Meet Our Team

Paul Daff - Chief Executive Officer

Accomplished and pragmatic, Paul is an executive leader with deep experience in leading businesses with capital-intensive, highly regulated and complex environments. Paul is adept at navigating through disruption, transforming cultures and advancing strategic outcomes, as well as leading organisations into new markets. Paul's expertise, built during his time within the Qantas & Jetstar Groups, Jetconnect and Skywest, includes; operations, commercial functions, finance, regulatory compliance, government relations, safety, project and risk management, underpinned by commercial savvy and strength in analytical thinking. Paul is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has led large multidisciplinary teams across Asia Pacific.

Antony Provan - Head of Operations, Chief Flying Instructor and Testing Officer

Antony wears many hats at RVAC as Head of Operations, Chief Flying Instructor and Testing Officer, which is a testament to his committed and hardworking nature. He got into aviation at 18 years old, but took a break to pursue a career in Computing, Scuba Diving and as a master class 5 in the Maritime Industry. By 2008, aviation called him back. He completed his instructor rating and landed a job at RVAC as a Grade 3 Flight Instructor. Today he’s climbed the ranks and is responsible for setting the organisation’s standards and testing to those standards. And his favourite part? It’s helping people achieve their goals!

Davide Ierkic - Head of Flying Operations, Chief Pilot

Davide’s love for aviation began with a plastic aeroplane model at 6-years old. Now, almost 15 years into a professional career, he’s proud to be in a position to transfer his skills and knowledge to other aviators. Davide is a Grade 1 Instructor and Flight Examiner with a Multi-Engine IFR endorsement and loves training other instructors to achieve these qualifications.

Karl Mackay - Senior Flight Instructor - Grade 1

Corey Spencer - Flight Instructor & Safety Manager - Grade 1

Outgoing, friendly and funny by nature makes Corey a delight to fly with. His passion for flying, ignited by the RAAF Museum at Point Cook and later the freedom the skies provides, is positively infectious. As a Grade 1 with a Design Feature Training endorsement, he too savours the journey that individuals take to achieving their dreams.

Hugh McBain - Flight Instructor & Safety Officer - Grade 2 

Watching planes at the airport as a kid was enough to ignite Hugh’s love of flight. Today as a Grade 2 instructor, he appreciates the freedom and views of the sky – assuring anyone who tries it, there’s no looking back. His responsible and honest character speaks to the quality of training and the welcoming atmosphere at RVAC. Hugh is a graduate from the RVAC Diploma of Aviation Programme.

Daniel Segal - Flight Instructor - Grade 2

With his grandfather's influence sparking his passion for aviation, Daniel has embarked on a fulfilling career as a Flight Instructor, known for his engaging and collaborative approach to teaching, and his unwavering commitment to safety and professionalism - his licences, which include FIR, are a testament to his dedication to the field; he is driven by the desire to positively impact pilots in the early stages of their journey, and his passion for flying remains as strong as ever. Daniel is a graduate from the RVAC Diploma of Aviation Programme.

Dilini Wijetunga - Flight Instructor - Grade 3

Dilini is a Grade 3 Flight Instructor, now living her dream of flying and teaching. After investing much time and money into flying, Dilini is delighted to have a career in aviation. Her enthusiasm for sharing her knowledge with her students does not go unnoticed. Dilini has been flying with RVAC since 2014 starting as a student pilot and graduating as a commercial pilot and flying instructor from the RVAC Diploma of Aviation programme. 

Dylan Liew - Flight Instructor - Grade 3

Energetic, approachable and honest, Dylan's love of flying began at the early age when his dad took him to Kota Kinabalu International Airport, Malaysia to watch the planes come and go.  Dylan and his brother challenged each other to guess the airline and where it might have come from. To this day, they still compete intensely, but luckily family squabbles are quickly settled using the flight radar app. Dylan now soars the skies as a Grade 3 Instructor, sharing his passion for flying with new students, watching them grow into qualified private and commercial pilots. Dylan is working towards his dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot and visiting Taiwan.

Nathan Oyston - Flight Instructor - Grade 2

Nathan is an avid MX-5 enthusiast turned Grade 2 Flight Instructor who takes great pleasure in teaching RPL, PPL, and CPL, as well as conducting TIFs, and is able to conduct charter flights. With a passion for flying sparked by his grandfather who introduced him to the basics of flight simulation with a computer joystick and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004, Nathan's greatest joy comes from taking someone up for their first ever flight, handing them the controls, and seeing the absolute joy on their face. Nathan is a graduate from the RVAC Diploma of Aviation Programme.

Spohie Yu - Flight Instructor - GRADE 3

Meet Sophie Yu an easy-going, yet driven and attentive Grade 3 flight instructor.  Sohpie was inspired, after taking a trial introductory flight in the UK and found the feeling simply liberating.  From then on, Sophie knew what she wanted to do.  Sophie is her best self when she's in the sky, teaching those who want to follow their dream.  Sophie is a graduate of the RVAC's Diploma of Aviation Program and one day wants to fly over Antarctica.

Anthony Nardella - Flight Instructor - Grade 3 

 After watching multiple aviation videos on YouTube at the age of 7, Anthony’s interest in aviation was sparked. Anthony has a passion in sharing aviation knowledge to others and gets much pleasure supporting students in obtaining their Private and Commercial Pilot License. Anthony started as a Grade 3 Flight Instructor with us in February 2024 and currently works part-time. He was awarded RVACs Peter Godkin Memorial Trophy in 2023 for the most outstanding student pilot of the year. He has also completed a Bachelor of Aviation Management at Swinburne University of Technology and has graduated RVACs Diploma of Aviation Programme.

JOSHUA HICKS - FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR - GRADE 3

Eran Hatuel - Flight Instructor - Grade 3  

Eran journey embodies the essence of dedication and determination. From a young age, Eran dreamed of soaring through the skies, a promise made to a kindergarten teacher that ignited a lifelong passion for aviation. Through unwavering commitment and a thirst for knowledge, Eran has navigated various paths, always keeping the dream of flight close to heart. With a wealth of experience in diverse fields, Eran brings a unique perspective to the cockpit, blending technical proficiency with a warm, approachable demeanor. Eran is not only dedicated to teaching the intricacies of flight but also instilling a sense of wonder and reverence for the skies in each aspiring pilot. Join Eran on an unforgettable journey towards achieving your aviation dreams.

Deborah Fanning - Aviation Theory Instructor

Deborah has been teaching Aviation Theory Instructor for the last 20 years with a passion for inspiring her students. Deb first fell in love with planes at the age of 13 and first started flying back in 1981. After a stint flying gliders Deb bought her own plane in 2007 and completed her CPL. Today, she delights in the breathtaking views of flying and the evolving nature and challenges within aviation.

Matthew Willams (LAME) - Chief Maintenance Engineer

Matt loves being challenged and using it as an opportunity to learn and grow his knowledge. With 7 years as a LAME at RVAC and 3 years of experience as Chief Engineer, it’s clear he’s living his philosophy of ‘There’s always a chance to learn’. He brings an enthusiastic, confident and friendly attitude to the team.

Francis Watterson - Apprentice (LAME)

Francis is an Apprentice (LAME) Aircraft Engineer at RVAC, with 2 1/2 years of experience. With qualifications in Aeronautical Radio Operators Certification and a diploma of Aero Skill Mechanical, Francis describes himself as attentive, relaxed, and enthusiastic. Francis' love for aviation began when he was much younger, looking up at the sky. He enjoys aiding in the mechanical process of the ability of flight and loves the freedom and professionalism of the aviation industry.

Chloe Parsons - Reception & Customer Service

Chloe Parsons is a friendly, funny and energetic Flight Operations Administrator with a passion for meeting new people and working in the aviation industry for the past 3 years. Her fiancé is a pilot, which has only fueled her excitement for aviation even further. Chloe loves the feeling of seeing familiar places from a completely different perspective and finds it thrilling to be a part of the behind-the-scenes operations that make flying possible. Whether she's helping pilots prepare for a flight or coordinating schedules, her enthusiasm and energy always shine through.

Fiona Atkin - Financial Book Keeper 

Fiona joined the Royal Vic team in April 2024 and has a wealth of experience in customer service, sales, financial services, accounting and bookkeeping. Fiona works towards end-to-end solutions to enhance our RVAC Customer experiences so if you need to contact Fiona, she is here full time on weekdays and you will find her extremely courteous and professional.  

Katerina Batis

When you visit the Flight Deck you’re sure to meet Katerina.  Happy, energetic and super helpful, Kat loves meeting everyone who visits the Flight Deck to eat, drink or chill out.  Kat loves the eurphoic feeling you get as you soar into the sky and likens it to sipping champagne or eating chocolates. Kat’s passion for flying has even led her to try a couple of aerobatic flights and now there's no looking back.    Kat will ensure you enjoy your visit to the Flight Deck so much, that you'll keep you coming back. 

Ari Batis

Ari is our friendly Caterer and he’s been feeding the stream of hungry pilots and aviation enthusiasts at RVAC since 2019. Prior to this Ari spent many years in the Hospitality industry. He takes much pride in providing exceptional catering services to all our guests, and is an uplifting presence at the Flight Deck Bar & Grill. His journey into aviation was by the movie, Top Gun–and after 22 years as a member of our Aero Club, he still is madly in love with watching planes takeoff!