Bachelor of science in aeronautical engineering, Military University in Shrivenham, Swindon, 1977; Major, Royal Airforce; helicopter instructor pilot and parachutist; was selected as double for Soyuz TM-12; not selected in 1992 from ESA; married to the daughter of former Soviet Cosmonaut V. Zholobov; currently he lives in South-Africa as helicopter-pilot for the former President of South-Africa, Nelson Mandela; one of three candidates from the United Kingdom in the 1992 ESA selection; he was noticed on the shortlist of 25 candidate applicants by the European Astronauts Board Selection (EASB), but was not selected in 1992 and again in 1998.