Born the son of Air Marshal
Sir Douglas Macfadyen, Ian Macfadyen was educated at
Marlborough College and entered the
RAF College Cranwell in 1960. Like his father, he graduated with the Sword of Honour. After service on 19 Squadron in the UK and RAF Germany flying the Lightning, in 1970 he became a flying instructor and a member of the Poachers formation aerobatic team at the
Royal Air Force College Cranwell. In 1980 as a wing commander he was appointed
Officer Commanding of
No. 29 Squadron flying F4 Phantom aircraft at RAF Coningsby with whom he saw operational service in the
Falkland Islands, and Officer Commanding of
No. 23 Squadron in 1983. In 1985 as a group captain he was Station Commander at
RAF Leuchars in
Fife He was at the Royal College of Defence Studies in 1988. In late 1990 he became the Chief of Staff, Headquarters British Forces Middle East and later became the Commander of British Forces. From 1991 as an Air Vice-Marshal he was
Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff, Operational Requirements (Air Systems) – ACAS OR (Air). In 1994 he was promoted to Air Marshal and became Director General of the Saudi Arabia Armed Forces Project in Riyadh. He retired from the RAF in February 1999. ==Later life==