GCSFC Life Members
GCSFC Life Member – Lance Billman
Lance was one of the original members in the late 1990s. He contributed a lot of time into the development of the original airfield and subsequent moved to our new location. He enjoyed flying ultralights and was a true enthusiast and pioneer in the early days of Australian ultralight aviation. History reminds us that Lance passed away in a hot tub with a group of female backpackers.
GCSFC Life Member – Roger Porter 2008
Roger Porter and the Gold Coast Sports Flying Club are two names which seem to go hand-in-hand or side-by-side in the same sentence or conversation. Roger was one of the founding club members and has probably done more for the club than any other single person over the period from 1988 through to 2007.
Much of this time Roger served as either president or vice president until October 2007 when he decided to stand aside and let others take over the running and responsibility for the club. Rogers efforts over the years have really made this club what it is today and without his contribution we would not have the fantastic facility which is now available to members.
Since ‘retirement’ Roger now has more time to fly in his Glasstar aircraft and he still visits the club several times a week to oversee the activities.
GCSFC Life Member – Lloyd Salisbury
Lloyd was granted Honorary Membership in 2011. Lloyd was a foundation Member of the Club and was a very enthusiastic constructor of home built aircraft, both land based, and on water operations.
GCSFC Life Member – Ole Jenson
Ole joined GCSFC in 1993 and served on Committee from 1996. He was also very active in assisting the then Club President, Roger Porter in constructing the clubhouse. Ole was responsible for obtaining the land fill which raised the level of the airfield by about 1 metre.
GCSFC Life Member – Ray Allen
He helped with the construction of the airstrip using his own grader and roller. He widened drains and supplied and spread cracker dust around hangar sites.
GCSFC Life Member – Malcolm and Jan Aldred
Malcolm Aldred joined GCSFC in April 1996 as an Ordinary Member. In 1998 he became Club Secretary for two terms. In the year 2000 he resigned from the Secretary position as he wished to start construction of his own aircraft. Two years later he was appointed Club Magazine Editor. The following year he took on the position of Vice President. He remained in this position until 2008. During this time he was involved in negotiating with the Gold Coast City Council and other Government bodies regarding the permanent establishment of the Airfield. Two years later he was again elected Vice President and continued in that position with the other Committee Members who all remained committed to the task of seeing the Club’s legal situation resolved. He was then elected Club President and retired from the Committee the following year – 2016.
Jan Aldred was asked to be Club Secretary at a meeting at Southport Football Club, in 2003. She accepted this role and enjoyed Club activities. She took a break from this position for around 12 months, and was re-elected at a subsequent meeting and continued in this office for another 8 years, during which she endeavoured to compile a history of the Club from its very beginnings. In co-operation with a previous Treasurer she was able to produce a complete computerised record of Club Membership. As Secretary during the Legal proceedings she was responsible for the communication between the Club and its Legal Counsel and was therefore responsible for every document pertaining to the case and its outcome.
GCSFC Life Member – Mike Smith
From a young age Mike wanted to fly and after gaining his PPL in 1974, he spent 25 years exploring Australia with his wife Priscilla in light aircraft (4-6 seat)
Mike’s association with Heck Field and GCSFC began in 1997 after completed his conversion to an Ultralight Certificate (now known as RAAus). He started in a Thruster, which led to hid first taste of an aeroplane building, restoring a two-seater Thruster. This soon led to building a Jabiru SP Taildragger and the erection of a hangar at Heck Field during 1999 and 2000. This lovely little plane took Mike and Priscilla on many fun and exciting trips, far and wide. In 2011 Mike completed his second Jabiru build, this time a J230, which he still owns on date of publication.
Mike became a great advocate for recreational aviation, serving on the Board of RAAus from 2012 to 2016. Mike then served a sPresident of GCSFC from 2017 to 2021. His priority in his first term was to bring the membership together after a tumultuous few years for the club. Next was the upgrade of the taxiways and runways, which was well underway when he retired due to ill health. He is still passionate about GCSFC and thinks that it is the best club in Queensland. Mike is proud to be a GCSFC life member.