Royal Navy salutes pilot with unique experience leading F-35 jet tests on HMS Queen Elizabeth as he ends three-decade career

Cdr Ian Tidball completes his final flight in an F-35B at Edwards AFB.

Fleet Air Arm legend Commander Ian Tidball has flown his final flight for the Royal Navy.

His 32-year career as a pilot has seen him spend 4,111 hours – more than 171 days – in the skies in 35 different types of aircraft.

He has had the unique experience of deploying on all three of the UK carriers in service at the time – HMS Invincible, Illustrious and Ark Royal.

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But it’s his work with the F-35 programme that the star pilot is best known, according to the Royal Navy, with Commander Tidball’s llast flight taking place in a F-35 Lightning as he made the short hop from MCAS Miramar to Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Recently saw him become lead test and evaluation supervisor of the first embarked UK F-35 Operational Test (OT-1) aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Cdr Tidball said: ‘Never let anyone tell you can’t achieve something until you have exhausted every avenue. I was told at 16 I would never be a pilot; I think I proved that wrong.

‘I will miss working with the immensely professional friends I have made but when I look back on all the amazing things I have been able to do, I’m comfortable that I’ve now been there and done it and am really looking forward to my next flying adventure and getting to spend more quality time with my family.’