Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Hugh "Chris" Moran Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, MVO, Aide-de-Camp, Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society was a fast jet pilot and later a senior commander in the Royal Air Force.
Background
Moran was born in Urmston, Lancashire, and educated at Bishop Ullathorne School in Coventry in the late sixties and early seventies before attending the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to study Mechanical Engineering. In 1974, whilst studying at university, Moran became a university cadet in the Royal Air Force. He was commissioned an acting pilot officer on 16 December of that year, together with Stuart Peach, who also achieved the rank of air chief marshal.
Moran graduated from University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science and went to Royal Air Force College Cranwell for his initial training with the Royal Air Force. He was regraded as a pilot officer on 15 July 1977, and was successively promoted to flying officer (15 January 1978) and to flight lieutenant (15 October 1978).
He was later to earn an Master of Arts from King"s College London.
In 1980 he married Elizabeth Jane Goodwin.
Education
Moran graduated from University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science and went to Royal Air Force College Cranwell for his initial training with the Royal Air Force.
Career
He died unexpectedly on 26 May 2010 and at the time of his death he was Commander-in-Chief of Air Command. After completing pilot training, Moran converted onto the Harrier with Number. 233 Operational Conversion Unit.
In 1980 Moran entered productive service, flying Harriers with Number.
IV Squadron. In 1983 he returned to Number. 233 Operational Conversion Unit, attending a weapons instructors" course before returning to Number.
IV Squadron as a Qualified Weapons Instructor. Promoted to squadron leader in 1986, Moran was appointed as a flight commander on Number.
IV Squadron, serving in Belize, the Falkland Islands, and on HMS Illustrious.
In 1985, He was also an exchange officer with the United States Marine Corps at Cherry Point, North Carolina. Moran commanded the Harrier squadron in the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit at Royal Air Force Wittering, and then attended the Advanced Staff Course in 1991. After a brief posting to the Ministry of Defence he was appointed Equerry to His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.
In 1994 Moran became the commanding officer of Number.
IV Squadron which was based in Germany. The same year Moran led his squadron to the Middle East for duties on Operation Warden which involved enforcing the no-fly zone over northern Iraq.
In 1995 Moran and Number. IV Squadron flew missions against the Bosnian Serbs as part of Operation Deliberate Force.
Senior appointments Promoted to Group Captain in 1996, he was appointed Staff Officer Headquarters 1 Group, and in the following year, station commander of Royal Air Force Wittering.
After attending the Higher Command and Staff Course in 1999 Moran became Divisional Director at the Joint Services Command and Staff College, where he also completed an Master of Arts. As an Air Commodore he was then Director of Air Staff until 2002, and then the Chief of Defence Staff"s liaison officer to the United States Joint Staff in Washington. In the following year he became Air Officer Commanding 1 Group as an Air Vice-Marshal. In 2005 he became Assistant Chief of Air Staff.
In 2005, Moran was appointed to the board of the Civil Aviation Authority.
He was promoted Air Marshal and became Deputy Commander Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum in May 2007, in succession to Lieutenant General Doctorate. L. Judd Central Bank. Air Chief Marshal Moran was appointed Commander-in-Chief of Air Command on 3 April 2009. Moran was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath) in the 2009 New Year Honours.
Moran"s death was announced on the evening of 26 May 2010. He had collapsed following a triathlon at Royal Air Force Brize Norton that afternoon.
He was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford by air ambulance, but was pronounced dead on arrival.