In 1962 the club was formed into what we know today, albeit with much simpler surroundings. This happened when 5 pioneering and determined men got together.
Robin Jelliffe-President, Bill Bray-Secretary, Lou Simmons-Treasurer, Jimmy Kolantgis and Reg Hannaford struck a deal with a highly skilled instructor called John Naughton, a policeman from Inverell, and convinced him to get a transfer to Coffs Harbour where he could be the clubs instructor. John was to become a very influential member of the club donating his time to the club free of charge, basicallly allowing the club to flourish.
At this time the club members, all five of them, each put up £75 of there own money, as deposit, to buy the clubs first Tiger Moth VH-BAV in November 1962 at a cost of £5000. The £75 was a large sum in those days, let alone £5000, but the aviation spirit and will power was strong.
Quickly the club expanded, and in May 1963 the club had a new aircraft, a Cessna-150 VH-RGA, followed in May 1964 by a PA-28 VH-PMB and in August of the same year a Cessna 172 VH-FRA.
In September 1965 John Naughton was gifted a Tiger Moth, VH-AWA. John had taught an American gentleman to fly who owned ‘AWA’, and when he returned back to America, he gave the aircraft to John as a gift.
In March 1966 the club gained its first Cessna-172 VH-DNR
In January 1968 the club purchased a Piper Commanche-250 VH-PBA, this was quickly followed by a Jodel D-11 VH-DRJ, first flown on 21st March, this was a very special aircraft as it did not belong to the club, but to Robin Jelliffe, and had been hand built in his garage at home. The registration DRJ being the initials of the maker as Robin was more commonly known as a local medical practitioner.
In September of 1968 the club acquired a BE-23 Beechcraft Muskateer.
In 1974 the club purchased a Cessna-182.
During these years the club experienced rapid and unparraleed growth in its history, and produced some great pilots of its own along the way. Three noteable examples of the clubs proud hostory of training pilots are listed below.
Andrew Kane – Captain – A300 -Virgin Australia
Henry Griffiths – Captain – B747 – Quantas
Lee Wake – Captain – Ansett – B727-737 – Compass – A300 – Thai Airways – A300 – Singapore Airlines – 777
Many photos from this period are viewable in the gallery on the history page.