Air Vice-Marshal G.B. (Graham) Lintott, ONZM, FRAeS.
Air Vice-Marshal Graham Lintott joined the RNZAF in 1973 and commenced pilot training from which he graduated in 1975. He completed a Basic Sioux Helicopter Course at Wigram before being posted to Auckland for an Iroquois Course and tours on No 3 Squadron and RNZAF Support Unit Singapore.
After a Flying Instructors Course in 1982, he completed tours at Pilot Training Squadron and Central Flying School instructing on both fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft and commanded Pilot Training Squadron in 1985. During this period, he flew as a member of the RNZAF "Red Checkers" formation aerobatics team, and in April 1983 he was seconded to the Royal Household for duties as the Equerry to His Royal Highness (HRH) The Prince of Wales during the tour of New Zealand by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
In November 1985, Air Vice-Marshal Lintott was posted to the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) in the Sinai Peninsula as Flight Commander of the ANZAC Rotary Wing Unit and was also the NZ Contingent Commander from February 1986. In May 1986, he was appointed Commanding Officer of No 141 Flight in Singapore.
After graduating from Staff College, Air Vice-Marshal Lintott was appointed as Personal Staff Officer to the Chief of Air Staff, and in 1990 he was promoted to Wing Commander and posted to Wigram as Commanding Officer Flying Training Wing. In January 1993, he attended the Australian Defence Force Joint Services Staff College after which he was appointed Officer Commanding Operations Wing at Auckland. During this tour, Air Vice-Marshal Lintott was the Detachment Commander for the disaster relief mission to Rwanda with a Hercules aircraft during August and September 1994.
In May 1995, he was promoted to Group Captain and was posted to RNZAF Air Command Headquarters as the Assistant Air Commander (Support), and took up the appointment of Assistant Chief of Air Staff Programmes and Projects in January 1997.
Air Vice-Marshal Lintott commanded RNZAF Base Ohakea from November 1998 until November 2000, following which he was posted to London to attend the Royal College of Defence Studies from which he graduated in December 2001.
Air Vice-Marshal Lintott was promoted to Air Commodore and was appointed Air Component Commander at HQ Joint Forces New Zealand in February 2002, and following a short period as Commander Joint Forces New Zealand in late 2004, he was appointed Assistant Chief Strategic Commitments and Intelligence, HQ New Zealand Defence Force in November 2004.
On 1 May 2006, Air Vice-Marshal Lintott was promoted to his current rank and appointed the Chief of Air Force. He was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the January 2008 New Year’s Honours List.
Air Vice-Marshal Lintott was born on 29 March 1955. He is married to Dianne and they have three adult children.
Image above: Chief of Air Force - Air Vice-Marshal G.B. (Graham) Lintott, ONZM, FRAeS (OH 08-0230-04.jpg).
Acronym: Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS)