Simon Falla Explained

Simon Owen Falla
Birth Place:	Derbyshire, East Midlands
Allegiance:	United Kingdom
Branch:	Royal Air Force
Serviceyears:	1979–2010
Rank:	Air Commodore
Commands:	RAF St Mawgan (2002–03) RAF Search and Rescue Force (2002–03) No. 7 Squadron (1996–99) No. 78 Squadron (1992)
Battles:	Falklands War Gulf War
Awards:	Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order

Air Commodore Simon Owen Falla, (born 1955) is a retired senior Royal Air Force officer. He was Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff Joint Helicopter Command from December 2006 until his retirement in June 2010.^[1]

Service history

• 1979 – Joined the Royal Air Force.
• 1980 – Selected for helicopter training.
• 1981 – Joined the newly formed Chinook force, with No. 18(B) Squadron at RAF Odiham.
• 1982 – Sailed with the Task Force during Operation Corporate, flying operational sorties over the Falklands Islands.
• 1983 – Joined No. 7 Squadron's new Chinook Special Forces Flight, flying operationally in Lebanon.
• 1986 – Qualified as a helicopter instructor at RAF Shawbury. Service followed with the Chinook Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Odiham, gaining A2 instructional category and qualified as a helicopter tactics instructor.
• 1989 – Promoted to squadron leader, appointed deputy commander No. 7 Squadron.
• 1990 – Assumed command of Special Forces Flight.
• 1991 – Led Special Forces Flight during Operation Granby over Iraq. Made Companion of the Distinguished Service Order for his command of the 6-Chinook SF Flight.
• 1992 – Spent six months as officer commanding No. 78 Squadron RAF, RAF Mount Pleasant.
• 1993 – Appointed the helicopter tactics and trials officer at the RAF Air Warfare Centre.
• 1995 – Following numerous short tours and courses, promoted to wing commander.
• 1996 – Officer commanding No. 7 Squadron RAF (until 1998).
• 1999 – Appointed UK air/joint advisor to the United Arab Emirates Command and Staff College, Abu Dhabi.
• 2001 – Promoted to group captain.
• 2002 – Station commander RAF St Mawgan^[2] / Commander RAF Search and Rescue Force (until 2003).
• 2003 – Deputy assistant chief of staff (plans), Joint Helicopter Command.
• 2006 – Promoted to air commodore on appointment as deputy commander and chief of staff, Joint Helicopter Command.^[3]

Post RAF

Falla is currently the training director at Ascent Military Flying Training System.^[4]

References

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Notes and References

1. Web site: Ministry of Defence | About Defence | What we do | Air Safety and Aviation | JHC | Air Commodore Simon Owen Falla CBE DSO RAF . 2009-02-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090212082044/http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/AirSafetyandAviation/JHC/AirCommodoreSimonOwenFallaCbeDsoRaf.htm . 12 February 2009 .
2. http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Station%20OCs-SW.htm#StMawgan
3. Web site: Archived copy . 2012-08-02 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120819142023/http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/038529D7_1143_EC82_2E2D86EC47055DB8.doc . 19 August 2012 .
4. Web site: Simon Falla – Ascent Flight Training. Ascentflighttraining.net. 17 November 2017. 18 November 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171118221953/http://www.ascentflighttraining.net/index.php/people/profile/simon_falla. dead.