It's not really right to paint anyone who objects to this as being a dedicated Killjoy, determined to stamp on everybody's fun. I can't speak for everyone who has raised an eyebrow at HRH's Chinook jollies, but I suspect that many will share the view that there is absolutely no problem at all with those who have completed EFT, BFT and AFT, and who are training to fly Chinooks on the frontline having as much fun flying Chinooks as is humanly possible. I hope that many of them are able to fly over their parental homes, their old schools, etc. and that their landaways are to interesting and fun places.
I'm entirely convinced that 'fun' training is good training.
But Cornet Wales is not going to be a Chinook pilot, nor has he completed the training necessary to take full advantage of time in the left hand seat of a Chinook.
We keep being told that HRH was receiving much the same training as everyone else, and won his wings in the same way - and was effectively being treated just like any other student pilot. Had he flown these 'jollies' in a Squirrel or a Griffin, that would be one thing (unusual, but justifiable), but as it is, this wasn't 'relevant and appropriate training' for him - it was effectively allocating a Chinook as a Royal taxi.
Had the RAF had the gumption to admit as much, while pointing out the training value to the crew, few people would have batted an eyelid, but the insistence that this was entirely normal, and a routine and justifiable part of HRH's training lacks credibility.
Presumably the Chinook OCF has plenty of capacity for those coming out of AFT? No-one has to hold, or anything like that? And there's plenty of slack in the budgeted flying hours?