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Tim completed a 47 year career in the Ministry of Defence in July 2020. Starting as a Craft Apprentice, Tim filled a range of roles as a senior engineer and programme manager and has led many major Defence programmes, both in the UK and Internationally, covering Air, Land and Naval systems. His roles have included safety and aircraft airworthiness management, financial management, organisational leadership and logistic support to operations.

Between 2013 and 2017 Tim was the Director of OCCAR, Europe’s largest international programme management organisation. Between 2007 and 2013, Tim was the first Director General Air Support. In this role he was responsible for the procurement, safety, airworthiness and through-life support of the UK’s military Air Transport, Air to Air Refuelling and Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft fleets, and additional cross-platform systems such as synthetic training and defensive aids.

Earlier roles included Lynx/Wildcat Project Team Leader, several jobs in the UK Tornado programme and in research and development at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough.

He is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, a Chartered Engineer, Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and a Senior Associate Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI).

Tim obtained his PPL(A) well before his car driving licence and spent most of his free time at University flying Bulldogs with the University Air Squadron.  During his regular Army career, he flew Gazelle and Lynx in Germany and the UK, and held a number of ground appointments including as Directing Staff at both Sandhurst and the Army Staff College Camberley, with staff jobs in MOD, the Directorate of Army Aviation and HQ RAF Strike Command.

He retired from regular Army service in 2005 and took up a post as a Board director, Chief Operating Officer and Company Secretary at a London-based investment management company, with €1Bn funds under management. Some 8 years later, having supervised the company’s move from the UK financial regulation regime to its new home in Germany, he returned to uniform 3 days a week as an Army Reservist, leading the Joint Helicopter Command Reserve forces for 5 years.

He retired again – and finally! – from Army service in 2018 and now spends much of his time looking after a motley collection of sheep, ducks, geese and chickens.  His wife Kate has been a Medical Officer at Middle Wallop for over 20 years and they have two grown-up children, one with a PPL(A) and the other a paramotor pilot.  Tim continues to fly as frequently as he can, but not in the paramotor!

Gavin is a serving AAC officer with 25 years of rotary and RPAS/UAS experience. He has commanded at all levels, flying the Lynx on operations and the Gazelle in support of UK Homeland resilience. He currently commands the British Army Watchkeeper Force – most recently he has operated the Watchkeeper RPAS in support of UK homeland and NATO operations.

He has owned and operated several vintage fixed-wing aircraft, including two WW2 Auster MkVs.

He joined the Board in 2017 which, alongside board membership of the Assault Glider Trust since 2009, links to his interest in promoting Army Aviation heritage, and to the important work of these charities in support of veteran wellbeing and charitable goals. He assumed responsibility for strategy development in November 2022.

Julian is the Chair of the Board and takes the lead on governance and financial aspects of the charity’s operation.

Julian also flies the DHC2 Beaver aeroplane in The Flight’s signature 4-ship display.

As a flying instructor his favourite task is teaching other pilots formation and display flying and taking every opportunity to share his passion for flying with others, young and old alike.

Julian is married with three teenage children and is a founder partner of a venture capital business in London specialising in tech investing.

Ed Butterworth is a serving AAC officer with 25 years of rotary and fixed wing experience.  He has commanded at all levels, flying the Gazelle and Islander on operations.

He joined the HAAF Board in 2021 and has a keen interest in promoting the heritage of the AAC and the aircraft of the HAAF.