Life might not be hurtling toward him at 400 miles an hour anymore, but it still comes fast, and unexpected. After 17 years in the RAF, Mike thought he was ready to slow down. He had achieved his boyhood dream of flying in the Red Arrows (the UK version of the Blue Angels), and it felt like the perfect time to take on a new challenge: transitioning from aerobatics to commercial flying. 

However, Mike found that life does not always go as planned. We caught up with him at his local club, the 2010 at Celtic Manor, to talk about life after the red suit, golf, and the challenges he’s faced along the way.