My World: Safety and Survival Specialist

From a childhood shaped by wartime Britain to a distinguished career protecting the lives of military aircrew, My World is Alan Miles's remarkable story of resilience, ingenuity, and service.

Growing up in Newbury during the Second World War, Alan experienced air raids, rationing, hardship, and moments of extraordinary danger. Those early lessons in courage, responsibility, and survival would later guide him into the Royal Air Force and a career devoted to aviation safety.

As a specialist in aircrew survival equipment, Alan worked with parachutes, protective clothing, ejection seats, respirators, and emergency systems designed to give pilots a second chance when things went wrong. His journey took him into the demanding world of the Empire Test Pilots' School, weapons testing, Ministry of Defence projects, and the development of safety solutions where none previously existed.

Along the way, he encountered brilliant engineers, courageous pilots, difficult commanders, professional conflict, and the disappointment of seeing important work go unrecognised. Yet throughout his career, Alan remained guided by one principle: when lives depend on the smallest detail, the job must be done properly.

Honest, reflective, and rich in aviation history, My World is both a personal memoir and a tribute to the often-unseen specialists whose skill, discipline, and determination helped keep others alive.