Honorary Colonels are integral members of the Air Force family.

They may be former Air Force officers or distinguished Canadian citizens, hailing from a diverse range of backgrounds, including many well-known public and community figures. Some currently appointed Air Force Honorary Colonels include singer/songwriter Loreena McKennitt; Second World War veterans Arthur Sherwin and Robert Middlemiss, DFC; President and General Manager of Le Réseau des Sports (RDS), Mr Gerry Frappier; and Senator, the Honourable Pamela Wallin, to name just a few.

Honorary Colonels are "honorary and advisory". They are vital to fostering esprit de corps within the family. They may mentor the commanding officer and members of the unit, help build relationships with other units through the Honorary Colonel network, and aid in ensuring the maintenance of customs and traditions. By their very presence and name, they build and develop community support for their units by providing a public profile - a public face - for the unit. Perhaps one of their most important attributes, however, is simply the time they spend with all members of the unit, no matter what their rank or position, just as a highly respected member of the family would.