Major General Petr Čepelka graduated from a Military Aviation College Košice in Czechoslovakia with a Master’s degree in Aircraft and Missile Technology in 1991. He began his flying career as a helicopter pilot at the 11th Helicopter Regiment in Pilsen. He then worked his way up in ranks through several tactical, operation and strategic assignments and concluded his flying career as the 22nd Wing Commander followed by the 22nd Helicopter Air Force Base Commander. Operationally he completed two deployments to Afghanistan culminating with his deployment as the Czech Air Mentoring Team Kabul Deputy Commander in 2010–2011. His staff appointments include, among others, Head of the Helicopter and Transport Aviation Section, MoD Force Development – Operations Division and Director of the MoD Force Development Division. Major General Čepelka is a graduate of the Air War College, Maxwell AFB, Alabama and Royal College of Defence Studies London and completed courses at NATO Defence College Rome and Defence Academy Sandhurst. On 1 November 2022, he was appointed commander of the Czech Air Force and promoted to the rank of Major General on 8 May 2023. He became the twelfth Air Chief in the modern history of the Czech Air Force and only the second helicopter pilot to assume such a position.