 Throughout his Air Force career Mikhailov served in numerous positions, including Dean of (from 1980 to 1985), deputy and first deputy commander of the Air Force of the Moscow Military District (1985–1989).In 1991, he earned a degree at the General Staff Academy and was assigned to the North Caucasus Military District as Air Force component commander, Air army commander.He was implicated in a corruption scandal described by in his book 

In 1998, he assumed the office of deputy Air Force Commander-in-Chief.