Early life and career[edit]
Skidmore was born in
Kowloon, Hong Kong on 15 March 1959, and joined the
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as an Officer Cadet in 1977.
[2] He completed Number 113 Pilots Course and was posted to
No. 1 Squadron,
RAAF Base Amberley to fly the
General Dynamics F-111.
Following his tour on F-111s, Skidmore undertook the
United States Naval Test Pilot School Fixed Wing course in 1985. At the completion of the course he was posted to the
Aircraft Research and Development Unit,
RAAF Base Edinburgh, where he flew F-111,
Dassault Mirage III,
Macchi MB-326H,
AESL CT/4A and
Douglas C-47 Dakota aircraft.
In 1989, Skidmore returned to RAAF Base Amberley and completed tours at No. 1 Squadron as the Operational Flight Commander and
No. 82 Wing as the Operations Officer. This was followed by a posting as the Flight Test Director on the F-111C Avionics Update Program in California, USA. Returning to Australia in 1996, he served as the Staff Officer Operational Systems at Headquarters Air Command,
RAAF Base Glenbrook, before resigning from the RAAF in March 1998. Skidmore joined Aerospace Technical Services in 1998 as the Senior Test Pilot and Business Development Executive, positions he maintained following the company's acquisition in 1999 by Raytheon Systems Company.
Skidmore rejoined the RAAF in 2000 and completed the Defence Staff Course at Weston Creek before being posted again to the Aircraft Research and Development Unit, this time as the Commanding Officer. From 2003 he was Director of Operational Requirements for the New Air Combat Capability project.
Prior to assuming the position of
Joint Force Air Component Commander in 2005 he attended the Defence and Strategic Studies Course at the
Australian Defence College, Weston Creek. During 2005 he was deployed to the
Middle East Area of Operations where he served as the Director Combined Air Operations Centre. For this service he was awarded a
Commendation for Distinguished Service in the 2007 Australia Day Honours List.
Skidmore was promoted to the rank of
Air Vice Marshal and appointed as the
Air Commander Australia on 27 June 2008.
In 2013 Skidmore test flew the
RAAF Museum replica
Bristol Boxkite at Point Cook, Victoria for about 1000 metres and reached a speed of 42 mph.
[3] Skidmore was quoted as saying "It was an exhilarating and humbling experience, I am honoured and proud to follow those aviators who pioneered military aviation in this country" and "I now also have the honour of being the only RAAF pilot who has flown both the fastest and slowest aircraft in the Air Force."
[4]