About Fly Now Redcliffe

Recreational  Flight  Training

Want to know more about us before you book a flight? Then you're in the right place!

Fly Now Redcliffe has been operating since 2012 and offers Recreational Flight Training.

We operate 7 days a week, weather permitting, from Redcliffe Airport which has easy access to all of the Brisbane area. We teach in our 3 x Tecnam aircraft. 

These aircraft have very precise control, making them a real pleasure to fly.

We are high time instructors who have lots of real life flying experience.

Our emphasis is on teaching you the basics while transferring good disciplines and aircraft handling skills on to you.

You will have fun learning to fly here!

Mahl Oakes - Instructor CFi & owner

Mahl Oakes is the owner and CFI of Fly Now Redcliffe which he opened in 2012.

Currently he has over 8,900 flying hours total time with 8,000 hours of instructing, but every time he flies that increases of course!

Mahl learnt to fly in a Cessna 172 at Caloundra in 1986 and attained his Private Pilots Licence, and in 1991 he achieved his Recreational Instructors Rating.

He started teaching at Redcliffe in 1993, teaching flying in Sky Foxes. 

Some of his students have gone on to become commercial and military pilots, but many are pilots who fly just for the fun of it!

Mahl has a down to earth no-nonsense approach to both flying and life, with a big emphasis on having fun! 

David Karan - SENIOR instructor

David Karan grew up living near Fiji's Nadi International Airport, so he spent many hours watching jets ferrying tourists to the island paradise, and dreaming about learning to fly.

In 2009 this dream to learn to fly finally became a reality when David started flying lessons. He had Mahl Oakes as one of his primary instructors.

In 2019, after almost 30 years in the corporate world, David decided to take the leap and turn his passion into a career helping others achieve their dreams of flight!

After completing his Instructor Rating and flying for a couple of years on the Sunshine Coast, David has returned back to where it all began, now as a member of the Fly Now Redcliffe team!

David CHuong - SENIOR instructor

David Chuong started his aviation career at 16 years (before he could drive) when he won a pilot scholarship for a restricted pilot license in 1996. 

After finishing high school he studied Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Sydney. In 2005 David flew the B747 his first big jet after gaining a pilot cadetship with Singapore Airlines. 

After 15 years of flying airliners in Asia and the Middle East internationally on the B777 and B787 Dreamliner he returned to Brisbane to complete his RAAus certificate and instructor rating in 2020. He also spent time in Cairns as a Search and Rescue pilot. 

David has now joined the Fly Now Redcliffe team to contribute his back to basics experience and passion to aspiring pilots in the RAAus community with his happy go lucky attitude and fun outlook to aviation.

Peter Swift aka 'Swifty' - SENIOR INSTRUCTOR

Swifty started his aviation journey after being born at a very young age into a flying family. Aviation is in his DNA. He comes to Fly Now Redcliffe at the conclusion of an extensive career in the Air Force as a Maintainer.

He has travelled the globe as a part of the military team looking after aircraft as diverse as the F111, F18, E7A Wedgetail and C27J Spartan.

He enjoys the challenge and reward that comes with meeting and instructing the diverse range of students that come here to learn to fly.

Swifty is passionate about Aviation to the point of owning his own aircraft and his broad knowledge of maintenance (particularly avionics) makes him a valued member of the Fly Now Redcliffe team.

Swifty loves a chin wag, so if you see him about the hangar be sure to stop and say hi.

ADrian Smith - instructor

Adrian's inspiration to fly came from both parents who served in the Royal Air Force in England. After the RAF, Adrian's father became the superintendent of air traffic control at Brisbane and later worked as a flight planner with TAA.

As a child there was plenty of time spent at the local aero club and Brisbane airport being immersed in aviation. Aviation was in Adrian's DNA.

After some initial training on Cessna's, he discovered the advantages of Recreational Aviation. In 2018 he began flying at Fly Now Redcliffe and attained his Pilot Certificate.

He built his command hours in our Tecnam Eaglets before doing his Instructors rating with the Fly Now Redcliffe team. Tecnam Eaglet's are some of the most comfortable, well behaved and cost efficient training aircraft available,

As your dedicated flight instructor, Adrian strives to simplify the whole process including presenting theory in plain English, creating excellent results and ensuring an enjoyable and fascinating learning experience.

Matt Dows - instructor

Matt began his passion for aviation when he joined the Australian Air Force Cadets in 2015. At the same time he learned to fly gliders.

A few years later he started flying Tecnam's here at Fly Now Redcliffe and achieved his Recreational Pilot Certificate. Then flying Piper Tomahawk, Diamond DA-40 and Cessna 172, Matt began moving towards achieving his Private Pilots Licence. 

He completed his PPL in a RV6 which he had bought a share in. Matt was having fun building up his hours and experience flying in his RV6 around the countryside. Matt then attained his Recreational Flying Instructors rating at Fly Now Redcliffe.

He is now passing on his passion for flying as he instructs on the same Tecnam aircraft that he learnt to fly in. He is still involved with cadets and has his sights set on becoming a commercial pilot.

If you want to learn to fly with a passionate pilot, Matt is your man.

come & Join us - LEARN To Fly!

If you would like to learn to fly, come and join us. Learn to fly with dedicated professionals! We look forward to meeting you! Have fun and enjoyment while you learn to fly.