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Old 11th Jun 2014, 16:34
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BolkowBill
 
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HRH stating an ambition to fly AA helis has already raised the profile and shows him as a future monarch with a real conscience and a sense of duty (IMHO).
However, there are a raft of practical issues with him flying an Air Ambulance in this country. All of Bond's current Air Amb operations are single pilot and, at this stage, he doesn't really have the hours, let alone command hours that would put a 'normal' pilot in the frame for a job. I accept that he clearly isn't a normal pilot but I'd question the likelihood of BAS making an exception, particularly such a high-profile one.
Someone earlier made a comment regarding the Prince's close protection; there is a spare seat in an Ec135 but this may be needed for a doctor or parent in the case of carrying a young child.
So does one of his CP guards get paramedic training as a solution? The problem there is that they will be required to attend the patient, supporting the other paramedic/doctor and that may require them to leave HRH unattended.
Also, every Air Ambulance landing anywhere in East Anglia is likely to find itself swarmed with onlookers every time it lands in the hope that they will get to meet (and probably take a 'selfie' with) the heir to the throne. Which, as those of you who have flown Air Amb will know, can be a Royal Pain in the Arse (no pun intended).
So whilst I admire his sentiment and desire and applaud the publicity that it has generated, I believe that it's simply not practical. And if it did, I DO pity the Bond Ops department that would have to try and work out a shift roster for him with the necessary flexibility to allow his Royal duties to take place. Yowch!
Nice idea though, eh?
Whoever said he take a post back in the soon-to-be privatised SAR system has probably made the most plausible suggestion.
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