Pioneer Aviation Gippsland

 PIONEER AVIATION GIPPSLAND 

I am in the aviation business and as the old adage says “to make a fortune in aviation start with a large fortune”.  With this in mind, my wife and I decided to have a go anyway.

I guess my business started when I learnt to fly some 20 years ago.  I enjoyed flying;  it was so much of a challenge and fun.  I also enjoyed teaching and training people.  In the past, I have worked for VicRoads teaching people motorcycle riding and as a carpenter, I also taught apprentices.

In 2004 my wife and I went to New Zealand to buy an Ultralight aircraft for ourselves.  Whilst this did not eventuate, it made me think about Ultralight aircraft and brought home the fact that no one, including the local flying school, was offering flying training in ultralights in our area.  My wife, Janet and I started to gather information about ultralights which at that time had a name change to recreational aircraft.  We also devised a business plan which indicated that if we could generate 400 hours of flying a year, I could make wages and cover costs.  We purchased a hangar at the Latrobe Regional Airport that with the addition of an office, class room and kitchen would be suitable as a business premises.  At this time, Michael Poole, a Chief Flying Instructor (CFI) from Scone in New South Wales, returned to the Victoria to live.  I approached him with a proposition to run the school until I was qualified, which proposal, he accepted.  The manager of the Latrobe Regional Airport was very supportive in giving approval to run a recreational flying school at the airport.  I started to investigate the possibilities in availability of aircraft for purchase and after extensive groundwork, we purchased a second hand Jabiru LSA rego 55-0727.  Michael Poole arranged for the appropriate paperwork for approval with Recreational Aircraft Australia to operate a flying school.  Our first student started on the 26^th of June in 2004. 

To progress the business, I needed to obtain an Instructor Rating, which I completed in Swan Hill.  I spent the next 3 weeks flying, studying and giving briefings on flying and after a test at Tooradin I gained my rating.  I worked under Micks supervision until I had enough hours for my Chief Flying Instructor approval which I gained in March 2006.

In December 2005 my wife and I took delivery of a new Jabiru J160 reg 24-4497.  This aircraft has amassed over 2000 hours now (May 2009) and is showing very few signs of wear. I like the bigger cockpit, which gives students room to move and it also flys like a larger aircraft.  I have flown other J160s and ours has the lightest controls of any I have flown.  Overall it is a very good training aircraft as many students will now testify.

We offer the following services.

• Ab-initio flying training to RAA Pilots Certificate
• Passenger endorsement
• Cross-country endorsements
• Private aircraft hire
• Training in your aircraft
• Manuals and books to study
• Navigational equipment
• Some spare parts for aircraft
• Gathering place for aviators
• Theory classes
• Weather briefings
• Help with servicing aircraft and repairs
• I am open 6 days a week from dawn till dark
• SERVICE

In the last two years I have completed courses in,

• “Certificate IV in Assessment & Workplace Training”
• “Human Performance & Decision Making” with the Aviation Safety Foundation Australia
•  Renewed my CFI rating and school approval

Vision for the future

• New larger hangar/class room (completed June 2008)
• 2^nd instructor
• 2^nd Jabiru (probably a J170)
• Modify aircraft for the disabled
• Set up a maintenance facility