[2] At Dartmouth in September 1960 Macdonald became a naval aviation cadet to join the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy.

At 'Fightertown, USA' the Brits helped train rookie crews in the rudiments of flying and fighting the F-4 before these students were posted to front-line squadrons.

[5]: 91–92 White said, "Through the instructors on exchange at Miramar the AWI's methods made their way into perhaps the most well-known programme in the history of naval aviation: Topgun.

"[2] In 1985, after returning from the U.S., Macdonald achieved the rank of commander, and he served at Portland, Cornwall, Weymouth and in the Ministry of Defence offices in London.

[2] Macdonald served as a committee member of the Fleet Air Arm Officers Association, 1987–1996, and then he was the administrative director until 2008.

As Rowland White researched Phoenix Squadron, he credited Macdonald as "tireless and inventive in his efforts to help me reach the people I needed to speak to" for interviews.

[1] His survivors included "siblings Elizabeth and Gavin, his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and partner of many years Joy Berthoud".