William borrows a company Vehicle.....
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Dan,
I hope he wasn't violating her restricted airspace. And for his sake, I hope it wasn't regarded by her as a clandestine op either.
I hope he wasn't violating her restricted airspace. And for his sake, I hope it wasn't regarded by her as a clandestine op either.
Well said, Clockwork, fully living up to your stated interest of "Seeking truth and promoting common sense and decency".
I'm as ready to laugh as anyone else at off-colour humour, at the right time, in the right place, and in the right company, but I am perfectly certain that Dan D'air, Goudie, Crab etc would not find it half so funny to have their sex life or, more importantly, that of the lady in their life, held up to such readily identifiable public ridicule.
Jock
PS Oh yes, and then there's that wording about "heirs and successors" on that precious scroll that some people have .....
I'm as ready to laugh as anyone else at off-colour humour, at the right time, in the right place, and in the right company, but I am perfectly certain that Dan D'air, Goudie, Crab etc would not find it half so funny to have their sex life or, more importantly, that of the lady in their life, held up to such readily identifiable public ridicule.
Jock
PS Oh yes, and then there's that wording about "heirs and successors" on that precious scroll that some people have .....
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that Dan D'air, Goudie, Crab etc would not find it half so funny
Goudie
My humble apologies - nice to know that we're on the same side and, intriguingly as a result of my slip, you have very neatly amplified precisely the point I was trying to make.
Dan
Amendment acknowledged with thanks - I wasn't offended as such, but am grateful to Goudie for reinforcing my point so succinctly, especially after I accidentally put him in the frame.
Jack
PS One also has to consider the possibility that, now that he is at least an honorary two-winged skygod, the person concerned is perfectly likely to have been introduced to the joys of PPrune as part of his training ....
My humble apologies - nice to know that we're on the same side and, intriguingly as a result of my slip, you have very neatly amplified precisely the point I was trying to make.
Dan
Amendment acknowledged with thanks - I wasn't offended as such, but am grateful to Goudie for reinforcing my point so succinctly, especially after I accidentally put him in the frame.
Jack
PS One also has to consider the possibility that, now that he is at least an honorary two-winged skygod, the person concerned is perfectly likely to have been introduced to the joys of PPrune as part of his training ....
If so, then let's hope he's also grown a thick enough skin to appreciate and withstand a bit of banter.
and perhaps I'm a bad person, but I did find it funny.
and perhaps I'm a bad person, but I did find it funny.
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OK, ok, Post amended. Once again, my apologies to anyone who may have been offended.
DD.
DD.
I wasn't offended - what you posted was harmless craic of the kind that we're all used to, and it was funny. I can't imagine William or Kate being insulted either. I imagine young Harry wearing Nazi regalia was equally as insilting to many.. isn't it lucky that we live in a free society and are allowed the right to say so?
Before anyone asks - yes, I am a monarchist and a father.
A serious waste of Chinook flying hours- according to the Independent.
MoD 'naive' over Prince's joyrides
By Andy McSmith
Thursday, 24 April 2008
The RAF confessed yesterday that it was a public relations disaster to allow Prince William to make five flights in military helicopters for personal reasons. Instructors gave the Prince the chance to take a Chinook to a party, and to a wedding, and to show off to his prospective parents-in-law, and get aerial views of royal residences.
Prince William started his RAF training on 7 January, undergoing an intensive course that saw him awarded his wings on 11 April. On the day he graduated, the RAF heaped praise on the speed with which he picked up flying skills. "He worked every hour he had spare and also mixed in with the boys well," Wing Commander John Cunningham said.
It has become clear, however, that the Prince was actually devoting some of those hours having fun in Chinooks. On 2 April, he flew a Chinook over his father's country home, Highgrove, in Gloucestershire, in what was logged as a training flight. The next day, there was another training flight to Bucklebury, where the parents of his girlfriend, Kate Middleton, live.
On 4 April, he was a guest at a wedding in Hexham, in Northumberland. He flew there by Chinook – no doubt impressing wedding guests.
Five days later, his instructor told him to navigate by using recognisable marker points, including Sandringham, the Queen's residence in Norfolk. Finally on 11 April, the day he received his wings, he flew a Chinook to London, picked up his younger brother Harry, and flew to the Isle of Wight, where the Princess Royal's's son, Peter Phillips, was having a stag party.
The Ministry of Defence apologised, in the hope of defusing the anger of other service families at a time when the MoD budget is being squeezed, and admitted "there was a degree of naivety in the planning of these sorties".
MoD 'naive' over Prince's joyrides
By Andy McSmith
Thursday, 24 April 2008
The RAF confessed yesterday that it was a public relations disaster to allow Prince William to make five flights in military helicopters for personal reasons. Instructors gave the Prince the chance to take a Chinook to a party, and to a wedding, and to show off to his prospective parents-in-law, and get aerial views of royal residences.
Prince William started his RAF training on 7 January, undergoing an intensive course that saw him awarded his wings on 11 April. On the day he graduated, the RAF heaped praise on the speed with which he picked up flying skills. "He worked every hour he had spare and also mixed in with the boys well," Wing Commander John Cunningham said.
It has become clear, however, that the Prince was actually devoting some of those hours having fun in Chinooks. On 2 April, he flew a Chinook over his father's country home, Highgrove, in Gloucestershire, in what was logged as a training flight. The next day, there was another training flight to Bucklebury, where the parents of his girlfriend, Kate Middleton, live.
On 4 April, he was a guest at a wedding in Hexham, in Northumberland. He flew there by Chinook – no doubt impressing wedding guests.
Five days later, his instructor told him to navigate by using recognisable marker points, including Sandringham, the Queen's residence in Norfolk. Finally on 11 April, the day he received his wings, he flew a Chinook to London, picked up his younger brother Harry, and flew to the Isle of Wight, where the Princess Royal's's son, Peter Phillips, was having a stag party.
The Ministry of Defence apologised, in the hope of defusing the anger of other service families at a time when the MoD budget is being squeezed, and admitted "there was a degree of naivety in the planning of these sorties".
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devoting some of those hours having fun in Chinooks
Anyway, I'm sure civpop have forgotten all about it by now: apparently Billie Piper might or might not be up the spout.
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?
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?
......... and nor does criticising the witless way in which the Palace and the RAF have handled the Prince's attachment to the RAF make one a dyed-in-the-wool republican or anti-Royalist. Whoever expressed the opinion that these seem like two nice young men, one of whom has earned our respect on the frontline in Afghanistan, but who could perhaps adjust the give:take ratio slightly sums up my feelings perfectly.
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Personally I think Jacko's nailed it pretty well, it's not so much the abuse of the system that has raised the visibilty as the silly attempt to describe it as perfectly normal.
I also think that if you believe a thread that keeps going is annoying, then you should avoid reading it and leave those who wish to keep it going to do so... nobody is forcing anyone to read anything on Pprune for heaven's sake, if the discussion offends you in some way then why are you taking part in it? At one point I thought we were going to get a whole page of people asking when the thread would end, an oblivion that might have occurred had those complaining about the thread forbore from posting on it and bringing it back to the top each time. It isn't rocket science chaps....
Dave
I also think that if you believe a thread that keeps going is annoying, then you should avoid reading it and leave those who wish to keep it going to do so... nobody is forcing anyone to read anything on Pprune for heaven's sake, if the discussion offends you in some way then why are you taking part in it? At one point I thought we were going to get a whole page of people asking when the thread would end, an oblivion that might have occurred had those complaining about the thread forbore from posting on it and bringing it back to the top each time. It isn't rocket science chaps....
Dave
Union Jack
My scroll doesn't say anything about "heirs and successors"......
Have I got a forgery?
Have I been acting under false pretenses all these years?
Does my service to the Crown cease on the demise of the current Queen (who, on a serious note, I very much hope outlives my RAF career by many years).....??
My scroll doesn't say anything about "heirs and successors"......
Have I got a forgery?
Have I been acting under false pretenses all these years?
Does my service to the Crown cease on the demise of the current Queen (who, on a serious note, I very much hope outlives my RAF career by many years).....??
Or maybe some posters should realise that Pprune is not the Mess or the crewroom and all the harumphing and rustling of the Telegraph cannot stop people posting jokes/comments/opinions that some may find distasteful. Yes, illegal and obscene stuff gets ejected by the mods....but a joke about a throbbing chopper in Kate's overgrown allotment....come on, it's banter.
If you think that's bad, take a look at what's on Arrse! Some of the pongo banter there would make your nose bleed.
And another thing.....somebody go into Main Building with it's multi-million pound chairs and modern artwork and tell CAS to chill the fu(k out before he throws vitriol all over an overworked, underpaid, soon-to-PVR SH Force for doing what it was ordered to by the Palace/MOD/sponsors of Op Golden Balls...(Kestrel).
If you think that's bad, take a look at what's on Arrse! Some of the pongo banter there would make your nose bleed.
And another thing.....somebody go into Main Building with it's multi-million pound chairs and modern artwork and tell CAS to chill the fu(k out before he throws vitriol all over an overworked, underpaid, soon-to-PVR SH Force for doing what it was ordered to by the Palace/MOD/sponsors of Op Golden Balls...(Kestrel).
its a PMP......................init?
A nice little earner for one of the snappers on the hill. Looks like it was taken up by the M6 at Tebay. 41 Sqn GR.4.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770
Cheers
TJ
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/liv...n_page_id=1770
Cheers
TJ
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I have, on occasion, managed to quite legitimately use Her Majesty's ac to transport my loins and liver to various soirees but I didn't do it as often and in a condensed period of time as the big lad. Once or twice would have been forgivable but to do it as much with as big a spotlight focussed certainly puts this episode into the aforesaid "naive" bracket. I have no personal problem with anything Wills did with 7 because I do believe that there is not enough legitimate fun to be had anymore and we should engender a positive attitude to the forces in our future regent. But seriously folks, does this guy not have some sort of a press agent?
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Wow. 175 posts and counting. Seems like a few nerves have been tweaked by this “non-story.”
There’s a real chance that something similar might happen when PW does his RN time.
“Collective errors of judgment” such as the Chinook non-story are less likely if the dreaded Red Carpet Fever can be kept at bay.
It helps to remember that our allegiance is to the Sovereign – a position PW is unlikely to reach until around the time of the centenaries of the Battles of Britain/ Bismarck/Alamein (incidentally, what better time for the new king to receive flying badges, submariners’ dolphins, green berets, garters etc etc).
Until then, even instinctive royalists can be reassured that dissent is not to be confused with disloyalty. Assisting her offspring’s offspring to embarrass themselves is a service the Crown doesn’t ask - let alone oblige - us to perform.
Plus, the harrumphers might recognise that the tabloids we love to hate are the very same ones so assiduously courted by palace spin doctors – often hawking (or suppressing) stories about “The Boys.” The services should stay aloof from this palace/press backscratching.
Meanwhile we can... be grateful the younger Windsors are keen to wear uniform, enjoy their company, encourage their understanding of military matters - and help them avoid mistakes they’re as likely to make as the rest of us.
Now - bring on the Dark Blue. Op Golden Rivet anyone?
There’s a real chance that something similar might happen when PW does his RN time.
“Collective errors of judgment” such as the Chinook non-story are less likely if the dreaded Red Carpet Fever can be kept at bay.
It helps to remember that our allegiance is to the Sovereign – a position PW is unlikely to reach until around the time of the centenaries of the Battles of Britain/ Bismarck/Alamein (incidentally, what better time for the new king to receive flying badges, submariners’ dolphins, green berets, garters etc etc).
Until then, even instinctive royalists can be reassured that dissent is not to be confused with disloyalty. Assisting her offspring’s offspring to embarrass themselves is a service the Crown doesn’t ask - let alone oblige - us to perform.
Plus, the harrumphers might recognise that the tabloids we love to hate are the very same ones so assiduously courted by palace spin doctors – often hawking (or suppressing) stories about “The Boys.” The services should stay aloof from this palace/press backscratching.
Meanwhile we can... be grateful the younger Windsors are keen to wear uniform, enjoy their company, encourage their understanding of military matters - and help them avoid mistakes they’re as likely to make as the rest of us.
Now - bring on the Dark Blue. Op Golden Rivet anyone?
