Follow Me Through

Catch a rare glimpse into the training of the nation's defence personnel, as pilot turned flying instructor Mike Brooke shares with us some of his amusing firsthand flying stories. After his success as a Cold War Canberra pilot, Mike was dispatched to become a flying instructor at the Central Flying School in the 1970s. 'Follow him through' - as he would instruct his trainees - as he experiences the quite literal ups and downs of teaching the Glasgow and Strathclyde Air Squadron. Discover how he battled the diminutive de Havilland Chipmunk in order to teach others how to fly the aircraft, before finally moving to instruct on the Canberra in its many marks. Here Mike will take you on a quite often bumpy journey as an instructor of pilots old and new, recounting tales of flying, near accidents and less serious incidents that flying these old but still demanding aircraft bring. Following on from his debut book, A Bucket of Sunshine, Mike continues to use his personal experience to bring aviation to life, proving indispensable for any aviation enthusiast.

Wing Commander MIKE BROOKE AFC RAF joined the RAF in 1962. After serving on No.16 low-level strike/attack squadron, Brooke became a flying instructor and experimental test pilot. In 1984, after twenty-two years in flying appointments, he was sent to the RAF Advanced Staff College and promoted to Wing Commander, taking command of flying at RAF Farnborough. Brooke later became a test-flying consultant, finally retiring in 2004. He has flown around 7,300 hours on 140 types of aircraft of all classes except seaplanes. In 1984, he was awarded the Air Force Cross by HM Queen Elizabeth and is a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.