Thomas Vinçotte

FCAS Senior Operational Advisor Airbus

Thomas qualified in 1987 as a Fighter Pilot for the French Air Force. He was declared two years later for Combat ready on Jaguar at Saint-Dizier Air Force Base (AFB) before progressing to Mitage F1CR in 1991 at the Strasbourg AFB. He then became in 1994 senior leader at Orange AFB on Mirage 2000 RDI before being promoted to Flight Commander. He attended the Defence staff college in Paris (Ecole de Guerre) in 2002. After graduating, he became in 2004 Squadron Commander of the Escadrille des Cigognes near Dijon.

In 2009, Thomas went on to develop his expertise in Air Command and Control as Deputy Commander of the French National AOC near Lyon. In 2013, he was nominated Operational Advisor of the UAE Air Force Commander in Abu Dhabi. Three years later, he returned to France as Deputy Commander of the French Air Operations Brigade near Lyon.

Thomas decided to seek new horizons. He joined in 2019 Airbus Defence and Space as FCAS Senior Operational Advisor.

Thomas has over 3300 flying hours on fighter aircraft including 83 war missions with one ejection in operations. He is the holder of the Legion d’Honneur, the French Order of Merit and has also been awarded the Medal of Aeronautics.