Mike Thomas is a Grade One instructor and Manager for Member Services at the Royal Aero Club of Western Australia (RACWA), who has been training pilots for nearly 25 years, teaching in commercial, aerobatics, formation and NVFR operations. His dedication to the flying careers of others has made him a very popular and deserving winner of the 2017 Wings ‘Flying Instructor of the Year’ Award, as presenmted by The Australian Division of the Royal Aeronautical Society and Australian Flying magazine, who recognise people who have made great contributions to general aviation, as voted for, by nominations from within the aviation industry.