The First Editions: Ministry of Defence Responds To William & Kate Story
Written by Joanne Leyland
Saturday, 19 April 2008
Page 3 of 3
The News of The World leads with the banner front page headline: 'Outrage As Wills Lands In Kate's Garden: Show-off Prince's £30k jolly in RAF Chinook'. Have
you noticed how the cost of the flights have gradually crept up
throughout the week - it started off at approximately £10,000, now
we've hit £30,000.
The Ministry of Defence has issued a statement tonight in response to
the NoTW story in which, following a similar line taken earlier in the
week, it states: "Battlefield helicopter crews routinely practice landing in fields and confined spaces. These are finely honed skills which they use daily in conflict zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan."
"The sortie on the 3rd of April was fully authorised and planned and
was an agreed part of Prince William's attachment to the R.A.F."
"After taking all the necessary safety precautions, it was on the ground for twenty seconds. No-one got on or off the aircraft".
Despite such a statement as this having previously been released as long ago as last Tuesday, not surprisingly perhaps the Star on Sunday also includes a further story on William's use of the Chinook helicopter, its inside headline reading: 'Flyer Wills Cops It: MPs fury over 'taxi' trip'.
The headlines appear to say it all (from the point of view of the newspapers) but, at this relatively
early/late
hour (early in the sense the papers haven't hit the streets yet; late
in the sense that it's - aagh! - just gone midnight UK time as I write this paper
review) we should perhaps wait to see if the News of The World and any of the other papers which focus on this story have included any of the official response from the Ministry of Defence. On
a lighter note: considering the shenanigans of previous generations of
royal princes, let's be thankful it's his girlfriend's garden into
which William has chosen to land, rather than somebody else's!
Anyway, I must go as I hear a helicopter descending outside my window...
Comment: Tracey Comment: I think I am going to be the odd one out here, but if this had been done by anyone else other than Prince William the top brass would be taking their wings and putting them where the sun don't shine to coin a phrase ......
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A repost of my last thoughts
"... provided we are not constantly told the RAF are treating William just like everyone else . They clearly are not .... but then he is not just everyone else , he is the Heir to the Heir of the British throne "
Very different treatment for William , just as Charles recieved before him , the only difference being that Charles' blunders were not known about until years later - such as a ship under his command severing an important underwater cable , (and I think running aground ? ) . The same very likely applied to University . They are simply in a different category and recieve special treatment . Why the press and C/H mania for insisting they are simply equal with all others ? The Royals really cannot have it both ways - enjoying preferential treatment and being considered ordinary at the very same time . But they try
Name: exploora
Comment: If I understood the article I read on another site, one of the top men in mod was quoted saying this is how pilots get their training. Not landing in this specific field of course, but landing in fields in general.
It teaches the pilot how to land and lift off in small places. If we are willing to be conditioned to see the cost in everything and the value in very little, our economy will slow down. People have to get experience somehow. I mean if he landed the Chinook in someone's kitchen I could see the news story. Or even if he took the plane without permission. He had to get experience to get his wings, and his course was designed for him individually.
Name: Monika
Comment: Tracey, I totally agree with you.
Name: Tracey
Comment: I think I am going to be the odd one out here, but if this had been done by anyone else other than Prince William the top brass would be taking their wings and putting them where the sun don't shine to coin a phrase. To land so close to an residential property is just not allowed without just cause ie the 'crashing' or emergency landing of the aircraft. For all intents and purpose this was 'showing off' and whilst Kate and her parents may have cause to feel 'special' the reality is that this behaviour out of any other pilot would just not have been tolerated and the person/s responsible would have been looking at interanl disciplinary action that would reflect badly on them come their annual report. Arrogant and boorish behaviour such as this is not imho particualar qualities the Queen would be wanting to wake up to on a Sunday and reading over breakfast. Somehow I dont' think she is smiling to herself over this little show.
Name: Monika
Comment: Okay Perhaps he should have flown his father and Camilla from Birkhall to attend a family christening. That would have been a lovely idea.
Name: colleen
Comment: I just read that William also flew over Birkhall in Scotland for Camilla and Charles anniversary apparently they were not in. Dont know if this was true but was in one of the main newspapers. Be aware William could be flying over a place near you.
Name: Jean Sue Libkind
Comment: On the other hand, if William and all the other pilots just flew from point A to point B for no purpose at all, it would be a waste of fuel to the MPs. I see nothing wrong with routine training missions combining with a personal endeavor as long as it really is a training mission.
Name: colleen
Comment: Wish I was young enough to be dating a RAF pilot and maybe he could pick me up in one of the RAF helicopters for a date.although as I dont have a big yard maybe he could land on the roof. I guess that is long ago and tells my age but wonder what it would be like making out in the back of a helicopter, a bit drafty I would think.
Name: M-M
Comment: It's all OK , provided we are not constantly told the RAF are treating William just like everyone else .
They clearly are not .... but then he is not just everyone else , he is the Heir to the Heir of the British throne .
Name: Anyacat
Comment: It's not as if they hot wired a helicopter and took it without permission. It's a slow news week when all that anyone can come up with is to carp about a stag party.
Name: Emily Elizabeth Windsor-Cragg
Comment: What would be a BETTER use of a Chinook flight and landing than as practice for a future king?
Surely you realize, Wills is no helicopter pilot, nor will he ever be. But the experience of simulated combat is one that potential kings seldom get.
I think the press' profiteering off this incident is short-sighted -- as usual.
EEWC
Name: Monika
Comment: I agree with you Exploora, but one of the downsides for William (given his position as Prince and future king) is that he must be careful not to appear to abuse power or privilege. I realize he needs flight hours, but he also needs to be cautious about his image. If HM can take a commuter train or pass on a well deserved anniversary party at the Ritz, perhaps W&H could have found a less headline grabbing mode of transport to a stag party.
Name: exploora
Comment: What kills me is we appear to be conditioned to look at the bad side of everything. The fact is Wills is not only brave enough to fly a Chinook hellicopter but brave enough to land one in a relatively small area. Pilots have to gain experience somehow and they do this as they gain flight hours.
It is the same with any training. The amount of credit hours in a certain discipline implies the person has done the work designed to give the person experience in the hours a person spent to gain credit.
I personally would not compare a Chinook helicopter to a formula 1 car. A fair comparison would be taking a test run in a stealth plane in my opinion, and Wills doesn't appear to be using one of those for his training as far as I know.
Name: Monika
Comment: Joanne, I don't mean to take you away from your window, but I absolutely love your twist at the end... YES, at least he's in Kate's garden. Lol!
Perhaps he should have flown his father and Camilla from Birkhall to attend a family christening. That would have been a lovely idea. 
