Family legacy inspires next Chief of Air Force
Aircraft have played a constant role in the life of the next Chief of Air Force, Air Commodore Andrew Clark.
Currently the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) Air Component Commander, Air Commodore Clark will take over the top Air Force role at a Change of Command ceremony next month. The current Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal (AVM) Tony Davies, was announced as the next Vice Chief of Defence earlier this year.
An Air Force career was almost inevitable for Air Commodore Clark, whose early years were dominated by Blenheim airfields at Omaka and Woodbourne.
“Omaka Aerodrome was close to home and it had a fascinating collection of private aircraft. One of my most memorable childhood experiences was being taken up in a Tiger Moth at Omaka.”
Air Commodore Clark also had a connection to the Air Force through his father.
“My father had joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a Boy Entrant back in 1956, initially as an aircraft mechanic. Later he got his pilot’s license and left to fly Bristol Freighters and Argosies for Safe Air, which was based at Woodbourne.
“He died when I was six-years-old, but I maintained a lasting passion for aviation ever since. Later on my step-father was a supplier in the RNZAF, so that probably helped as well.”
Air Commodore Clark attended Blenheim’s Weatherlea Primary School and then Bohally Intermediate before his family moved to Bulls in the Rangitikei District. He went to Palmerston North Boys High School for four years and his final high school year was spent at Christchurch Boys High.
“It’s a great honour and a privilege to be asked to be a leader in an organisation that is a great New Zealand institution”, Air Commodore Clark said.
“It is an organisation of talented and committed New Zealanders who do so much for our country, for the region, and across the world; an institution that has been so much a part of New Zealand’s own history and nation building, and in which thousands of New Zealanders have previously served.”
Air Commodore Clark joined the Air Force in 1986 as a navigator and, through his early career, served operationally on Orion aircraft, instructed aircrew in Australia and New Zealand, provided support to the Chief of Air Staff, and had the role of Operations Flight Commander, №5 Squadron of P-3K2 Orion surveillance aircraft .
He was later a Staff Officer, HQJFNZ at Trentham, Project Manager (P-3K2 Orion Introduction Into Service), and Commanding Officer, №5 Squadron. He served operationally in the Middle East.
In his more recent career, Air Commodore Clark has held a variety of operational and strategic positions, including as Assistant Chief of Air Force — Strategy from 2009 to 2011, Director of Strategic Commitments from 2012 to 2013, Director of Defence Intelligence from 2014 to 2015 and as Assistant Chief — Capability from 2016 to 2018.
