Tim Anderson (RAF officer)

Last updated

Sir Tim Anderson
Nickname(s)Timo
Born (1957-02-02) 2 February 1957 (age 67)
Belfast, Northern Ireland
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Air Force
Years of service1979–2013
Rank Air marshal
Commands Military Aviation Authority (2010–13)
Air Warfare Centre (2005–07)
RAF Brüggen (2000–03)
No. 14 Squadron RAF (1999–00)
Battles/wars Operation Allied Force
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order

Air Marshal Sir Timothy Michael Anderson, KCB , DSO (born 2 February 1957) [1] is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) officer. He served as the inaugural Director-General of the UK Military Aviation Authority (MAA) from 2010 to 2013. The MAA was established in response to the Haddon-Cave Review into the issues surrounding the loss of an RAF Nimrod over Afghanistan in September 2006. Earlier in his career, Anderson was a fast jet pilot, primarily flying the Tornado ground attack aircraft, and as Officer Commanding No. 14 Squadron led the United Kingdom's Tornado commitment to Operation Allied Force, the NATO air campaign over Kosovo in 1999, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. [2] He is currently Chairman of the UK Airspace Change Organising Group Steering Committee, overseeing a national infrastructure programme on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport and the UK Civil Aviation Authority. [3]

Contents

Service career

Anderson was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and was educated at the Belfast Royal Academy and King's College London (MA). He was commissioned as an acting pilot officer in July 1979, [4] being regraded to pilot officer in July 1980 following Initial Officer Training, [5] and then promoted to flying officer in July 1981. [6] He began his operational flying career in 1983 on the Tornado GR1 ground attack aircraft and served successively on front-line squadrons, including an exchange tour with the Royal Australian Air Force flying the F-111 Aardvark, and operational deployments to the Middle East; [7] being promoted to flight lieutenant in July 1984, [8] and squadron leader in July 1989. [9]

In January 1997 Anderson was promoted to wing commander and, [10] in 1999, as Officer Commanding No. 14 Squadron, Anderson led the RAF Tornado GR1 Force commitment to the NATO Operation Allied Force over Kosovo and the former Republic of Yugoslavia, [7] for which he was admitted to the Distinguished Service Order. [11] Promotion to group captain in July 2000 [12] was accompanied by appointment as the Station Commander of RAF Brüggen in Germany, the largest Tornado base in NATO, in which role he oversaw the closure of the RAF's last overseas Main Operating Base and the return of its personnel and equipment to the United Kingdom. [7]

In September 2003 Anderson was appointed as Head of Deep Theatre Attack Capability, a 1-star appointment at the Ministry of Defence responsible for the UK's F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft acquisition programme, [7] his substantive promotion to air commodore following in July of the following year. [13] After the Higher Command and Staff Course in 2005, he was appointed Commandant of the UK Air Warfare Centre (and Assistant Chief of Staff – Intelligence at Strike Command) in August of that year. [7] In March 2007 Anderson was promoted to air vice-marshal, [14] [15] moving to the Ministry of Defence as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff. [16] In the 2009 Birthday Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath and, [17] in 2010, was the recipient of the Curtis Sword, awarded by Aviation Week and Space Technology for leadership and cooperation in transatlantic relations. [7]

Anderson was promoted to air marshal in April 2010, his initially announced appointment being as Deputy Commander-in-Chief (Operations) at Air Command. [18] However, this appointment was subsequently cancelled in order for him to be appointed the first Director-General of the new Military Aviation Authority, [19] the world's first independent, fully integrated organisation, responsible for regulating and assuring operational and technical air safety within the UK military. [7]

Anderson was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2013 New Year Honours. [20]

Commercial career

After leaving the RAF, Anderson established a strategic leadership and business consultancy working with a number of blue-chip international clients in Europe, the Middle East and the US. [21] In May 2014, Anderson was appointed to the board of Flybe, Europe's largest regional airline, as a non-executive director and chairman of the company's Safety and Security Review Board. [22] In June 2018, Anderson stepped down from the Flybe board in order to assume the executive role of Chief Operating Officer with responsibility for running the airline operation, the training academy and overseeing maintenance support whilst the company was prepared for sale. [23] Following the successful sale of the company to Connect Airways in February 2018, Anderson resigned from the Flybe group in September 2019 in order to take up the role of Chairman of the Department for Transport and CAA-sponsored Airspace Change Organising Group Steering Committee. The ACOG is responsible for coordinating a £150M national infrastructure programme to redesign the UK's national airspace structures, involving all major UK airports and hundreds of Airspace Change Proposals over a 10-year period. Anderson is currently also a strategic adviser to National Air Traffic Services. [3] He is a member of the advisory board for ZeroAvia, a US/UK company developing the world's first practical zero emission aviation powertrain, and chairs ZeroAvia's Safety and Security Review Board. [24]

Personal

Anderson is an ex-President of the Royal Air Force Rugby Union and Hon. President of the Northern Ireland Wing of the Air Training Corps. He is a Vice Patron of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust [25] and Honorary Air Commodore of No 622 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force. In 2013 he was appointed a life Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society [7] and in July 2016 was made a Doctor of Science (h.c) by Cranfield University in recognition of his contribution to the Defence and Security sector. [26]  

Anderson is married with two adult daughters. His interests include cycling, beekeeping, motor racing, leisure flying and cooking. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Harding (RAF officer, born 1933)</span> Marshal of the Royal Air Force (1933–2021)

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Peter Robin Harding, was a Royal Air Force officer who served as a bomber pilot in the 1950s, a helicopter squadron commander in the 1960s and a station commander in the 1970s. He became Chief of the Air Staff in 1988 and served in that role during the Gulf War in 1991. He became Chief of the Defence Staff in December 1992 but resigned after his affair with Lady (Bienvenida) Buck, the wife of Conservative MP Antony Buck, became public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Beetham</span> Marshal of the Royal Air Force (1923-2015)

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael James Beetham, was a Second World War bomber pilot and a high-ranking commander in the Royal Air Force from the 1960s to the 1980s. As Chief of the Air Staff during the Falklands War, he was involved in the decision to send the Task Force to the South Atlantic. At the time of his death, Beetham was one of only six people holding his service's most senior rank and, excluding Prince Philip's honorary rank, he had the longest time in that rank, making him the senior Marshal of the Royal Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glenn Torpy</span> Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal (born 1953)

Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Lester Torpy, is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) commander. He was a fast jet pilot in the late 1970s and 1980s, saw active service during the Gulf War and then went on to higher command. He was the air component commander on Operation Telic and served as Chief of the Air Staff, the professional head of the RAF, from 2006 to 2009. In that role Torpy hosted the RAF's biggest air display in two decades, and argued for consolidation of all British air power in the hands of the RAF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Craig, Baron Craig of Radley</span> British air marshal (born 1929)

Marshal of the Royal Air Force David Brownrigg Craig, Baron Craig of Radley, is a retired Royal Air Force officer and member of the House of Lords. He was a fast jet pilot in the 1950s, a squadron commander in the 1960s and a station commander in the 1970s. He served as Chief of the Air Staff during the late 1980s, when the Boeing Airborne early warning and control system was ordered and the European Fighter programme was being developed. He then served as Chief of the Defence Staff during the Gulf War. He was granted a life peerage as Baron Craig of Radley after his retirement from active service in 1991, sitting as a crossbencher. As of 2024, he is the last living officer in the British Armed Forces to have held a five-star rank whilst on active service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Elworthy, Baron Elworthy</span>

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Samuel Charles Elworthy, Baron Elworthy, was a New Zealand-born senior officer in the Royal Air Force. He served as commander of a squadron of Blenheim bombers and then as a station commander during the Second World War. He became Chief of the Air Staff in the mid-1960s and implemented the cancellation of the TSR-2 strike aircraft and the HS681 military transport aircraft programmes. He also became Chief of the Defence Staff in which role he oversaw the evacuation from Aden in November 1967 and had to respond to the growing crisis in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Grandy</span> Marshal of the Royal Air Force (1913–2004)

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Grandy, was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. He was the only officer who fought and commanded a squadron during the Battle of Britain to reach the post of Chief of the Air Staff. In the latter role he implemented the final stages of the RAF's withdrawal from the Persian Gulf and the Far East, oversaw the ordering and subsequent cancellation of the F-111 strike aircraft and handed over Britain's nuclear deterrent role to the Royal Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Garwood</span>

Air Marshal Sir Richard Frank Garwood, is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Bryant (RAF officer)</span> British Royal Air Force air marshal

Air Chief Marshal Sir Simon Bryant, is a former Royal Air Force officer, who served as Commander-in-Chief of Air Command, and he was the second-most senior officer in the service until this post was dis-established in March 2012. He was appointed in 2010, following the sudden death of the then Commander-in-Chief, Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Moran, having served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief Personnel for just over a year. He was knighted in the 2011 New Year Honours List.

Air Marshal Sir Kenneth Charles Michael Giddings, was a senior Royal Air Force officer who served as a fighter pilot during the Second World War. After retiring from the military, he became an independent panel inspector with the Department of Environment and chaired a number of inquiries concerning motorway expansion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Hillier</span>

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen John Hillier, is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer, who served as Chief of the Air Staff from 2016 to 2019. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for actions in the Gulf in 1999 and was awarded the United States Bronze Star Medal for service in the Iraq War. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding No. 2 Group, Director Information Superiority at the Ministry of Defence, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Capability) and finally Chief of the Air Staff from July 2016. He was appointed chair of the Civil Aviation Authority in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Bagwell</span> Royal Air Force Air Marshal (born 1961)

Air Marshal Gregory Jack Bagwell, is a retired senior Royal Air Force (RAF) commander who served as Deputy Commander (Operations) at RAF Air Command.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Knighton</span> Royal Air Force officer and professional head, and aerospace engineer

Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard John Knighton, is a senior Royal Air Force (RAF) officer and professional engineer, currently serving as Chief of the Air Staff, the professional head of the RAF, since 2 June 2023. He previously served as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff from January 2015 to January 2017, Deputy Chief of Defence Staff at the Ministry of Defence, and as Deputy Commander Capability at RAF Air Command. Knighton is notable for being the first Chief of the Air Staff who is not a military pilot or indeed aircrew-qualified.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Wigston</span> British air marshal

Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Wigston, is a former senior officer in the Royal Air Force, who served as Chief of the Air Staff from 26 July 2019 until 2 June 2023. He previously served as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff from 2017 to 2018, and Deputy Commander (Personnel) and Air Member for Personnel and Capability from 2018 to 2019.

At the end of the Cold War in 1989, the Royal Air Force (RAF) structure was as follows:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philip Robinson (RAF officer)</span> Royal Air Force Air Vice-Marshal

Air Vice-Marshal Philip Jeremy Robinson, is a decorated British pilot and senior Royal Air Force officer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harvey Smyth</span> Northern Irish Royal Air Force officer

Air Marshal Harvey Smyth, is a senior Northern Irish Royal Air Force officer, who has been the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff since March 2024. Previously, he served as Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group (2018–2020) and Air and Space Commander (2022–2024). Between February 2020 and August 2022, he took up the new post of Director Space, in the Ministry of Defence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Sampson</span> Senior Royal Air Force Officer

Air Marshal Martin Elliot Sampson, is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer, last serving as UK Defence Senior Advisor to the Middle East and North Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Shell</span>

Air Marshal Stephen Jeffrey Shell, is a senior Royal Air Force officer. He has served as director general of the Defence Safety Authority (DSA) since January 2022. He had served as director of the Military Aviation Authority from 2018 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Lloyd (RAF officer)</span> Royal Air Force officer

Air Marshal Paul Harron Lloyd is a senior Royal Air Force officer. He currently serves as Deputy Chief of the Air Staff and Air Member for Personnel.

References

  1. ↑ 'ANDERSON, Air Marshal Timothy Michael', Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2012; online edn, Nov 2012 accessed 26 April 2013
  2. ↑ "UK | Queen honours brave pilots". BBC News. 29 February 2000. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  3. 1 2 "High flyer takes on the challenge of transforming our skies – NATS". Nats.aero. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  4. ↑ "No. 47943". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 September 1979. p. 11222.
  5. ↑ "No. 48337". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 October 1980. p. 14271.
  6. ↑ "No. 48683". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 July 1981. p. 9596.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "MAA Director-General" (PDF). Military Aviation Authority. Retrieved 29 September 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. ↑ "No. 49828". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 August 1984. p. 10748.
  9. ↑ "No. 51799". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 July 1989. pp. 7803–7804.
  10. ↑ "No. 54642". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 January 1997. p. 217.
  11. ↑ "No. 55651". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 October 1999. p. 11556.
  12. ↑ "No. 55901". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 July 2000. p. 7250.
  13. ↑ "No. 57345". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 July 2004. p. 8396.
  14. ↑ "No. 58326". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 May 2007. p. 6985.
  15. ↑ "No. 58369". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 June 2007. p. 8769.
  16. ↑ "Air Rank Appointments List 07/06, 21 August 2006". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  17. ↑ "No. 59090". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 June 2009. p. 2.
  18. ↑ "Air Rank Appointments List 08/09, 27 October 2009". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  19. ↑ "Air Rank Appointments List 01/10, 4 March 2010". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  20. ↑ "No. 60367". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 2012. p. 2.
  21. ↑ "ACOBA recommendation: Air Marshall Sir Timothy Anderson, Director General of Military Aviation Authority, Ministry of Defence". GOV.UK. 31 May 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  22. ↑ Reporter, The Courier (26 April 2014). "Changes at Flybe".
  23. ↑ "Former RAF pilot to take over as Flybe chief operating officer". Travel Weekly. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  24. ↑ "ZeroAvia starts worl on a 19-seat hydrogen-powered airliner, with fund in place for a 50-plus seater". Futureflight.aero. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  25. ↑ "Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises – Supporters". Airtattoo.com. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  26. ↑ "Cranfield University Graduation 2016". cranfield.ac.uk.
Military offices
Preceded by
Unknown
 Commandant Air Warfare Centre
2005–2007		Succeeded by
J Stinton
Preceded by Assistant Chief of the Air Staff
2007–2010		Succeeded by
New title Director-General, Military Aviation Authority
2010–2013
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.