16 Wing Commander

Col Taylor enrolled in the Canadian Forces in 1989, attending Royal Roads Military College, Victoria and the Royal Military College of Canada Kingston, graduating in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.

After completing Aerospace Engineering Officer Training in 1994, Col Taylor was posted to 450 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in Ottawa, which immediately was moved to St-Hubert, QC working with the CH-135 Twin Huey Helicopters. From 1996 to 1998 Col Taylor spent tours with 10 Tactical Air Group and the Project Management Office for the CH-146 and deployed to the United Nations Transition Mission in Haiti with 430 Tactical Helicopter Squadron.

From 1998 to 2000, Col Taylor completed a Master’s degree in Science (Thermal Power – Aerospace Propulsion) at Cranfield University, England and subsequently worked as the Technical Authority for the Hercules and Aurora Propulsion systems within the Directorate of Aerospace Equipment Program Management (DAEPM).

Promoted to Major in 2005, Col Taylor spent a posting with 408 Tactical Helicopter Squadron, Edmonton as the Senior Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Officer and a posting as the Aircraft Engineering Officer for the D-Model Chinook Aircraft within the DAEPM detachment in Huntsville, Alabama. In 2011 Col Taylor deployed with 408 Squadron to Afghanistan.

In 2012, Col Taylor was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and sent on the Joint Command and Staff Program on exchange with the Belgian Defence Force at the Royal Military College in Brussels, obtaining a Master of Arts in Political Science and Military Affairs. Returning to Canada in 2013 Col Taylor had the honour to serve as the Commanding Officer of 1 Wing Headquarters in Kingston, ON.

From 2016 to 2018, Col Taylor was employed within the DAEPM as the Weapon System Manager for Chinook Helicopters, the Weapon System Manager for Griffon Helicopters and as of January 2018 promoted to Colonel into the position of Director of Tactical Aviation and Simulation. In November 2018, Col Taylor assumed the role of Chief of Staff for Director General Aerospace Equipment Program Management until 2020, where he also had the opportunity to serve as the Branch Advisor for the Aerospace Engineering trade.

From 2020 to 2021, Col Taylor attended the Eisenhower School, within the U.S. National Defense University, where he completed the National Security Program and obtained a Masters of Science in National Resource Strategy.

In July of 2021, he assumed the role of Commander of 16 Wing.