Radio 4 earlier today

[barnstormer1968]

I was listening to the 11am news on Radio 4, and there was an item about Prince William.

It said that Prince William will complete his helicopter training today, and that he would be presented with a 'badge' by his father!

So, for all the posters who have said he hasn't earned any wings....You may be right!. Any guesses as to what kind of badge this will be?

[Low Ball]

Flying Badge

Barnstormer,

IIRC, from my time as aircrew, 'Wings' are known as the Flying Badge. So the award of Wings would be known as the award of the Flying Badge.

LB

[beerdrinker]

From today's Torygraph on line:

"He was granted Provisional Wings in 2007 after completing a bespoke course designed to introduce him to the RAF and flying. "

"Flt Lt William Wales was presented with his flying badge during a graduation ceremony at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire by the Prince of Wales, in his capacity as Air Chief Marshal,

Prince William successfully completed year-long Advanced Rotary Training at RAF Shawbury after training on twin-engined Griffins to become a full-time pilot with the Royal Air Force's Search and Rescue Force (SARF). The Ministry of Defence said he passed with "flying colours".

He is due to begin a Search and Rescue Conversion Course at RAF Valley in Anglesey in Wales where he will be taught to fly Sea King helicopters after he returns from his first official overseas trip representing the Queen to New Zealand and Australia"

So we can stop wingeing abour him wearing his wings. He has now earned them.

[vecvechookattack]

And you can take it from me that he is a lot better pilot than his dad and heaps better than his Uncle... His Stab out circuits were really quite good.

[minigundiplomat]

And you can take it from me that he is a lot better pilot than his dad and heaps better than his Uncle... His Stab out circuits were really quite good.

Ah, it all makes sense now vec. Are you an LFA9 warrior on 705 by chance?

[barnstormer1968]

Hmm.
Maybe I have been mis understood (and probably my own fault too )

I was not trying to say anything bad about William, but rather, I was commenting on the BBC's choice of word for wings or brevet, hence my comment on him not earning his wings.
I actually feel the story should have had more prominence, as while we are in a monarchistic society, if royalty achieve something, then it should be noted.

I have no idea as to whether he is a good pilot, or how good an officer Harry may be, but do hear many positive things about the pair of them, and have no reason to doubt what I hear.

[JFZ90]

...I thought at first this was a cryptic reference to brown wings. Has he got those?

[VX275]

One of the early Radio 4 announcements let slip the fact that the RAF have a new base (to me at least) as the Wings parade was going to be held at RAF Shrewsbury.

[NP20]

Flt Lt William Wales was presented with his flying badge during a graduation ceremony at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire by the Prince of Wales, in his capacity as Air Chief Marshal

That family must be big fans of Mr Benn for all the different uniforms that they wear...