Michael Donaldson (RAF officer)

Air Vice-Marshal Michael Phillips Donaldson MBE (born 22 July 1943) is a former Royal Air Force officer who became the 22nd Commandant Royal Observer Corps.

RAF career
Educated at Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School, Donaldson joined the Royal Air Force in 1965. He became Officer Commanding No. 19 Squadron RAF in 1983, Officer Commanding No. 23 Squadron RAF in 1985 and Deputy Personal Staff Officer to the Chief the Defence Staff in 1986. Promoted to group captain, he went on to be Station Commander at RAF Wattisham in 1987 and following promotion to air commodore on 1 April 1992, he became Senior Air Staff Officer at No. 11 Group RAF. He simultaneously held the appointment of 22nd Commandant Royal Observer Corps (ROC) at a time when the majority of the ROC had been stood down, leaving a small number of Nuclear Reporting Cell observers serving at various Armed Forces HQs all over the UK. Promoted to air vice-marshal, he went on to be Commandant of the RAF Staff College, Bracknell in 1993 before leaving the RAF in 1996.

In retirement Donaldson became Principal of Yorkshire Coast College where he remained until retirement in 2003.