Coffs Coast Aviation Centre is a family owned local business. 

Our staff all have exceptional technical qualifications and experience in their field, including teaching/training, and have passed govt. Working with Children Checks. 

Mike has also worked in several other aviation roles, including air traffic services, airline load control and briefing, and a number of years in operational and organisational management. He is currently a Director of PNG Air Services Ltd, and a member of the Mission Aviation Fellowship PNG Board. As such he is able to bring a wide experience in aviation to his flight training, enabling students to benefit from his thorough understanding of aircraft operations and the wider aviation environment. His non-aviation qualifications include a Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies, Cert IV in Training & Assessment, and Grad Cert in Intercultural Studies (TESOL). These add to his ability to understand and train people from diverse backgrounds.

Since returning from overseas (PNG) to settle in Coffs Harbour in early 2008, Mike has been keen to be able to use his experience in training others at a time when the aviation industry is facing a shortage of pilots which has also reduced general flying training opportunities. He established Coffs Coast Aviation Centre to meet a need now evident on the NSW mid north coast. 

Tom Strickland is a Senior Instructor at our RAA Flight Training Facility. Tom ran his own flight training school at Coffs Harbour as CFI from 1978 to 1999, when he pretended to retire. He has held a Commercial Licence, Command multi-engine Instrument and Gr 1 Instructor Ratings, and has 3,000 hrs experience as a senior Instructor amongst his 5,000 flying hours total. Tom is endorsed on many single engine and a number of GA twin engine aircraft. Tom also has extensive experience as a TAFE teacher of aviation subjects. He has renewed his licence and gained RAA Senior Instructor accreditation after a decade away and taken up the challenge of instructing again. Tom's assistance as initial CFI has been invaluable.

Kathy Jelliffe has an Adv. Cert .in Office Administration and an Adv. Diploma in Accountancy and is now studying for a Batchelor of Business degree. She is Coffs Coast Aviation Centre's Administration Manager. After playing a key role in educating her and Mike's three (now adult) children in PNG, Kathy worked in preschool/OOSH administration and management for a number of years while gaining her TAFE qualifications. She'd much rather be on the ground than flying.

Tony Lister is a (CASA) Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer and (RAA) Level 2 Maintenance Engineer. Tony has had many years of experience in aircraft maintenance including with Mission Aviation Fellowship in PNG and at the MAF aviation training facility at Coldstream, Vic.  He has also spent a number of years teaching aviation engineering at TAFE. Now living back on the mid-north coast, Tony conducts our aircraft maintenance and is Maintenance Coordinator for our charter AOC ops. He is well known at Coffs Airport as a LAME, now servicing many aircraft on the aerodrome.

---

 

Flightscope Pty Ltd, trading as Coffs Coast Aviation Centre -  Flying at a higher level