2010 HAWK T.MK.1/1A DISPLAY Supervisor

Squadron Leader Al Dow "Waldo"

The Hawk Display Supervisor is responsible for the safe running of the display workup and season. He oversees every display practice, occasionally flying in the backseat and provides the safety link between the Pilot and Air Traffic Control on the ground. The Supervisor is ultimately responsible for the Display until the Display Pilot receives his Public Display Authority just before the season starts in May.

Sqn Ldr Al "Waldo" Dow joined the Royal Air Force in 1994 having completed a degree in Aero and Astronautics at Southampton University. After completing flying training, he was sent to the Tornado F3, on 111(F) Sqn at RAF Leuchars, for a 3 year tour. During this time he completed several OP tours flying over Southern Iraq as part of Southern Watch and Resinate at the Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, and detachments to Mount Pleasant Airbase in the Falkland Islands flying QRA missions.

In 2002 he was posted to 19 Sqn at RAF Valley where he completed another 3 year tour, finishing up as an A2 Qualified Flying Instructor and Qualified Weapons Instructor on the Hawk. Sqn Ldr Dow then returned to the front-line on 111(F) Sqn for a year, before becoming an Instrument Rating Examiner and a Qualified Tactics Instructor on 56(R) Sqn, the Tornado F3 Conversion Unit. He was then promoted and returned to Valley as a Flt Cdr on 208 Sqn. Sqn Ldr Dow now lives at RAF Valley with his wife Niki and their 3 young children, their black Cocker Spaniel Nero, and their black horse Rousco.