The M.52's single pilot, who, for the intended first flight, would have been test pilot Eric Brown, would have flown the aircraft from a small cockpit which was set inside the shock cone at the nose of the aircraft. The pressurised cockpit, in which the pilot would have had to fly the aircraft in a semi-prone position, was complete with a curved windscreen that was aligned with the contours of the bullet-shaped nose. In the event of an emergency, the entire section could be jettisoned, the separation from the rest of aircraft being initiated via multiple cordite-based explosive bolts. Air pressure would force the detached capsule off the fuselage while a parachute would slow its descent; during the capsule's descent, the pilot would bail out at a lower altitude and then parachute to safety. In order to serve its role as a research aircraft, the M.52 was to be equipped with comprehensive flight instrumentation, including automated instrument recorders and strain gauging throughout the structure connected to an oscilloscope. In 1944, design work was considered 90 per cent complete and Miles was told to proceed with the construction of a total of three prototype M.52s. Later that year, the Air Ministry signed an agreement with the United States to exchange high-speed research and data. Miles Chief Aerodynamicist Dennis Bancroft stated that the Bell Aircraft company was given access to the drawings and research on the M.52; however, the U.S. reneged on the agreement and no data was forthcoming in return. Unknown to Miles, Bell had already started construction of a rocket-powered supersonic design of their own but, having adopted a conventional tail for their aircraft, were battling the problem of control. A variable-incidence tail appeared to be the most promising solution; the Miles and RAE tests supported this conclusion. Later, following the conversion of the aircraft's tail, pilot Chuck Yeager practically verified these results during his test flights, and all subsequent supersonic aircraft would either have an all-moving tailplane or a delta wing. In February 1946, Miles was informed by Lockspeiser of the immediate discontinuation of the project and to cease work on the M.52. Frank Miles later stated of this decision: "I did not know what to say or think when this extraordinary decision was sprung upon me, without warning of any kind. At our last official design meeting all members, including the Ministry and Power Jets' representatives, had been cheerful and optimistic". According to Frank Miles, when he approached Lockspeiser for reasons behind the cancellation, he was informed that it was due to economic reasons; Lockspeiser also stated his belief that aeroplanes would not fly supersonically for many years and may not ever do so.