What would you do if you saw somebody drop a wallet in the street? What about if they left a suitcase full of cash on a train? What would you do if you were offered $1000 knowing that the life, business, and family of an individual that isn't known to you would fall apart? More important, what would you do if you registered a domain name through a drop site that was central to the life of somebody, and then kept it knowing it'd cause irreparable and ongoing business and personal damage to that person?
I made the critical mistake of trusting GoDaddy with the automatic renewal of my FlightTraining.com.au domain name - a name that I've licenced for nearly three decades, and one that is intimately connected with every aspect of my life. It is my business identify as a Flight Instructor, and the email component especially is connected with the most crucial and private aspects of my life. It was let go in error by GoDaddy (more on this shortly), picked up by a drop site, and registered by Brisbane-based Katie Elizabeth Mathew, somebody that is seemingly most connected to aviation through the private hire of a Cherokee registered VH-UQJ.
Update, 2nd April 2026: A quick update. Thanks to all those that have contacted me. No, I haven't heard back from Katie, and yes, I've started with the necessary legal action to recover the domain. The damage done is catastrophic. Hopefully, the most current legal action to mute the domain is successful - redirecting the site to something not affiliated with me is leveraging my market position, and capitalising on that is a problem (and for those contacting me, no - I don't have anything to do with the Cherokee. On a more postive note, I was contacted by a gentleman that offered a similar domain. Even though it doesn't address my problems, it was an act of kindness in contrast to 'others'. He's a good kid just starting out in the industry, so I've managed to place him as an FO on a Brisbane-based business jet starting immediately. Thanks, Robert.
Update, 8th April 2026: GoDaddy have provided me with information that I can present to the auDRP - an arbitration group that accepts registrar error as cause for licence transfer (this comes from the regulator and an arbitrator that was kind enough to give me his time). Sadly, we've had to cease our Flight Training operations until this situation is resolved. Katie is still yet to contact us. FYI, Katie Elixabeth Smith was entitled to register the dropped domain, but the circumstances that the domain was registered will have it assigned back to us... but it'll take time. If Katie contacts me, I'll give her an aviation domain that is worth 50X more to her, but not contacting me when she understands the distress it has caused to me and others is unconscionable. Honestly, I can't wrap my head around how somebody can sit on something that can be easily resolved. While she's not interested in a carerr in aviation (at least this is what I'm told), I've added her to the industry DNH Database - only the second time I've done so. I have a few more legal calls this week and I'll leave it in the hands of the lawyers. In the meantime, if Katie wants to call me (she has my number), I'll ensure that she's duly compensated with a valuable global replacement. All search listings were removed, all backlinks were removed, and the hosting server is listed in a malware database as a result of potential malfeasance. Last thing: I'm aware that the redirected website is illegal, but again, I have no connection whatsoever with the service and absolutely don't endorse any service that may be provided.
Update, 11th April 2026: GoDaddy have provided me with additional information that I can present to auDA or the auDRP, with a full report forthcoming. General email attached here 
where GoDaddy admit liability (I had issues last year that they assured me were resolved, but all it did was screw up my reporting). Not only did they not renew the domain (despite CP indications suggesting otherwise), but the information presented in my Control Panel was in error. A Saturday call to my lawyers has indicated that the registrar error is a clear and certain method of domain recovery. Despite that, and to save time (and my Flight Training business), if Katie chooses to do the right thing and call me by tonight, I'll happily transfer ownership of flight.org to her - an extremely valuable domain name that I no longer use. While flight.org is valuable, it's 'expedience compensation', because operating without my business will cost me more.
First, I received an email on the 25th of March from OzRegistry (part of the DropCatcher service) stating that "[I] have until 12:50 (AEST) on 26/03/2026 to recover your domain flighttraining.com.au. If you wish to recover your domain and ensure it instantly points back to your correct nameservers and hosting/email provider, you need to act immediately". The cost to me was about $125 - money paid into a deceptive void. DropCatcher are seemingly a legitimate business with a legitimate consumer-facing presence, so I assumed - on the basis of their "recover your domain and ensure it instantly points back to your correct nameservers" blurb - that they had the domain and provided a recovery service. I assume a massive portion of their business model relies on erroneously indicating that they provide a service that doesn't exist (customer service is crap - it was days between support replies).
The domain was picked up by Drop.com.au and then sold to Katie Elizabeth Mathew (through Avionics Australia Pty Limited - a whole other story). She now points the domain to a page promoting the private hire of an aircraft.
What didn't I renew the domain? It was on auto renew, and the service didn't stop working at any point. I've had issues with GoDaddy in the past, and this is just part of that. I hadn't logged in to the dashboard, and it was dropped without notice. It's a genuine registrar error. They're slow to acknowledge their fault because it leaves them liable to litigation (as explained to me on the phone), but I fully expect to come to some arrangement where the error is acknowledged in order to support my AuDA application... but it'll take some time.' I've criticized my own clients for this type of oversight, and now I know how easily it can happen. Auto-renew means nothing!
The domainer market is populated with charlatans and opportunists, and when a domain is genuinely dropped and released to market, there's a clear market for this kind of thing, but the protection offered to those in my case is limited. Certainly, the behaviour of individuals once they pick up a domain defines their character - the integrity and character of an individual is exposed in those situations that are similar to mine. I've emailed Katie Elizabeth Mathew, sent her texts, and tried to call. Again, she's probably just happy she's registered a domain that might have value, while that same action has completed decimated by business and personal life. That example about leaving a briefcase on a train... this is the real-world equivalent of throwing a jacked over the top, jumping off at the next stop, and running away as fast as you can.
I've picked up domains in the past for various online ideas, and when my ownership was challenged (one last year was dropped in the same way in error), I relinquished that domain immediately - no real loss to me, and I'm not about to impact the life of somebody for selfish reasons. Why? It's the honest and right thing to do.
There does need to be more protections in place to prevent this kind of thing. Phone numbers, for example, are archived for 6-months before they're released back to market, but the entire domain process is quick, and if vigilance isn't applied, your business and life can fall apart in days.
There are issues of concern. When I was on the phone with a bank to alter my email, they advised a password reset had been made only minutes earlier - an action I reported to police... and one that illustrates how damaging the loss of a domain can be, and how the process can expose you to fraud, theft, and other nefarious acts (Katie Elizabeth Mathew now has access to my social media accounts as well, which is a concern).
For Katie Elizabeth Mathew, this domain is seemingly a nice 'generic' domain that might have some value to her, and it has no value to her life whatsoever - it was picked up for the potential opportunity a reasonably generic domain name provides. For me, it represents three decades of business operation and client trust gone, and despite the fact there's no trademark listed, the domain, email service, and the presence it provides represents my single identify to hundreds or thousands of people in my industry... and the email itself is akin to my digital ID as its connected to dozens of services (most of which I now can't access). It's more than an email. To sound corny: it is my genuine digital ID - it was my personal email service for three full decades.
In these cases, it's not acceptable to say that "this is how the system works", or "they should have known better". Human decency, professional courtesy, and that innate humanity that makes us help other people should be the moral and ethical compass upon which we rely.
AuDA makes it clear that " ... you as an individual, business, or other organisation) have been commonly known by the domain name, even if you have acquired no trademark or service mark rights...", and this was a claim my solicitor presented in an application to the courts... but this takes time. Consumer and other legislation trumps AuDA policy, and my lawyer is confident that the case is rock-solid.
Katie, if you're reading this, please call me on 0400 777 300. This will destroy me personally and professionally. I respectfully ask you do something that is often contrary to typical attitude of domain opportunists, and I ask that you reverse the sale and transfer back to me. ironically, my support of your operation would be seriously beneficial. I'd prefer to avoid what will be very costly legal fees. If you are to call, I'm in a position to provide significant exposure to your operation.
This page will rank with significant authority for Brisbane-based Katie Elizabeth Mathew, so if you're doing business with her, I think it's important to understand who you're doing business with. This sort of thing doesn't just expose character - it reveals it. I'll remove the article if the matter is resolved.
Note: To all those trying to reach me, I've sent out another email to all the emails I could find, but please don't email my other address. I've spent days trying to notify dozens and dozens of services of a temporarily email... but I know that there's hundreds I've missed.
