In Conversation with Delorean Andrews: Navigating the Skies and Life

By Nancy Coll

In a recent interview, we had the privilege to sit down with DeLorean Andrews, an accomplished aircraft instrumentation electrician and an inspiring individual who has risen through the ranks in the aviation industry. From troubleshooting electrical systems in Chinook helicopters to pursuing his dream of becoming a licensed pilot, DeLorean shares his journey, insights, and advice for young people. His story is one of perseverance, determination, and the power of education, providing a motivational blueprint for anyone aspiring to reach their goals despite the odds. Here’s an in-depth look into DeLorean’s career, his views on the future of aviation, and his personal reflections on life.

What skills are you working on now and why, if you can talk about that?

Delorean: The skills I’m working on now are all electrical. My title is aircraft instrumentation electrician, which means I handle all the avionics inside the Chinook helicopter. I make sure that the avionics equipment works. If they don’t work, we troubleshoot to fix them. Mostly, it’s all public knowledge. I work with the fuel systems, navigation—pretty much the whole electrical system on the Chinook itself.

In what direction do you see jobs in aviation going in 2034?

Delorean: Aviation? Well, I know there’s a shortage of pilots, mechanics, and electricians right now. So, I do see that there’s going to be a shortage of skilled labor in that sector in aviation.

What’s your advice to young people?

Delorean: My advice to young people is to follow your dreams. And, if you don’t have a dream, start to research what it is that you might like and what you may love doing for a living. You want to do what you love. I definitely think education is the most important part of your tool bag. If you have education, I believe that can take you further than any dream could because that’s the stepping stone. That’s what you build off of—your education. Experience and mentorship are important also.

What would you tell your twelve-year-old self now?

Delorean: Oh, that’s a good one. I would tell my twelve-year-old self to stay consistent, stay positive, and to build your mentoring network with people who can get you through some of your tough times. I think having a mentor is important for every young person.

What’s the most important skill that you’ve learned so far?

Delorean: Patience. Being able to troubleshoot a problem and not giving up. Sometimes when you’re looking for a problem electrically, it’s hard because it’s not physically broken. You can’t see it like you would if you took a broomstick and chopped it in half. That’s physical; you can see that it needs to be mended. But electrically, sometimes you’re chasing a theory. It can get hard, and you can lose your motivation when you’re chasing a problem that you can’t see. You have to just keep testing. So, I definitely think it’s about being able to persevere and having the endurance to get through things.

What do you do to work on your patience? What helps you build that skill?

Delorean: Working on patience involves giving grace. As humans, we’re not perfect. We make mistakes. When you’re managing multiple humans, as someone who manages employees, it’s not always easy to work with different personalities. So, I think that how I work on patience is by giving grace and understanding that not everyone is you. The way you would do things is not how someone else would do it. You have to let people work the best way that they know how. Sometimes it takes patience and grace to let people make their mistakes or learn from using the skills that they may have.

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Delorean: I would love to visit Africa. I am AfricanAmerican, and I’ve always been in the United States. I’ve stepped out of the United States a few times, going to the Dominican Republic and Mexico, but I’ve always been drawn to Africa. I would like to go to the Serengeti, to be specific. Growing up, I always watched National Geographic, and I’ve always wanted to see the animals roaming free. I would love to visit the Serengeti!

What is your connection to John DeLorean?

Delorean: My connection to John DeLorean? Well, the exclusive story would be that my father and mother were in the hospital trying to name me, to come up with a name out of so many different names like Kevin, Darryl, Michael, etc. They eventually saw John DeLorean in the news, going to court. While my dad was holding me, he looked up and saw John DeLorean on TV and asked my mom, “What about DeLorean?” She said she liked the name. So, my connection is being named after the vehicle he created, designed, and manufactured.

What do you see in the US as far as job markets, any geographic areas that you think might benefit from things that you see as possibilities?

Delorean: I think every city has its own unique sector of engineering and expertise. I believe that if you give people the tools they need to work, they could get an assignment or a job in any city. From my experience, people love to work, people love to provide for their families. I believe that if you place an aircraft manufacturer in, let’s say, Houston, Texas, it will prosper. One thing I’ve learned is that a lot of folks don’t know about aviation. Some just think aviation is hopping on a plane when they take a trip from Miami to Philadelphia. They don’t know that those planes are actually built here in the United States. Some folks think those planes are built elsewhere. Aviation is just such a unique sector that it’s overlooked at times because of the lack of education or exposure to it at a younger age.

Of what are you most proud?

Delorean: That’s a very good question. I never really thought about that. I’m most proud of my experiences. I feel like if I never went through the things that I went through in my early stages of life, I probably wouldn’t be who I am today. So, I’m most proud of perseverance, being able to overcome obstacles. I’m proud of being self-motivated. For a lot of folks, it’s hard to be motivated in a negative situation. So, I’m just thankful and proud of where I’m at today, where I built my career to be, and what my life became. I think that’s probably what I’m most proud of right now.

Could you share a general pathway story of how you first got any kind of bug for what you do today?

Delorean: I would have never thought about it in a million years, seriously. I didn’t grow up in an aviation family or a military family. I do have military family members, but my immediate family never had any type of aviation experience or exposure. No one in my family is a pilot. I will be the first, as I’m currently getting my pilot’s license as a student. I do have a cousin whom I inspire. He’s getting his commercial pilot license. So, it’s kind of an unspoken competition between us to be the first in the family to receive our pilot license.

Backing up a little bit, I come from a small town, Dayton, Ohio. My mother was in college at the time, attending Dayton University. She got pregnant during her senior year and was on the verge of not having me because she was in the middle of school. My grandmother stepped in and suggested she have the baby and bring me to Miami while she finished her senior year. This way, she could finish school and then have her child. So, coming from Dayton, Ohio, I relocated to Miami at a very young age and grew up mostly in Miami. I spent a few years in Dayton and later a few years in Philadelphia because my grandmother relocated from Miami to Philadelphia.

I never thought in a million years I’d be in aviation. It all started with, and there’s an article Boeing wrote about me, but I’ll give you the short version of it. When I moved to Philly, I knew no one. I was about 21 or 22, so I needed a job that summer while visiting my grandmother. There was a hiring fair at CareerLink, where representatives from Delaware County Community College were scouting for talent to create a pipeline from Delaware Community College to Boeing. As a member of Career Link, I was able to attend the interview.

So, I came to visit Philly and never left. I got into this program at Delaware County Community College. The program was ten weeks long, 40 hours a week, and very intense. After we graduated, we were given an interview at Boeing to be sheet metal workers and fabricators.

That’s how my story started. I began as a fabricator doing sheet metal work. Within my union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, I climbed the ladder to become a mechanic, then an aircraft electrician, and now an instrumentation electrician, which is the highest electrical position you can achieve within my union.

What gave you the idea for flying?

Delorean: It’s actually funny. I watched Red Tails, and that’s what sparked it. Watching the movie, I said, “You know what? If they can do it, I can do it.” At the time, I was doing pretty well in my career and just being exposed to aviation further inspired me. As we know, getting your private pilot license is expensive, so I wasn’t initially in a financial situation where I could afford it. Once I was able to put some funds together, I decided to go for it.

I love challenging myself. For instance, I have a motorcycle license, which is a funny story. I wanted to get my motorcycle license just to see if I could do it. I had never driven a motorcycle a day in my life, but I took the class, passed, and got my license. Aviation is kind of the same for me; I just want to see if I can do it.

Are you a musician like your father?

Delorean: My father left me and my brothers his bass guitars, and I started playing. I did learn to play, “Get Down on It” by Kool & the Gang. That was the song he taught me before he passed. I can play that, but that’s about all I can play. I wish I would’ve learned more, but you know, his spirit lives through me, and I do plan on one day playing that song at his gravesite. And, just so you know, music is a part of me because of him. I wish I had a lot more time to learn from him, but I know he’s looking down on me. I’m doing pretty well, so I thank him for who I am today.

What do you want to do with your flying?

Delorean: I plan to take my first cross-country flight from Philadelphia to Dayton, Ohio to honor my dad. I want to circle my dad’s gravesite while flying into the Dayton Airport. Then, I want to go and lay his favorite Ohio State jacket on his gravesite.