Merv joined the RAF in 1975 and after training spent 15 years as a search and rescue pilot on both Wessex and Sea King. Merv then moved onto multi-engine aircraft and became an instructor at RAF Cranwell on the Jetstream aircraft during which time he captained the Lancaster and Dakota aircraft of the BBMF.
Next Merv moved onto the L1011 TriStar aircraft at Brize Norton flying many global routes and he also flew air tanking missions in the Middle East over Afghanistan and Iraq.
After the TriStar Merv went to ETPS at Boscombe Down and qualified as an experimental test pilot flying many varied types additionally he was the project test pilot on the Voyager air to air tanker aircraft.
Merv left the RAF in 2010 and joined the AAIB as an aircraft accident investigator. In 2015 Merv joined AirTanker as a civilian captain flying the A330 on long haul routes chiefly for Thomas Cook before retiring in 2020.
In 45 years of aviation Merv has flown a wide variety of aircraft ranging from high performance fast jet aircraft, wide bodied airliners, helicopters, vintage aircraft, gliders, light aircraft and even a seaplane.
Merv joined the team in 2024 to taxi the Lancaster.