Fifty years ago I was a young co-pilot on Argosys at Benson. I was also a keen member of the Chilterns Gliding Club. Benson was also the home of The Queen's Flight.
We didn't have radios then but we had a strict rule that if ATC fired off a red flare, we had to make a decision. If we were soaring and able to clear the circuit and stay airborne then we could continue, otherwise we had to come in and land.
One beautiful summers afternoon I was soaring with a pupil in an open cockpit Slingsby T-21 when up came the red flare. We were now south of the airfield and on top of the Chilterns so we stayed airborne.
Next thing was the noise of a helicopter. It got louder and louder and it didn't matter which way I turned, I couldn't see it. Eventually it sounded like it was right in the open cockpit with us.
Eventually, a Royal Wessex appeared alongside and, with a wave, it went off to land at Benson. It was Ron K. (who was Phillip's helicopter pilot) on his way back from Windsor Castle and he decided to have some fun!
The Navy always were a bit different!