhancing safety through process design innovation.

Captain Bruce Daniels
Critical Reader

Bruce needs no introduction. As a senior training captain employed at South African Airways for more than 30 years, more than 23 000 flight hours, senior helicopter instructor on marine pilot operations for the National Ports Aurhority, and now the Chief Pilot of Henley Air, Bruce brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the stable. We are privileged to have him on board!

Captain Jannie Matthysen
Lecturer

Jannie is an accomplished professional pilot and aviation leader with over 35 years of international experience across fixed- and rotary-wing operations. Holding dual FAA and ICAO Airline Transport Pilot Licences, he serves as a CAA Designated Flight Examiner and MBA graduate of Oxford Brookes University. His career includes senior leadership roles such as Director of Global Flight Operations for Bristow Group and CEO of HELI Group, with extensive offshore and training experience. Currently operating as an Airbus H-225 VERTREP pilot and aviation consultant, Jannie combines operational insight, regulatory expertise, and a lifelong commitment to advancing global aviation safety and performance