Prince William expected to fly Sea King helicopter in Prince Edward Island
HALIFAX - Prince William has been cleared to fly a Sea King helicopter during a flight demonstration Monday in Prince Edward Island, the Canadian military has confirmed.
The 29-year-old prince has flown Sea Kings before, having served in the Royal Air Force as a search and rescue pilot since September 2010.
The prince and his wife Kate are to arrive in Ottawa on Thursday to begin a tour that will also take them to Quebec, the Northwest Territories and Alberta, before leaving July 8 for California.
The couple is slated to arrive in Charlottetown on Sunday night before departing the next morning for Dalvay by-the-Sea, the waterfront resort where William is expected to board a CH124 Sea King with at least two Canadian military pilots and a navigator.
Military spokesman Lt. Tyrone Grande said Wednesday the prince will be on board the aircraft during a so-called waterbirding demonstration, which will involve landing the amphibious helicopter on Dalvay Lake.
The training manoeuvre is designed to simulate an emergency landing.
"His Royal Highness will be flying the aircraft ... with guidance from our crew," Grande said in an interview from 12 Wing Shearwater, the Halifax-area airbase that is home to the Atlantic fleet of Sea Kings.
One of the pilots aboard the helicopter will be Col. Sam Michaud, wing commander at Shearwater.
Canadian Sea King pilots undergo one hour of waterbird training annually.
After the helicopter flight, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — with at least 400 members of the media in tow — will take part in a dragon boat race on the lake before leaving for Summerside, P.E.I., for more search and rescue demonstrations.
The couple leave for Yellowknife that night.