From struggling through Year 12 to a bright future in aeromechanics

From “barely scraping through Year 12” at Yeppoon to rising up as a valued aeromechanic on the state’s rescue helicopters, this 19-year-old apprentice has some sound advice for teens.

Bethany Heintze says her first weeks at LifeFlight were a steep learning curve, but a challenge she relished. Supplied: LifeFlight

Ever thought about a career as an aeromechanical engineer? Bethany Heintze certainly didn’t.

The 19-year-old from Yeppoon is LifeFlights’s latest apprentice, with a go-getter spirit and humble roots.
She said she struggled through high school but had since realised her potential.
I barely scraped through Year 12 myself,” she said.
“It’s more about character and persistence.
“Don’t tear yourself down if you can’t get great grades.”

Bethany Heintze at the Heights College formal in 2023.

After graduating from the Heights College, Ms Heintze was working as a mechanical apprentice at Toyota in Brisbane when she decided to take a trip to the Archerfield Airport maintenance centre on a friend’s recommendation.

In a lucky twist of fate, LifeFlight General Manager Engineering Peter De Marzi was walking out the front door when he heard Ms Heintze mention work experience.
He obliged, and within two weeks she was already helping to build a new AW139 helicopter.

“In the second week we had the first of the new helicopters come through and I got to assist with that, which was great,” Ms Heintze said.

“When I came back to start my apprenticeship, it was all together and flying, which was really cool from seeing it come on the truck to operating.”

Ms Heintze is enjoying her first year as an apprentice aeromechanical engineer and completing block release training with Aviation Australia.

She has joined LifeFlight’s 60-strong engineering team comprised of 50 licensed engineers and 10 apprentices with the majority based out of the LifeFlight Clive Berghofer Maintenance Centre at Archerfield Airport.

The engineers are responsible for servicing 20 rotary wing helicopters and four fixed-wing helicopters.

Bethany said she was looking forward to the challenge of a new career.

Bethany Heintze works on a helicopter at the LifeFlight Sunshine Coast base. Supplied: LifeFlight

“There is more of a future at LifeFlight, and I wanted to challenge myself,” she said.

“The hardest thing is getting over the fact of proving myself in such a technical workplace,” she said.

“It’s not necessarily the work; it’s more the mindset of knowing I can do it.”

Bethany’s plans for the future include travelling overseas mentoring young apprentices.

“It was always a dream to get into a job like this. I always thought that you had to have straight As and be super intelligent,” she said

“I guess it was just me shutting down my aspirations from early on because I didn’t realise that I’m so much more than that.”