Change of Command

Wing Commander Eoin Sands is the new Officer Commanding 32 (The Royal) Squadron

It’s all change (again) at Number 32 (The Royal) Squadron. I wanted to reach out and introduce myself as the new Officer Commanding, taking over from Squadron Leader Tom Bates. It might not seem long since Tom took command, but trust me when I say he has delivered an amazing performance over an extremely busy six months for the Squadron. All in all, a very hard act to follow!

A little bit about me: I’m a C-130 pilot by background, spending my formative years at RAF Lyneham and Brize Norton. Most of my operational flying took place in Afghanistan, which is where I first came across 32(TR) Squadron. In 2016, after completing a Flight Commander tour on 30 Squadron (the highlight of which was commanding an RAF detachment in India supporting relief efforts in the aftermath of the Nepal earthquake), I began a series of staff jobs. I spent two years in Joint Force Headquarters, rescuing British nationals from hurricanes, avoiding street battles in Harare and generally travelling the world, having a good time. A more sedate year in Career Management followed, where I was fortunate enough to look after the careers of Air Mobility aircrew junior officers, including the pilots on 32(TR) Sqn.

I was promoted to Wing Commander in 2019 and, after completing Staff College, was posted to the Ministry of Defence to work on the Operations floor plate. This turned out to be a busy tour that encompassed both the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I finished up in MoD last summer to start six months pre-employment training learning to fly the Envoy. I then hit the ground running at Northolt in April, arriving just in time for the King’s Coronation.

I’m looking forward to leading the Squadron through what will no doubt be an exciting and dynamic period in its history, and equally looking forward to working at a Station as committed and professional as RAF Northolt. See you around!