Pilot Officer Windsor anyone?
Rudekid, you told me other day you were just a bus driver! However, just to add fuel to your fire, the Royal Marines didn't see fit to give his Uncle Edward a green beret.
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Great to see the BBC at their usual high level of reporting 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7170927.stm
They will no doubt change it later when some dullard realises the mistake.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7170927.stm
Group Captain Nick Seward said as future head of the armed forces it was important that William understood the "ethos and history" of the Navy.
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"STRICT EMBARGO UNTIL 0001 HOURS 4 JANUARY 2008
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE / ROYAL AIR FORCE"
Oh dear ... even with that amount of time to get the story right, dear old Aunty Beeb can't hack it
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7170927.stm
From that story:
Prince William is to train as a pilot during a four-month attachment with the Royal Air Force.
As Flying Officer Wales, he will fly helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft at the RAF's school in Lincolnshire.
Group Captain Nick Seward said as future head of the armed forces it was important that William understood the "ethos and history" of the Navy.
Errrr, EXCUSE ME .. THE NAVY???????
Is there something we should know?
Edit: Bonzonar beat me to it but I was typing at the time
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE / ROYAL AIR FORCE"
Oh dear ... even with that amount of time to get the story right, dear old Aunty Beeb can't hack it
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7170927.stm
From that story:
Prince William is to train as a pilot during a four-month attachment with the Royal Air Force.
As Flying Officer Wales, he will fly helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft at the RAF's school in Lincolnshire.
Group Captain Nick Seward said as future head of the armed forces it was important that William understood the "ethos and history" of the Navy.
Errrr, EXCUSE ME .. THE NAVY???????
Is there something we should know?
Edit: Bonzonar beat me to it but I was typing at the time
Last edited by cargosales; 4th Jan 2008 at 00:26. Reason: Benzonar beat me to it
Or it could be that the Group Captain was being terribly 'purple'.
(And no prizes Army/RN Ppruners for suggesting that the RAF doesn't have a history or ethos for HRH to learn about...)
(And no prizes Army/RN Ppruners for suggesting that the RAF doesn't have a history or ethos for HRH to learn about...)
I'll mak siccar
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Old story:
War Office complains to Air Council and Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that officers of the RAF and officers of the RN refer to army officers as "Pongoes". Dashed offensive! What? Kindly cease and desist!
Air Ministry issues AMO: "The War Office has informed the Air Council that officers of the Royal Air Force are in the habit of referring to Army Officers as 'Pongoes'. This practice will cease forthwith. Officers of the Royal Air Force will refer to Army Officers as 'Army Officers'.
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty issue an AFO: "The War Office has informed the Lords Commisioners of the Admiralty that officers of the Royal Navy are in the habit of referring to Pongoes as 'Pongoes'. This practice will cease forthwith. Officers of the Royal Navy will refer to Pongoes as 'Army Officers'.
Good Golly Miss Molly! Truth becomes stranger than fiction. Manoeuvre well executed, Gp Capt Seward!
War Office complains to Air Council and Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that officers of the RAF and officers of the RN refer to army officers as "Pongoes". Dashed offensive! What? Kindly cease and desist!
Air Ministry issues AMO: "The War Office has informed the Air Council that officers of the Royal Air Force are in the habit of referring to Army Officers as 'Pongoes'. This practice will cease forthwith. Officers of the Royal Air Force will refer to Army Officers as 'Army Officers'.
Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty issue an AFO: "The War Office has informed the Lords Commisioners of the Admiralty that officers of the Royal Navy are in the habit of referring to Pongoes as 'Pongoes'. This practice will cease forthwith. Officers of the Royal Navy will refer to Pongoes as 'Army Officers'.
Good Golly Miss Molly! Truth becomes stranger than fiction. Manoeuvre well executed, Gp Capt Seward!
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Journos must read this site (or have their ears burning)
Beeb Website updated to read:
Group Captain Nick Seward said as future head of the armed forces it was important that William understood the "ethos and history" of the RAF.
Group Captain Nick Seward said as future head of the armed forces it was important that William understood the "ethos and history" of the RAF.
Prince William to train as pilot
On completion of his "course" will he be entitled to wear RAF Wings above all the medals mummy is bound to give him?
BBC News 4th January 2008
Prince William serves with the Household Cavalry
Prince William is to train as a pilot during a four-month attachment with the Royal Air Force.
As Flying Officer Wales, he will fly helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft at the RAF's school in Lincolnshire.
Group Captain Nick Seward said as future head of the armed forces it was important that William understood the "ethos and history" of the RAF.
His instructor, Flight Lieutenant Rob Lees, said he faced a "very demanding" course just like any other trainee.
After a year in the Army as part of the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals, this will be the latest stage in Prince William's military training.
In early summer, he will start a final attachment with the Royal Navy.
Future role
The BBC's royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said learning to fly was both a family tradition and personal ambition for William.
Group Captain Seward said: "The idea of him coming for a four-month attachment is to prepare him for his future as head of the armed forces.
He will have a limited amount of time to achieve the right standards so it's very demanding
Flight Lieutenant Rob Lees
"It's important that he sees our ethos, our history and how we differ from the Army."
Prince William will begin his pilot's training at RAF Cranwell on Monday.
Flight Lieutenant Lees said he would be treated just like any other new recruit.
"All our students have time constraints that they have to get all the skills and achieve all the required standards in," he said.
"And Prince William will go through the same thing.
"He will have a limited amount of time to achieve the right standards so it's very demanding."
William follows in the footsteps of his uncle Prince Andrew who learned to fly at RAF Leeming, Yorkshire and served with distinction in the Falklands War on the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible.
Prince Charles also learned to fly at RAF Cranwell in 1971 and later qualified as a helicopter pilot.
He served with 845 Naval Air Squadron on commando flying duties, operating from the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes.
BBC News 4th January 2008
Prince William serves with the Household Cavalry
Prince William is to train as a pilot during a four-month attachment with the Royal Air Force.
As Flying Officer Wales, he will fly helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft at the RAF's school in Lincolnshire.
Group Captain Nick Seward said as future head of the armed forces it was important that William understood the "ethos and history" of the RAF.
His instructor, Flight Lieutenant Rob Lees, said he faced a "very demanding" course just like any other trainee.
After a year in the Army as part of the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals, this will be the latest stage in Prince William's military training.
In early summer, he will start a final attachment with the Royal Navy.
Future role
The BBC's royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said learning to fly was both a family tradition and personal ambition for William.
Group Captain Seward said: "The idea of him coming for a four-month attachment is to prepare him for his future as head of the armed forces.
He will have a limited amount of time to achieve the right standards so it's very demanding
Flight Lieutenant Rob Lees
"It's important that he sees our ethos, our history and how we differ from the Army."
Prince William will begin his pilot's training at RAF Cranwell on Monday.
Flight Lieutenant Lees said he would be treated just like any other new recruit.
"All our students have time constraints that they have to get all the skills and achieve all the required standards in," he said.
"And Prince William will go through the same thing.
"He will have a limited amount of time to achieve the right standards so it's very demanding."
William follows in the footsteps of his uncle Prince Andrew who learned to fly at RAF Leeming, Yorkshire and served with distinction in the Falklands War on the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible.
Prince Charles also learned to fly at RAF Cranwell in 1971 and later qualified as a helicopter pilot.
He served with 845 Naval Air Squadron on commando flying duties, operating from the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes.
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Quote "On completion of his "course" will he be entitled to wear RAF Wings above all the medals mummy is bound to give him?" Unquote
His mummy couldn't award stuff when she was alive, so it is going to be a bit difficult now she is pushing up daisys!
His mummy couldn't award stuff when she was alive, so it is going to be a bit difficult now she is pushing up daisys!
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Prince William to train as pilot
"On completion of his "course" will he be entitled to wear RAF Wings above all the medals mummy is bound to give him?"
I must be getting old, I thought you had to complete OCU successfully before being allowed to retain the Pilot Brevet? Anyway even to "wings" standard , 4 months will mean a significant hourly flying rate. Given the peculiarities of the British weather that will be some achivement eh?
Not sure how 4 months of expensive flying training will teach him the "ethos and history" of the RAF. Can't he learn this by reading a book or sitting in a less expensive classroom.
Never mind me folks, I must be getting cynical with the advancing years.
I must be getting old, I thought you had to complete OCU successfully before being allowed to retain the Pilot Brevet? Anyway even to "wings" standard , 4 months will mean a significant hourly flying rate. Given the peculiarities of the British weather that will be some achivement eh?
Not sure how 4 months of expensive flying training will teach him the "ethos and history" of the RAF. Can't he learn this by reading a book or sitting in a less expensive classroom.
Never mind me folks, I must be getting cynical with the advancing years.
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So, if you read the Beeb website then they would have us believe that Prince William has a personal ambition to train as a pilot.
Well that's ok then. He should cream the whole lot in 4 months and achieve his goal.
4 Months!!!!!!! If it were my trainset (as has been quoted sooo many times on here) and I had a personal ambition to train as a pilot then I would do the bloody thing properly.
I wonder how many bods at Cranditz will waffle to the media today about how it will be very tough and he will have to make the grade etc etc etc. That's like saying that obviously the chocolate teapot will be expected to boil water just like any other teapot. At the very least they should brief that it normally takes 3 years to train as pilot but Prince William is just having a familiarisation. Otherwise those dumb lot in the media will be reporting that flying training only lasts 4 months. I'll be screwed as my other half will wonder where I was for the other 2 years!!
Fair enough that he wants to "have a stab" (not the same stabbing as Uncle Ted) but come on people, tell the sodding truth!
Well that's ok then. He should cream the whole lot in 4 months and achieve his goal.
4 Months!!!!!!! If it were my trainset (as has been quoted sooo many times on here) and I had a personal ambition to train as a pilot then I would do the bloody thing properly.
I wonder how many bods at Cranditz will waffle to the media today about how it will be very tough and he will have to make the grade etc etc etc. That's like saying that obviously the chocolate teapot will be expected to boil water just like any other teapot. At the very least they should brief that it normally takes 3 years to train as pilot but Prince William is just having a familiarisation. Otherwise those dumb lot in the media will be reporting that flying training only lasts 4 months. I'll be screwed as my other half will wonder where I was for the other 2 years!!
Fair enough that he wants to "have a stab" (not the same stabbing as Uncle Ted) but come on people, tell the sodding truth!
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Flight Lieutenant Lees said he would be treated just like any other new recruit.
.....and when his cab is u/s on start the sortie will be cancelled as there are no others?
...and if the weather is crap the sortie will go anyway because that is character building.
Is he going to fly with the Navy afterwards?? Rumour I heard was that he wants to be a Sarboy.
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" the Royal Marines didn't see fit to give his Uncle Edward a green beret."
As the T-shirt says.....
'You can turn a Frog into a Prince, but you can't turn a prince into a Royal Marine'
I can't believe all of this whinghing that going on. Last time I looked it said Royal Airforce on the tin, he's a Royal so I guess that if not now then at some point in the future you belong to him (in name only). Mind you the RAF by then will probably consist of 10 Predator UAV's, 20 x 13 year old spotty Playstation geeks and an Alsatian guard dog called Bert.
If the Prince wants to see what it's like in all 3 services doing the fun bits then let him, I bet you wouldnt turn down the opportunity for 3 years swanning around officers messes and only doing the interesting aspects of each job.
At the end of the day you'll see RAF Roundels and Typhoons splashed all over the Mail/Sun/Express front pages and good publicity all round. Some of you may even get one of those "Oh ya, I know King willy" stories that you can yarn on about at dinner parties when your old.
As the T-shirt says.....
'You can turn a Frog into a Prince, but you can't turn a prince into a Royal Marine'
I can't believe all of this whinghing that going on. Last time I looked it said Royal Airforce on the tin, he's a Royal so I guess that if not now then at some point in the future you belong to him (in name only). Mind you the RAF by then will probably consist of 10 Predator UAV's, 20 x 13 year old spotty Playstation geeks and an Alsatian guard dog called Bert.
If the Prince wants to see what it's like in all 3 services doing the fun bits then let him, I bet you wouldnt turn down the opportunity for 3 years swanning around officers messes and only doing the interesting aspects of each job.
At the end of the day you'll see RAF Roundels and Typhoons splashed all over the Mail/Sun/Express front pages and good publicity all round. Some of you may even get one of those "Oh ya, I know King willy" stories that you can yarn on about at dinner parties when your old.
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So the future King is going to learn FW and RW to wings standard AND learn our ethos / history AND (more importantly) convince JPA he's in the RAF not the Army AND get his travel claim sorted out. All in 4 months! Impressive. Hope the wannabe's up above have noted this course progression and request it during their OASC interview.
On the bright side, this
will prevent him falling out of Boujis with Kate. What's Lincoln like these days?
Look forward to seeing Wills up here at ISK if the Lincs wx is as shown today!
On the bright side, this
demanding course
Look forward to seeing Wills up here at ISK if the Lincs wx is as shown today!
What's Lincoln like these days?
Not worth visiting since the Saracen's Head closed down.
Anybody know if the Co-op Ballroom is still going strong?
Anybody know if the Co-op Ballroom is still going strong?
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Foreign Royals?
Granted that those foreign types are not the same as our chaps and their armed forces are distinctly different if not inferior . . . but when Baudouin succeeded to the Belgian throne, he decided he should do the pilot course to earn his wings.
He was short-sighted; the Belgian CAS told him that he didn't meet the medical standards required for a pilot. So the king never did have the brevet on his uniform.
Willem Alexander, currently Crown Prince of the Netherlands, earned his the hard way and spent several years flying cabs for the RNethAF - including in support of the operations in the Balkans. Indeed, he drew the Christmas duty more than once.
Finally, Hussein of Jordan. Great pilot who had a Swiss airline rating amongst other things. The Swiss, not being great monarchists, gave him a hard time but he qualified with exceeding good marks. He also had an impressive military pedigree.
Incidentally, Albert later George VI never flew solo. Dad, George V who gave himself the wings on the grounds it was his damned Air Force, decreed that none of his sons should fly on their own. Both George and David (Edward VIII) did their 'solo' flights with an instructor who promised faithfully not to handle the controls.
This fine royal tradition was broken by the Duke of Kent (killed during WW2) who qualified in the normal manner all the way up to multi-engined.
In truth, I don't see how William devote three years to training but a quickie course will turn him out better qualified than a First World war pilot . . . And they wore the badge.
He was short-sighted; the Belgian CAS told him that he didn't meet the medical standards required for a pilot. So the king never did have the brevet on his uniform.
Willem Alexander, currently Crown Prince of the Netherlands, earned his the hard way and spent several years flying cabs for the RNethAF - including in support of the operations in the Balkans. Indeed, he drew the Christmas duty more than once.
Finally, Hussein of Jordan. Great pilot who had a Swiss airline rating amongst other things. The Swiss, not being great monarchists, gave him a hard time but he qualified with exceeding good marks. He also had an impressive military pedigree.
Incidentally, Albert later George VI never flew solo. Dad, George V who gave himself the wings on the grounds it was his damned Air Force, decreed that none of his sons should fly on their own. Both George and David (Edward VIII) did their 'solo' flights with an instructor who promised faithfully not to handle the controls.
This fine royal tradition was broken by the Duke of Kent (killed during WW2) who qualified in the normal manner all the way up to multi-engined.
In truth, I don't see how William devote three years to training but a quickie course will turn him out better qualified than a First World war pilot . . . And they wore the badge.
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So will every cab he takes up be classed as a royal flight then? I remember when HRH the Duke of Edinburgh went flying on one of ours we had to pull all the Out of Phase inspections early and do a **** lot of maintenance (just in case I suppose) Lots of polish and floor tape as well if I remember. Wouldnt want to be a groundie at linton or shawbury thats for sure even if they are all civvies.