My Life as a Cold War Fighter Pilot

An evening with Air Commodore R S (Rick) Peacock-Edwards CBE AFC
The son of a Battle of Britain pilot, Air Commodore Rick Peacock-Edwards was a fighter pilot for much of the Cold War era and flew some of the RAF's fastest and most iconic fighter aircraft such as the Lightning, Phantom and the fighter version of the Tornado. His talk will inspire, and you will be fascinated by his range of experiences.

Educated in the UK and South Africa (Sutton Valence, Michaelhouse, and the University of Witwatersrand), Rick Peacock-Edwards had a full career in the RAF from which he retired as an Air Commodore in 1999. The son of a Battle of Britain pilot he was himself a fighter pilot and flew the Hunter, Lightning, Phantom and Tornado. He introduced the Tornado F2/3 into RAF Service and commanded the first Tornado F2/3 unit. He attended the RAF Staff College in 1983. From 1990 to 1992 he commanded the Tornado station at RAF Leeming. During this time, he was the very first commander of RAF Forces deployed to Saudi Arabia after Saddam Hussein had invaded Kuwait. Other senior RAF appointments included Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant Air Attaché at the British Embassy in Washington, Inspector of Flight Safety for the RAF, and MOD Director of the Eurofighter Typhoon programme. He was awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC) in 1987 and appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 1993. He continued to fly with the RAF Volunteer Reserve until 2010, giving air experience on the Grob Tutor to both the CCF and Air Cadets.

In his post RAF career, Rick has filled several Director appointments and was Managing Director of Vector Flying Training Services Limited, a consortium of companies that bid for the multi-billion-pound Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme. He has entrepreneurial interests in several companies and is also President or Chairman of several organisations in the Voluntary Sector. He is a Past Master of the Honourable Company of Air Pilots and from 2012 -19 he was Vice Chairman of the RAF Club in Piccadilly, London.

Rick is also the author of two books, his autobiography, 'Rate of Climb', published in April 2020, and 'Gnat Boys' published in July 2022. He has given talks extensively in both the UK and abroad.