Dai Whittingham joined the RAF as a pilot in 1974. He flew Phantoms in the Air Defence fighter role and served as a flying instructor on the Jet Provost. He has commanded an E-3D AWACS squadron and the main operating base of RAF Waddington.
A graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies, he deployed in 2004 as the Air Component Commander for all UK flying operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, prior to taking up a MOD operational management appointment. MOD duties included policy for air safety, UK and European airspace, ATM aircraft equipment and uavs; he also chaired the Military Aviation Regulatory Group. He has held responsibility for operational management and oversight of all RAF airborne surveillance platforms and the RAF Search and Rescue Force. His last formal military appointment was as Deputy Commander, NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force.
Dai was Chief Executive of the UK Flight Safety Committee from 2012 until July 2024, where he worked with a wide range of industry partners to improve commercial aviation safety. He is Vice-Chair of the RAeS Flight Operations Group, a member of the RAeS Human Factors Specialist Group, and remains engaged with industry forums in Europe.