John Ponsonby (RAF officer)

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For other uses, see John Ponsonby.

Air Vice-Marshal John Maurice Maynard Ponsonby, OBE RAF, was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force. He is now a senior executive.

Air Vice-Marshal Ponsonby was commissioned into the RAF in April 1983, after 9 years service in the British Army. He has served as a support helicopter pilot throughout his career, and as a helicopter and tactics instructor. He commanded 78 Squadron in the Falkland Islands, 27 Squadron in the UK, the Support Helicopter Force in Bosnia and RAF Aldergrove/Joint Helicopter Force in Northern Ireland.

He has held staff appointments at Group, Command and MOD level, including as Deputy Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Defence Staff (General Sir Charles Guthrie), and most recently as Air Officer Plans at Headquarters Strike Command.

He is a graduate of the RAF Staff College and the Joint Service Command and Staff College. He was appointed OBE in the 1998 New Year Honours List, ADC to HM The Queen in 2001 and received the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the 2002 Operational Honours List.

He was appointed Air Officer Commanding Training Group on 4 January 2005 and became Air Officer Commanding No 22 (Training) Group on 30 October 2006.

It was announced on 16 Jan 07 that Air Vice-Marshal Ponsonby was to be Chief of Staff Operations, Headquarters Air Command from July 2007. He chose instead to leave military service to take a commercial role as Senior Vice President Training, AgustaWestland.[1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Agustawestland

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Military offices
Preceded by
David Walker		 Air Officer Commanding Air Cadets
2002–2003		 Succeeded by
Role Disbanded
Preceded by
Gavin Miller		 Air Officer Commanding Training Group
2003–2006		 Succeeded by
Role Disbanded
New title
Group reestablished
 Air Officer Commanding No 22 (Training) Group
2006 – 2007		 Succeeded by
R F Garwood.