10 Facts About Mark Skidmore

Air Vice Marshal Mark Alan Skidmore was born on 15 March 1959 and is a former senior officer of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Mark Skidmore completed Number 113 Pilots Course and was posted to No 1 Squadron, RAAF Base Amberley to fly the General Dynamics F-111.

In 1989, Mark Skidmore returned to RAAF Base Amberley and completed tours at No 1 Squadron as the Operational Flight Commander and No 82 Wing as the Operations Officer.

Mark Skidmore joined Aerospace Technical Services in 1998 as the Senior Test Pilot and Business Development Executive, positions he maintained following the company's acquisition in 1999 by Raytheon Systems Company.

Mark Skidmore rejoined the RAAF in 2000 and completed the Defence Staff Course at Weston Creek before being posted again to the Aircraft Research and Development Unit, this time as the Commanding Officer.

Mark Skidmore was promoted to the rank of air vice marshal and appointed as the Air Commander Australia on 27 June 2008.

Mark Skidmore was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 2010.

In October 2014 Mark Skidmore was appointed director of aviation safety at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Mark Skidmore took up the position on 1 January 2015.

Mark Skidmore sought to respond to industry views, issuing a timetable for regulatory changes.