Our Instructors
Our Head of Operations is a CASA Grade 1 Instructor and has over 12,000 hours of General Aviation experience. Our instructors are all experienced pilots with full CASA licensing and certification from Defence, General Aviation and Airlines and a collective flying experience of over 60,000 flying hours.
Head of Operations
Corey Birch
Head of Operations
Grade 2 Instructor
800 hours. Corey’s first flight, licensing and instructor qualification began with the Albatross Aero Club.
Ross Laves
Grade 1 Instructor
Ross started flying gliders at the age of 14, joining the Royal Australian Air Force in 1997. Since then, Ross has flown in all three services of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) culminating in being a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) at Central Flying School (CFS), RAAF East Sale. Ross has over 5000 hours flight time, of this nearly 2000 hours is delivering flight instruction. Since 2018, Ross has trained airline pilots for regional airlines and in 2021 commenced flying Learjet in support of military operations. Ross maintains a CASA examiner rating for instructor and is a current RAAF reserve QFI at CFS teaching future ADF QFI’s on the PC21.
Rob Dicker
Grade 2 Instructor
More than 50 years in aviation and 20,000 flying hours.
More than 50 years in aviation and 20,000 flying hours.
Started gliding at age 16.
Progressed to CPL and spent first 3 years of commercial flying in Papua New Guinea flying air work, charter and public transport flights throughout the country.
Joined Ansett Airlines, initially as a First Officer on the DC9-30, progressing to the Boeing B737-200, B737-300 and Airbus A320.
Joined Cathay Pacific as a First Officer on the Lockheed L1011 Tristar, followed by the Airbus A340-200, A340-300 and A330-300.
Gained command on the A330-300 and cross crew qualified on the A340-300 and A340-600 flying international flights throughout SE Asia and across the globe.
Began instructing after retirement from airline flying, initially with NSW Air and now with Albatross Aero Club since 2014.
Tom Smillie
Grade 2 Instructor
Started flying at the Royal Aero Club of South Australia in 1975 before joining the Navy in 1979, former Navy Helicopter pilot and instructor with just over 10,000 total flying hours.
Grade 2 Instructor, started flying at the Royal Aero Club of South Australia in 1975 before joining the Navy in 1979, former Navy Helicopter pilot and instructor with just over 10,000 total flying hours. Remains current on helicopters flying the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society UH-1 and is a Grade 1 Helicopter flying instructor. Also has commercial helicopter experience in the Offshore oil and gas industry as the Check and Training pilot at ESSO flying the Sikorsky S-76C, Antartica Support experience flying the AS350 Squirrel and Sikorsky S-76A+ and Helicopter Emergency Medical Service experience with the Queensland government flying the AS350 and Bell 412. Favourite aircraft are tail draggers ( tail wheel undercarriage ) so come get checked out in the Piper Super Cub.
Mark Morey-Hype
Grade 2 Instructor
5000 hours Former Navy Helicopter Pilot, Qualified Flying Instructor (Jet, piston and turbo prop), Former Central Flying School Instructor and Member of the RAAF Roulettes
Book a Trial Flight
Are you interested in learning how to fly?
30 minute ($100) or 60 minute ($200) Trial Instructional Flight with one of our experienced flying instructors to see if its right for you. We also have gift vouchers available for trial flights.
Membership
Be a part of our flying club to learn to fly, hire our aircraft or meet other general aviation enthusiasts