William & Harry 'Flew To Stag Party In RAF Helicopter'
Written by Joanne Leyland
Monday, 14 April 2008
Page 2 of 2
This explanation is supported by the prince's instructor, who went unnamed in today's M.o.D rebuttal.
According to the instructor: "Prince
William showed natural piloting skills and an ability to pick things up
quickly. His final flight tested his burgeoning flying skills to the full and he performed very well indeed."
This isn’t the first time Prince William has been involved in a controversy
such as this.
In December 2005, Clarence House was forced to issue a rebuttal
after newspapers suggested that costs running into hundreds of
thousands of pounds had been incurred by the R.A.F after a
jet carrying William - then on attachment with a mountain rescue team -
had been diverted to allow the prince to retrieve his army uniform and
a pair of boots from Sandhurst military academy.
Comment: I seem to remember everybody falling all over themselves with lavish praise when Diana broke with tradition and brought the infant William on a tour of Australia, flying in the same plane as Charles, poo-pooing the concern about two heirs fly in the same plane or even the effects of foreign travel on one so young. Diana was brave and courageous, whereas, her sons are foolish for doing the same thing, albeit on a much shorter flight.
If only William and Harry would come to their senses and withdraw from public view to follow a monastic life of prayer and contemplation -- although even then some would find fault.
Name: Monika
Comment: Tracey, what a thought! I could just see the split front page image now...Beatrice in a crown next to that of her in curlers. Yikes! That scenario could lead the Queen to pull a Mary Tyler Moore-move with her best tiara.
Name: Tracey
Comment: Wendy Y you raise a good point, just imagine if there had been a crash, no beautiful but dead Diana to produce another heir, Camilla she's well and truly out of the race, that would mean that Andrew and then Beatrice would be the future monarchs. Can you just imagine the gasps of horror from Charles and Camilla at the thoughts of having Andrew and Sarah's offspring as the next in line after Andrew to wear the crown. Now that would be really a treat to see
What's the bet William and Harry never travel together ever again on anything.
Name: exploora
Comment: That is why pilots fly to get experience. And he did have a co-pilot, it was the co-pilot who flew the plane back, so both pilots were able to gain flight hours. More flight hours, more experience, more opportunity to climb up. Accelerated courses are very intense, and His training was described as accelerated not described as a quickie.
The stag do is a separate issue of course.
The fact the do had some silly moments and these moments were published in the papers on a global scale is a separate issue. And this do was so close to his passing out, I can see why the party got so silly. A combination of a stag and passing out...
It is possible Wills grandmother will explain to Wills, that he is grown man, and can't be forbidden to play with people who have assisted in pulling down his pants in public but he should have the courage to draw some personal boundaries in the sand, he will no longer cross, and if his mates no longer will play with him because of those boundaries, then they were not really his friends. Friends are supposed to care about each other.
Name: exploora
Comment: If I understand the story properly, JFK jr. did not have the instrument training necessary to fly in the conditions he was flying in, he was visually flying during conditions that were not suitable. To compare a Chinook with a small private plane is like possibly comparing a battle ship with a motor boat.
I thought it was strange too both heir and spare were on the plane, but I am sure Wills is a competent enough pilot, and the flight was part of his training. He is obviously not going to fly in battle, or get into a dog fight flying the Chinook.
He probably learned alot on the flight, and since his course was designed for him as an individual it makes sense the flight and the do were able to be scheduled to fit into his agenda.
Now having friends who would pull down one's pants in public...does not make sense to me, unless his friends were two years old.
Name: isabel
Comment: Good point Wendy Y. Both Princes on the same helo with inexperienced pilot? How foolhardy. Now we know the CH spin is a crock as usual.
If the worst happened... God save the Queen for a long time!
Name: Wendy Y
Comment: I hope that Prince William did have a co-pilot on board. I don't know about anyone else, but the thought of both sons on board while big brother flew gives me the shakes. Any one remember John Jr., who was also ( before his fatal crash) thought to be a competent pilot ? I can't believe that both William and Harry would be in the same chopper with brother flying...
Name: colleen
Comment: Hope he didnt fly back after the party which would coin a new term drunk flying. Unbelievable time to take the Royals to task.
Name: Monika
Comment: M-M, I totally agree with your theory. It amazes me that they don't get better PR advice...not that it would even be required if there was an ounce of common sense to be found!
Think about it...the Queen can travel to an official engagement on a commuter train and these two fly in a RAF helicopter on their way to a bachelor party. The younger royals negate so much of what she tries to do. HM should have a family summit and spell it out in very plain English.
Name: exploora
Comment: I think it is probably pretty safe to fly one of those Chinooks, with the training Wills did receive.
I know comparing a Cessna with such a helicopter may sound silly, but I think a Chinook could be a lot safer to pilot. I have had a little co-pilot experience in a Cessna,unofficially so shh.
Flying is a wonderful thing. Too bad Di didn't get a helicopter ride to where she was going. In my opinion, she would have had much higher probability of getting there alive.
Sad though there isn't enough money for military kit, but enough cash to train Wills who will never have to see the same "action" real military men will have to see. I guess the action Wills gets to see is more ....
Name: M-M
Comment: For a 'competant but non-operational pilot' who did a quickie course on fixed wing aircraft (13 weeks all up ) and one week on helicopters , to be entrusted with a big three-engine Chinook helicopter is madness .
One can only assume that the co-pilot really did the flying , and that the two princes were ferried to Cowes at great taxpayer expense . C/H is desperately trying to avoid the fall-out . Lying as so often before
Name: Monika
Comment: I wonder how much the PR 'experts' at CH are paid these days...I'm thinking not enough OR way too much. The explanation would strike a better note if they had been on their way to an official function, but IMO this just adds to the portrayal of them as two rich kids.
I think the Queen and Prince Philip should have their Diamond anniversary party at The Ritz after all!
Name: exploora
Comment: If HRH continues with the binge drinking, he may lose his ability to "pick up" new things so quickly in the near future.
And if he gets damaged with too many wedgies, new things may not want to get "picked up".
Sadly a person is such a position can convince us something we know is wrong is right. There is also a possibility, if enough resentment is created between classes, then a police state would possibly become more acceptable, as cost for food and housing soar, and more and more people could become disenfranchised. A war the well fed could possibly feel to be a guaranteed win.
As a student of efficiency, I wonder why the prince doesn't have a spare military uniform and boots here and there, I mean he has a spare heir, why not a spare pair of boots?
I think there could be a movie potential here. Considering how popular some of the "Olsen twin" movies were, I can see how the Windsor boys could be even more appealing.
Of course I can't speak for boys, being a girl, but I would suspect, boys would possibly enjoy a movie with lots of action, including taking a helicopter to a party where a girl manages to balance 8 cd's on her nipples (and this titbit of real life info was in a "news" paper not in a porn mag.)
I would suspect HM would not be amused by such an image, but possibly sex and guns could entice young men to join the army. I would also suspect the threat of not having enough kit, and super bugs, could convince a sensible man that joining the army could be a "dead" end career move.
Name: Elsie Marek
Comment: Yep, training to deliver Camilla's shoes is very high profile for the RAF.
Name: Jean Sue Libkind
Comment: In my experience, it is not unusual for pilots to "borrow the plane" for a weekend. Most of them love to take "it for a spin: and commanders will find reasons why it is within training. Nothing untoward about this time although the general practice might be questioned.
