AIR COMMODORE RICHARD (RICK) PEACOCK-EDWARDS
CBE AFC FRAeS FCIM
PRESENTATION SUBJECT
Rick is an ex-RAF fighter pilot and a Commander in the first Gulf War. He is a veteran of the Cold War that involved many interceptions of Russian Aircraft. In his glittering RAF career he also was promoted to Inspector of Flight Safety for the RAF and later Director of the RAF Eurofighter programme at MoD.
In recognition of his very special aviation accomplishments Air Commodore Rick Peacock-Edwards was awarded the CBE; the Air Force Cross and several additional prestigious RAF awards including one presented by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh on behalf of The Air League in June 2011. He was born to fly and to Command.
CAREER TRIGGER POINTS
Air Commodore Rick Peacock-Edwards is the son of a Battle of Britain pilot, and is a highly experienced fighter pilot who has flown over 6,000 hours. He was educated at Michaelhouse and the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa before joining the RAF.During his initial operational flying tours he was involved in flying Lightnings arid became a weapons instructor.
He then qualified as a flying instructor and was posted to the Advanced Flying Training School at RAF Valley where he instructed on both the Gnat and Hunter Aircraft.
He returned to the air defence environment as Executive Officer on No 111 Sqn flying Phantoms. Rick’s stories about this period of his career are spell- binding - flying at speeds of up to 800 miles an hour within feet of more than 30 Russian aircraft with the Russian Bears dwarfing his Phantom.Rick was given the prestigious job of introducing the Tornado Fighter iito RAF service and formed and commanded the first Squadron. He then commanded the major fighter base at Leeming In Yorkshire.
Following the first Gulf War Rick spent two years in Washington as Deputy Commander RAF Staff and Assistant Air Attaché at the British Embassy. He then returned to UK and took up his position as Inspector of Flight Safety for the Royal Air Force. He later became chairman of the 26 nations European Air Forces Flight Safety Committee. That interest in flight safety has continued to this day with his involvement in many of the country’s Flying Control Committees for national and regional air displays.
Countless Voluntary hours are now spent as Chairman of the Duxford Imperial War Museum Flying Control and Flight Safety Committees and as a member of the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT), Farnborough International Air Show, Biggin Hill International and Dawlish Air Show Flying Control Committees.
His outstanding skills in display flying were recognised on many occasions when he entertained and inspired spectators , and frequently took the lead in formation flying in events of national and international significance.In 1987 he was awarded the Air Force Cross and appeared in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List and in the same year he was awarded another prestigious RAF Award- the Arthur Barratt Memorial Prize – for the most outstanding contribution to RAF operational training in 1986.
In 1993 he was appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE).His last posting for the RAF was in the prestigious role as Director of Eurofighter.Today, Rick is engaged at the highest level with a wide range of aviation interests and is founder member and chairman of the important aviation industry forum, the Aviation Focus Group. He is also Chairman of the Historic Aircraft Association and the International Air Cadets Training Organisation.
He is a past Master of the 2,000 membership of the City of London Livery Company, Guild of Pilots and Air Navigators (GAPAN) and has recently been awarded the honour of Trustee of the Royal Air Force Club in London.
A recent presentation by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh in June 2011 on behalf of the Air League contained a citation for ‘outstanding services to flight safety’.