Seaplane Pilots Association AustraliaThe
Peak Body on all Seaplane Activities in Australia |
Wayne Inglis - President
Taking the stick from our outgoing President from 2019-2021, David Geers, is Wayne Inglis, SPAA’s new President for 2022-2024. Wayne is the first to admit that he’s new to aviation having started flying in earnest just 12 months ago after getting started in the 70’s. Wayne joined the SPAA Committee during the AGM held in the Whitsundays in 2021 and quickly made a name for himself as a goal-oriented and well connected member of our Association. Wayne’s background spans engineering, hospitality, diving and tourism and he has been a skipper and diving instructor for over 20 years. |
David Geers - Vice President Needing no introduction to many of our members is David Geers, having settled into the co-pilot seat after two very productive years as our President. David has been behind many of the Associations leaps into the peak body space including the seaplane ownership and incident databases, his seaplane touring guide, building relationships with the commercial sector as well as running the digital back end of the Association. David runs an IT business and is looking forward to a little more time to concentrate on this after throwing himself into the role of President over the last two years. |
David Skinner - Treasurer David Skinner will be taking on the position of Treasurer for 2022. David has been flying for about 10 years having started with RAAus and moving into the GA world. He has aerobatic and tailwheel endorsements and mainly flies tourist flights in his Sirrus at the moment. David considers himself very lucky to have done his water endorsement with the venerable SPAA member Kevin Bowe before Kevin’s retirement and David joined the Committee in 2021 as a Committee member. |
Martin Peters - Secretary Marty is very well known in the aviation community for his amazing aerobatic displays in association with the Paul Bennet Airshow group. Marty’s first flight was back in 2004, progressing through private and commercial qualifications before taking over the operations role in a commercial charter outfit in Wagga Wagga. With the charter company Marty flew all throughout Australia including freight and passengers which gave him valuable experience and insight into all aspects of aviation. Since joining the Paul Bennet Airshow Group the operation hours of their main aircraft have risen from 200 hours to 1300 hours, 90% of which is credited to Marty instructing. |
Rohan Walter - Committee With Rohan recently abdicating the very much appreciated role of Treasurer, he will be taking on a position with the Committee for a well earned breather and to work on his upcoming SPAA Mentorship Program (more on that to come in the very near future!). Rohan started his aviation career as a Qantas Cadet Pilot on No.2 Course in 1966. He went on to fly the B707 for 18 months before converting to the B747, flying the 747-238/338 and then the 400. Rohan was a Promotional Training Captain and retired after 37 years in 2003 at the tender age of 57. |
Shane Finney - Committee Shane is SPAA’s “Whitsundays Connection” and has been instrumental in our events in the region, notably the Splash-in and AGM in 2021 where he welcomed members into his beautiful home for breakfasts before the days events and to take shelter from the weather that he assured us was out of character. Shane lives in the Whitsundays Airpark which is home to his Super Petrel (for fun) and his RV10 (for travel) in their absolutely gleaming show-room of a hangar. He has an estimated 35-40 year background in the Airline industry flying both Boeing and Airbus during that time. Shane took up seaplanes about five years ago and is in love with everything to do with them. He will be a very valuable member of our Committee and will be taking the controls on the SPAA Training Manual and we’re hoping to twist his arm to invite us all back in the near future. |
Rohan Whittington - Committee Rohan has been a long time member of SPAA and is known to many of our members having given presentations at multiple events, most recently the Whitsundays splash-in and AGM in 2021 outlining his work with some associates on new propulsion systems for aircraft. He has also helped with writing parts of the water syllabus for RAAus after coming across knowledge gaps in what he calls a “very short” endorsement resulting in him teaching himself many water techniques. Rohan has been flying for about 35 years all told, however returned to flying 12 years ago after a post-pilots strike hiatus. |
Ivan Lizarralde - Committee Ivan is a Whitsundays local and is reprising his role on the Committee for another year. He’s been a valuable and committed committee member through 2021 and 2022 and has highlighted areas of interest to the Association regarding regulations in the region. He obtained his degree in Marine Biology in the US and gained his private pilots license having been unable to resist the temptation of the flight school on campus. Upon arrival in Australia, Ivan began hang gliding which evolved into powered hang gliding then onto microlights and ultralights. |
Ben Hunter - Committee Ben is stepping aside from his position of Secretary and will be taking up a Committee role for the year. A well known member of the Association, Ben has served on our Committee in various roles since 2005 working with many of our past and present influential members. His talent with words has been employed to the benefit of the Association most recently at our 50th Anniversary celebrations in Rathmines. Ben's contribution to both a speech and memorial plaque honouring the SPAA's founding member, Philip Dulhunty is appreciated. |
Keith Munro - Committee Keith blames David Geers for his involvement in seaplanes having been what Keith calls his mentor. Keith has always been fascinated with seaplanes and has been a SPAA member for 8 years. He founded an engineering company in the UK (KSM SuperClean) that still operates today supplying to many well known electronics manufacturers in over 40 countries. Keith is currently focused on gliding and cites the 45 degree angle of attack and no ability to go-around as good training for focus and hopes it will make him a better seaplane pilot in due course. |