ORGANISATIONAL VALUES

A good organisational culture doesn’t spring up out of nowhere; it requires intentional and thoughtful identification of the core values upon which the organisation is built, and these values are largely the values of GoFly Aviation’s owner, Damen Wills.

GoFly’s four values are: Innovation, Integrity, Customer Service and Empathy.

GoFly Aviation’s values are consistent with its Business Plan, which includes this goal: GoFly Aviation to become the most advanced and respected Recreational Flight School on the Sunshine Coast.

Innovation

We endeavour to:
• Research and implement the best software for the most efficient management of our bookings for our clients, our student records and the maintenance of our aircraft
• Be at the forefront of technology in our teaching delivery methods and systems
• Provide the safest aircraft in which to learn to fly
•Take advantage of new technologies in order to further enhance teaching methods and promote the joy of flying

Customer Service

We endeavour to:
• Give our customers a great experience at every point of our contact with them
• Meet and then exceed all our customers' needs
• Customise the lessons to suit the learning style of each individual
• Adapt to the requirements of any of our customers with special needs
• Honour gift certificates which are past their expiration dates
• Endeavour to be flexible with our busy customers and reschedule any appointments without penalty when given 24 hours’ notice

Empathy

We endeavour to:
• Provide the opportunity for one financially disadvantaged local young person to obtain their Pilot certificate each year (via the GoFly Scholarship)
• Use our planes to bring joy to young people who are experiencing hardship, via the Connect Kids charity.
• Provide prizes for selected charities and schools
• Provide school work experience opportunities to student already training with us

Integrity

We endeavour to:
• Recruit only Staff and Instructors who are passionate about teaching others how to achieve their own goal of learning to fly
• Be transparent about our prices and syllabus
• Give honest feedback to students about their progress and abilities
• Abide by the incident reporting guidelines of our membership body (RAA)
• Maintain our aircraft to the highest safety standards

GOFLY SCHOLARSHIP

GoFly Aviation offers the GoFly Scholarship for a young person suffering financial hardship. The Scholarship is valued at around $8,500.  Entries for the 2020 Scholarship closed on 30 September 2019. Due to COVID and the economy, no 2021 Scholarship was on offer.

CARING FOR OUR COUNTRY

Underlying all the above values is our commitment to the environment. We endeavour to care for the environment by using low emission Rotax motors in our planes; by using low emission unleaded fuel in our planes; and by recycling rubbish as well as aircraft parts whenever possible. In July 2019 we became the first Australian Flight School to become carbon neutral for our plane emissions. Every week we pay a company called Carbon Neutralto plant trees to compensate for the 180 tonnes of carbon our planes emit into the air each year. Here is a video showing the great work that they do. We also sponsor the local voluntary group, Night Eyes Water Care, who help keep clean the beautiful waterways over which we fly.

GoFly wishes to acknowledge the Kabi Kabi and the Jinibara people, the traditional  owners of the land on which we operate and over which we fly. We recognise that these have always been places of cultural, spiritual, social and economic significance. The Traditional Custodians’ unique values, and ancient cultures, deepen and enrich the life of our community.  We pay respect to their Elders – past, present and emerging, and acknowledge the important role First nations people continue to play within the Sunshine Coast community. 

GOFLY'S CHOSEN CHARITIES

During 2017 GoFly Aviation joined The Altitude Initiative, which is a group of aviation organisations who wish to give memorable experiences to young people who are having a tough time. GoFly donated a monthly flight. The young people receiving the flights have found them immensely exciting and rewarding. During 2019 and 2020 GoFly will be donating these flights to the Connect Kids charity, offering disadvantaged children the chance to forget their problems for a while. 

CEO Damien’s parents are very active volunteers with the St Vincent de Paul charity. In August 2018, Damien raised over $1,100 by taking part in the Sunshine Coast’s St Vinnies Community Sleepout.  He quipped afterwards: ‘I’ve always dreamed of having beachfront accommodation. Once again, thank you to everyone who donated for the homeless appeal. I’m just glad I wasn’t taking part in the Canberra event with minus 2 degree temperatures. He participated again in 2019 and again raised over $1,000. The event was not held during 2020.

Beachside accommodation during Vinnies Sleepout

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

GoFly Aviation has also donated a number of  30 min scenic flights as prizes, for the following organisations:

  • Ronald McDonald House, Caloundra 2018
  • Buderim Bridge Club Raffle, 2018
  • Conquer Cancer Ride, 2018
  • Rotary Club, Brisbane, 2018
  • Stella Maris Neon Night, 2019
  •  STEPS Grand Winter Charity Ball, 2019
  • Caloundra Chamber of Commerce, 2019
  • Redlands Museum’s ‘Aviation Dinner’ 2019
  • Lions North Shore ‘Paper Plane Challenge’ 2019
  • Air League, 2020
  • The Caloundra 4WD Club, 2020
  • Stella Maris Primary School Maroochydore, 2021
  • Zinc 96.1 Radio Station, 2021
  • Aerospace Gateway Teachers’ Conference, 2021
  • Aerospace Gateway Student Awards 2021