Michael Knight Obituary, Death – It is with great regret that we must inform you of the passing of Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Knight, who served as Chairman of the VTST in the past. In 1953, Sir Michael enlisted in the Royal Air Force, and he served there until his retirement in 1989. During his 36 years of service in the Royal Air Force, he gained experience in a wide variety of operational and staff roles, and he flew well over 100 different types of aircraft, ranging from Tiger Moths to Tornados and everything in between, including the Avro Vulcan. In 1980, he was appointed Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group, a role that brought him into the conflict in the Falkland Islands.
He served as a frontline pilot and commander during his time in the military. His service was capped off by his membership on the Air Force Board, and beginning in 1986, he served as the UK’s Military Representative to NATO for a period of three years. After he retired, he served as Chairman of the Board for the Air League. Additionally, Sir Michael volunteered for the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust and the Royal International Air Tattoo for more than thirty years combined.
During his years of service in the RAF, he was a frequent visitor to the Royal Air Force Air Tattoo; upon retirement, he was invited to become a member of the Air Tattoo’s small Vice Patron team to assist in the organization of the RAF’s 75th anniversary celebrations at RAF Fairford in 1993. The organization stated, “He provided unflinching support, never missing a Show, until the end of 2004, as we faced the biggest challenge to our future on the parting of ways with the RAF Benevolent Fund.” [Citation needed] Sir Mike agreed to take the helm of a brand new organization, and he and his trusted colleagues established the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust as a new charitable organization.
Up until the year 2008, Sir Michael served as Chairman of the Trust. One of Sir Michael’s many incredible accomplishments was serving as the first chairman of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, which allowed him to play a role in bringing the Vulcan XH558 back to flight. During this difficult time, we are keeping Sir Michael’s family in our thoughts and prayers.