Retropilot

This positive attitude is apparent through Retropilot’s five-year journey, from when Tockuss initially started designing retro-art aviation posters for Air Force colleagues. After several years of growth, in 2019 things became turbulent with a bankrupt supplier. Retropilot chose to go with a new supplier that was significantly more expensive and that “turned out to be a terrible decision, and sales slumped completely”. Tockuss confesses that he hadn’t researched the market well, and there was a period where he thought about giving up completely. On a whim and in trying something new, he gave away 50 stickers of Retropilot’s logo on Facebook to try and spur some interest. They disappeared in about 10 minutes. Intrigued by how quickly they were snapped up, this puzzle sparked Tockuss’ creativity. In late 2019, Tockuss designed fi ve retro sticker designs, with a minimum quantity of 50 packs before he would proceed with producing them, and these were funded within 30 minutes. 

Now, since embarking in designing and selling stickers, Retropilot has sold over 13,000 stickers in 30 different countries – from Australia, right across the US, and exotic locations like Antarctic research stations, the Himalayas, and Kazakhstan. With the recent bushfires devastating Australia, Tockuss designed and rushed a fundraising sticker set – the Firefighting Pack – that raised over $11,500 in donated profits to the NSW Rural Fire Service. 

While the golden era of aviation may be decades behind us, Tockuss uses Google and Pinterest for inspiration and ideas in the retro advertisements of a bygone era. Having earned his Globemaster captaincy in 2018, the demands of a military aviator are significant, particularly one with a family. Tockuss’ creative process involves setting a strict schedule with “allocated times for business and girlfriend”, typically before first- and after last-light crafting new designs and promoting artwork online. Passionate about his design work and growing business, Tockuss’ advice to other entrepreneurs is that given how easy it is to become consumed by your business, because it is natural to be passionate about it, setting boundaries is important to ensure sanity. 

With newfound energy, Retropilot’s goal is to do one new pack of designs at least every two months, if not once a month. The social and online hype surrounding new designs not only helps grow the business, but it keeps Tockuss, as designer and director, motivated and enthused. Future Retropilot concepts include glow in the dark stickers, holographics, limited edition collector packs, and car decals. Tockuss is focused on “building a strong avgeek family”, where, with just over four years of service remaining with the Air Force, he is focused on using that time to make Retropilot his transitional primary source of income. Not bad for a side hustle. 

‘Given how easy it is to become consumed by your business, because it is natural to be passionate about it, setting boundaries is important to ensure sanity’

Last year, FLTLT Tockuss transitioned into a ground posting at 36 Squadron. While the first three months were a nice break from the high tempo and unpredictability of a flying role, for a pilot in love with flying, Tockuss misses flying the Globemaster. Tockuss describes life as an Air Force pilot as having the same conditions as any other job in terms of experiencing frustrations and disappointment, and highs and lows. The difference, however, is while the ‘lows’ match other jobs, the ‘highs’ are so much higher; with incredible opportunities and responsibilities that are quite rare in other jobs. 

To better understand life as a military pilot, Tockuss helpfully shares flying experiences, both his own and those of other RAAF aviators, through Retropilot’s online blog. Alongside Retropilot’s 30-plus aircraft sticker art, these stories are enjoyable and informative and highlight that rare fusion of Tockuss’ technical skill as a pilot, with his creativity as an artist; expressed through the eyes of a passionate aviator.