Commandant Air Cadets

Commandant Air Cadets is the title given to the Royal Air Force officer who is responsible for running the Air Cadet Organisation, embracing the Air Training Corps (ATC) and the RAF Sections of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF RAF). The current Commandant Air Cadets is Air Commodore Dawn McCafferty.

Previously known as Commandant ATC, the appointment is now held by an RAF Air Commodore and is based at Headquarters Air Cadets (HQAC) at the RAF Cranwell. Prior to the establishment of HQAC as an independent unit, the post of Commandant ATC was held by the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Reserve, Home and finally Flying Training Command. HQAC was formed 1 May 1960 within Flying Training Command.

The Commandant is responsible for over 1000 units of the ATC, 199 CCF (RAF) Sections and the nationwide network of Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGS).

Until 24 March 2003, the Commandant Air Cadets also held the role of Air Officer Commanding Air Cadets, the appointment then passing to the Air Officer Commanding Training Group (TG). The post has now been merged into the post of AOC TG and no longer exists as a separate entity.

AOC Air Cadets & Commandant ATC 1941 - 2003

 * 5 Feb 1941 Air Commodore Sir John Chamier (Ret'd)
 * 1 Feb 1944 Air Marshal Sir Leslie Gossage (Ret'd)
 * 1946 - 1960 Appointments held by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Reserve / Home / Flying Training Command.
 * 1962  Air Commodore A G Dudgeon
 * 14 Sep 1962 Air Commodore James Baird Coward
 * 23 Jun 1966 Air Commodore E J Morris
 * 18 Jun 1968 Air Commodore J N Stacey
 * 17 Jul 1971 Air Commodore P O V Green
 * 13 Oct 1973 Air Commodore T H Blackham
 * 13 Jun 1977 Air Commodore M J E Swiney
 * 15 Dec 1979 Air Commodore K J Goodwin
 * 17 Apr 1982 Air Commodore P V Mayall
 * 6 Jan 1986 Air Commodore P P W Taylor
 * 5 Jan 1987 Air Commodore P G Naz
 * Apr 1990 Air Commodore R P Skelley
 * 23 Apr 1993 Air Commodore P M Stean
 * 12 Jan 1996 Air Commodore J A F Ford
 * 28 Mar 1998 Air Commodore John Kennedy
 * 3 May 2002 Air Commodore Jon Chitty

Air Officer Commanding Air Cadets 2003 - 2005

 * 23 March 2003 Air Vice-Marshal David Walker
 * 4 January 2005 Air Vice-Marshal John Ponsonby

Commandant Air Cadets 2003 - present

 * 23 March 2003 Air Commodore Jon Chitty
 * July 2005 Air Commodore David Harrison
 * 13 October 2006 Air Commodore Gordon Moulds CBE
 * 20 May 2008 Air Commodore Ian RW Stewart
 * 1 June 2010 Air Commodore Barbara Cooper CBE
 * 20 August 2012 Air Commodore Dawn McCafferty