Australian flying April 2026
Australian flying April 2026Training that doesn’t cut corners
Behind an unassuming hangar at Jandakot, Revesco is building pilots the hard way: structured briefs, disciplined procedures and a culture that treats every flight as preparation for the unexpected. Paul Southwick takes a tour.
Approaching the main roundabout at Jandakot Airport in WA, there is a nondescript black hangar with a simple “Revesco” sign. The quiet street frontage gives little away. Behind it sits one of Western Australia’s most capable aviation businesses, offering high-end jet charter, advanced flight training and some seriously impressive simulator assets.
Australian Flying was invited to visit Revesco’s operations at Jandakot and Perth Airport, meet the team, fly the simulators, and conduct an IFR training flight with a senior instructor in one of the company’s Diamond DA42NG aircraft.
Founded in 1996 with a commitment to elevated excellence, Revesco has grown into a preferred operator for international brokerage houses, supporting VIP travel for artists, performers and business leaders, as well as prime ministers, heads of state and other high-net-worth clients. Its premium air charter operation is based at Perth Airport, while training and simulation activity is centred at Jandakot.
Plenty of organisations claim safety is their highest priority. Revesco’s difference is that it feels embedded, not advertised. From the first interaction, and in the quality of the systems and processes, there is a sense that standards are not negotiable. That commitment shows through in fleet presentation, engineering, and pilot checking and training, all with a focus on being prepared for the full range of situations real aviation can produce.
Advanced training
Advanced trainingRevesco specialises in advanced training, including high-fidelity simulator programs across multiple aircraft types. A headline asset is the Boeing 777-200 simulator, used extensively for multi-crew training. Aircraft-based programs also include initial type and class ratings for the Air Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL), Beechcraft King Air B200, Cessna 550/560 single-pilot endorsement, Cessna 550/560 type ratings and Embraer Phenom 100/300 type ratings.
The ATPL course focuses on the competencies required of the pilot-in-command of a multi-crew, multi-engine, turbine aircraft in a CASR Part 135 air transport operation. Once the training is completed, Revesco Aviation conducts the ATPL flight test. The course supports pilots who hold an Australian Part 61 CPL and require an Australian ATPL, as well as overseas ATPL holders converting to an Australian licence. Preparation and flight test are conducted in a Beechcraft King Air B200/BE350 Level D full flight simulator.
Two pilots are scheduled per course, with three entry levels depending on experience: those without a B200 class rating or BE350 type rating; those holding the rating but without Collins Pro Line 21 experience; and those with the rating and Pro Line 21 experience.
Revesco’s private jet fleet operates 24/7 for corporate and private charter, supporting everything from short, domestic trips to long-haul, international flights, including remote airfields where required. Operated aircraft include the Gulfstream IV SP, Cessna Citation Ultra, and Embraer Phenom 300 and 300E.
Let’s go flying!
Our plan for the day was straightforward: a flight in Revesco’s Diamond DA42NG, VH-XHN, followed by simulator sessions across multiple aircraft types. Guide and instructor was Grade 1 instructor and CASA testing officer, Hubert Novak.
A week earlier, Hubert had sent the aircraft checklist. I reviewed it carefully, then on the day we discussed several DA42NG-specific safety and performance considerations ahead of our IFR return flight from Jandakot (YPJT) to Bunbury (YBUN).
Up close, the DA42NG is clearly not a legacy twin. It feels like a modern answer to the twin trainer or efficient private tourer, with smooth aerodynamics, winglets and retractable gear. Power comes from Jet A1-burning diesel engines producing 168 hp each, with single-lever FADEC control driving three-bladed, auto-feathering propellers. Gull-wing doors provide access to both the front and rear seats.
While there is no dedicated baggage bay, the space behind the rear seats is surprisingly practical. XHN is fitted with flight into known icing (FIKI), air conditioning, sheepskin seat covers, and the Garmin G1000 suite with integrated GFC 700 autopilot.
Hubert had already completed the preflight, but we ran through it again so I could experience the aircraft’s systems and layout. There were two drains under each engine cowling and one under each wing. Oil checks were easy, accessed via small doors on each engine, without the need for ladders or climbing across wings.
Once the avionics were powered up, I checked lights and pitot heat, loaded the flight plan and mounted my iPad to the windscreen. The forecast was overcast from 4,000 ft with a freezing level around 10,000 ft, and our planned level at 7,000 ft. With checklist use, the engines started instantly. After ATIS, we called Perth Centre for clearance and taxied for runway 06L (1,392 m), completing run-ups on the way.
Despite plenty of IFR experience, including at Jandakot, Hubert corrected one element of my pre-take-off briefing. I had been too brief in running through the ISPET One departure plate. He walked me through additional “what if” considerations I would not normally have included. It was a strong reminder that the best instructors add depth and judgement, not just procedures.
Hubert had warned that a surprising amount of right rudder would be required on take-off roll despite the aircraft being a twin. He was right, but it was easily managed. Power was strong with 336 hp total and two onboard. Rotation at 76 knots came quickly, then the 85-knot blue line, gear up and climbing.
At 600 ft I checked clear right, middle and left, then banked left to intercept the ISPET track.
Plenty of organisations claim safety is their highest priority. Revesco's difference is that it feels embedded, not advertised.
Even after reducing to maximum continuous (92%) and climbing at Vy (90 knots), performance was excellent, around 1,250 fpm in line with the POH. ATC identified us and progressively stepped us up. I was levelling at 7,000 ft only minutes after lift-off, having climbed through cloud without turbulence or icing.
Cruise was more than 160 knots on 75% power. Conditions were benign, with occasional cloud and precipitation, and little traffic.
The Garmin autopilot flew the RNP to runway 25 at Bunbury seamlessly. Just before minima, I powered up and flew the missed approach, tracking to UY2ET and remaining below 1,400 ft enroute to UY2EH to meet chart restrictions and avoid conflicts with traffic on the nearby Busselton instrument approaches.
Once clear, we advised Perth Centre “air work complete” and climbed to 6,000 ft for the return. Near Jandakot we downgraded to VFR, squawked 3000 for Class D, and joined via Boat Yard and Adventure World.
Adventure World sits near Bibra Lake, which is easy to spot in winter when full, and strikingly empty in summer. Jandakot itself is readily sighted from Boat Yard, with the runway layout becoming clear by Adventure World. To separate us from circuit and departure traffic, we were instructed to remain at 1,500 ft and join upwind for runway 06L. Just before crossing upwind we were cleared for the visual approach.
Downwind, gear down and first stage of flap required a significant power reduction to stabilise around 100 knots. Pre-landing checks complete, I turned final and brought the speed back to 90 knots. Full flap on, gear confirmed down.
Landing was a lesson in Diamond technique. Hubert’s instruction was simple: “At 85 knots, hold the attitude. Fly level in ground effect, then ease off the power. Do not flare.” It was tempting to flare, but I resisted. The trailing-link gear settled more softly than expected.
From start-up to shut-down was 2.1 hours, with 1.4 hours airborne. In that time the DA42NG used just 46.8 litres of Jet A1, confirming why the aircraft has a reputation as an economical, high-performance twin.
Sim sessions
Revesco’s simulator capability is not a marketing add-on, it is a core part of how the organisation trains, checks and standardises pilots across a range of aircraft types and operating environments.
I completed four simulator sessions during the visit: one with Hubert Novak in the DA42NG device, followed by sessions in the DA42NG, King Air and Boeing 777 simulators with senior instructor, John Goldsmith. The common thread across all of them was structure. Each session had clear objectives, and every sequence was designed to build competence and confidence in a way that is difficult to achieve efficiently in an aircraft.
The DA42NG simulator is built into the fuselage of an actual aircraft airframe, with cockpit layout and switch placement matching the aircraft. That level of fidelity matters when a simulator is used for conversion training, emergency procedures and currency, because there is no mental translation required between “sim world” and cockpit reality.
With Hubert, the focus was engine failure handling and single-engine procedures. The Diamond twins have a reputation for being well behaved following an engine failure, helped by auto-feathering, but the lesson was still clear: even in a docile platform, maintaining control, managing drag and staying ahead of the aircraft requires discipline and technique. Once stable, the autopilot can be brought into the workload management picture, exactly as it would be in aircraft.
In a second session with Goldsmith, I flew take-offs and several ILS approaches into Essendon (YMEN), observing that the approach fix “Monty” has now been renamed “Mosvo”. The simulator’s value in this context is efficiency: it allows instrument sequences to be repeated in quick succession, with instructor feedback immediately applied and re-tested.
The Boeing 777 simulator is in a different category again. The first impression is the sheer scale of the cockpit, the systems and the workload. It is easy to understand why structured simulator exposure is recommended for pilots preparing for airline selection.
Flying with a senior instructor is a bit like getting a fresh pre-flight of your own habits.
Jet centre visit
Revesco’s jet charter centre, or fixed base operator (FBO), is located near the international terminal at Perth Airport. With privacy a core requirement for many of its clients, security is layered. Entry begins with an intercom gate to access the car park, followed by a second controlled gate and then secure building access. Guests can enter through the main door, or vehicles can be driven directly into the hangar through a roller door.
That hangar entry allows high-profile passengers to arrive and depart without being exposed to crowds, photographers or unwanted attention.
As a far less glamorous visitor, I entered via reception and was met by a friendly, professional host who signed me in using a digital system that captured a photograph and generated a printed label. I was offered refreshments in the executive lounge while waiting for Peter Hillier, CEO and Head of Check and Training. Hillier has around 22,000 hours, including extensive multi-engine and turbine time. “I must satisfactorily complete 13 check rides per annum to stay current in all the types I fly,” he said.
From the boardroom, looking down into the hangar, the jets initially appeared small. Then perspective snapped back: one of them was a Gulfstream IV. The hangar is enormous, with a tarmac-facing front door built using a specialist light-transmitting material to reduce electricity demand, reportedly worth more than a million dollars.
Each jet had its own story, owner and operating arrangement. Some aircraft are privately owned and flown by their owners. Others are flown professionally by Revesco crews, complete with catering and, where required, a flight attendant. There is also an aircraft operated for the state government, which unsurprisingly sees regular use across a state the size of Western Australia.
The variety of aircraft and approvals allows Revesco to undertake diverse work, including special cargo such as transplant organs, and operations at all hours. “It can be quiet, and then suddenly everyone wants to arrive or depart at the same time, especially around major events,” Hillier said.
In the hangar were the specialised tools that keep high-end operations turning: electric tugs, medivac equipment, catering and cleaning systems, and a range of operational support gear.
summary
Revesco stands out for the breadth of services under one roof, and the experience and discipline of its teams. For pilots seeking advanced training, whether IFR, instructor development, multi-engine, turbine or ATPL, the depth of expertise and quality of equipment makes Revesco a compelling option. For VIP charter clients, it offers a discreet, capable operation backed by serious professionalism.
3 training takeaways
3 training takeawaysfrom Hubert Novak
Flying with a senior instructor is a bit like getting a fresh pre-flight of your own habits. You may think you are sharp, current and methodical, then someone quietly points out a gap you did not realise you were leaving. During our IFR training flight in Revesco’s Diamond DA42NG, Grade 1 instructor and CASA testing officer Hubert Novak did exactly that. The feedback was delivered calmly, practically, and with the steady confidence of someone who has seen a lot of pilots under pressure.
My Three takeaways.
1. Don’t Rush The Plate
I have flown IFR for years, including at Jandakot, and yet Hubert still caught me trimming the edges off my departure briefing. I ran through the ISPET One quickly and assumed that was enough. Hubert pushed it further: what are the threats? what is the plan if something changes? what matters most in the first minute after lift-off?
It was not about sounding impressive. It was about reducing surprise. A good briefing is not a recitation of the chart, it is an insurance policy against workload.
2. Be Disciplined With Sequences
Familiarity can be dangerous because it makes shortcuts feel justified. Hubert’s coaching reinforced a simple idea: systems and structure matter most when you least feel like you need them.
That means sticking to checklists properly, maintaining a consistent flow, and keeping cockpit priorities straight. In an aircraft as capable as the DA42NG, it is easy to be lulled into a sense that the avionics will tidy up for you. They will, but only if you have set the aircraft up correctly in the first place.
3. Training Is Preparation, Not Performance
The strongest impression from the day was that Revesco’s training culture rewards judgement over bravado. Hubert made it clear that the goal was not to “fly beautifully”, but to fly correctly and predictably, with enough spare mental capacity to manage the unexpected.
That mindset is what separates pilots who merely pass checks from pilots who are genuinely prepared. It also explains why Revesco’s safety culture feels real. It is built into the coaching, the standards and the small corrections, long before anything becomes an emergency.
In the end, the best training isn’t about being clever.
