Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon, GCB, CBE
President
Sir Michael flew Lightnings in the 1960s, served at HQ AFCENT as PSO to the DCINC, in Joint Warfare at MOD in the 1970s, became OC 11 Squadron at RAF Binbrook then military advisor to the Chief of the Defence Staff in 1979. As a Group Captain, he became Station Commander at RAF Leuchars in 1981 and at RAF Stanley in the Falkland Islands in 1983. Promoted to Air Commodore in 1984 he became Senior Air Staff Officer at Headquarters No. 11 Group at RAF Bentley Priory in 1985; he took up post as Assistant Chief of Staff at the Policy Division at Headquarters SHAPE in 1986 on promotion to Air Vice- Marshal. In 1989 he was appointed Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief at RAF Support Command and was in post during the Gulf War. He became AOC-in-C Strike Command in 1991 overseeing major change in the RAF post Cold War. He was Chief of the Air Staff from 1992 to 1997 in which role he advised the British Government on the implementation of "No Fly Zones" in Iraq and Bosnia and implemented the Front Line First initiative which contributed to reducing the RAF manpower from around 89,000 to around 57,000 . He retired in 1997.
Air Marshal Sir Christopher Coville, KCB FRAeS
Chairman of the Executive Committee
Sir Christopher joined the RAF in 1964, at the height of the Cold War. Early in his career he flew Lightnings and F4 Phantoms. He assumed command of No. 111 (Fighter) Squadron in 1983 and then became Group Captain Air at Headquarters No. 11 Group. In 1986 he became Station Commander at RAF Coningsby, where he flew Tornado F3 and displayed Hurricanes and Spitfires on the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. Promoted to Air Vice Marshal, he became Air Officer Commanding Training Units in 1992, Assistant Chief of Defence Staff Operational Requirements (Air Systems) in 1994 and Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces Central Europe in 1998. In 2000, his NATO command was absorbed into the Regional Headquarters Allied Forces North Europe of which Sir Chris became the Deputy Commander-in-Chief. In March 2001 he became the Air Member for Personnel and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command. He retired in 2003.
Air Commodore Andrew ‘Chas’ Dickens OBE ADC MA FCMI RAF
Commandant RAF College Cranwell
Air Commodore Dickens was appointed Commandant RAF College Cranwell in November 2021. He is tasked to inspire, attract, train and develop the Next Generation Royal Air Force. He is the RAF Phase 1 Force Commander, Air Officer Lincolnshire, Head of the University Air Squadron Organisation and Chair of the Astra Trust.
Commissioned aged 18 as a Direct Entrant Pilot in November 1990, he completed flying training on the Chipmunk, Jet Provost Mk 3&5 and the Hawk before being posted to the Tornado F3 OCU in 1995. Staff appointments have included the Ministry of Defence Saudi Arabia Project, Air Capability, Joint Services Command & Staff College and twice within the Air & Space Warfare Centre. Operational appointments have included Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan as Chief of Staff (Operations) at 904 Expeditionary Air Wing and RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus as Commanding Officer 903 Expeditionary Air Wing on Operation SHADER.
Away from work, Air Commodore Dickens is married and has a teenage son. In his spare time, he enjoys keeping fit with cycling and flying Air Cadets with Number 7 Air Experience Flight when time and the weather permits.
List of Trustees
PRESIDENT
Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon GCB CBE
CHAIRMAN
Air Marshal Sir Christopher Coville KCB
Air Vice Marshal Gavin Mackay CB, OBE, AFC
Air Vice Marshal canon Paul Robinson OBE
Philip Bright ( Reunion / Comms )
Michael Horton ( Marketing )
Keith Mans ( Secretary )
Christopher Meynell ( Membership Sec )
Richard Taplin OBE ( Treasurer )
Charitable Objects
To promote the efficiency of the Royal Air Force by: -
Fostering esprit de corps and comradeship among serving and retired officers
Providing facilities and activities to foster and maintain links between youth organisations, officer cadets and officers
Advancing the education and understanding of the general public and serving / retired officers in the fields of leadership and air power
Preserving the ethos and heritage of the Royal Air Force and the Royal Air Force College in particular.