Prince Harry - Apache Pilot
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Quality Royals
There is some unfair stuff drifting in here, we should be proud the Royals are doing their stuff in harms way
Both Princes are a credit to our country, each according to his character; one thoughtful hard working totally dedicated and the other a dashing sort. We can all see bits of the person we would like to be in each of them
The trainers have the same problem as other fields, nursing, driving, painting et all; the worst outcome is; you sign them up and it goes wrong
No doubt this is especially to be avoided now and so they are likely to have been carefully scrutenised and corrected where necessary
In peacetime those joining squadrons could expect a fair workup to a war footing but present joiners may be "at the front right" smartly
Both Princes are a credit to our country, each according to his character; one thoughtful hard working totally dedicated and the other a dashing sort. We can all see bits of the person we would like to be in each of them
The trainers have the same problem as other fields, nursing, driving, painting et all; the worst outcome is; you sign them up and it goes wrong
No doubt this is especially to be avoided now and so they are likely to have been carefully scrutenised and corrected where necessary
In peacetime those joining squadrons could expect a fair workup to a war footing but present joiners may be "at the front right" smartly
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Good on them both. I very much doubt they required special treatment. They seem to be made of good stuff, just like their recent forebears. Prince Edward not getting his green hat only serves to reinforce the point (and all power to him for trying).
I think it would also be a huge boost to moral if Pippa was to join up.
I think it would also be a huge boost to moral if Pippa was to join up.
Fantastic that both the princes have qualified on such demanding courses despite having so many high-profile commitments and distractions not suffered by others. I'm sure they share the same personal concerns, too.
BZ to both of them.
BZ to both of them.
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I don't fully agree with Training Risky's argument, but he had made one statement that I'm in full agreement with:
Prince Harry has already been prevented from serving with his unit in Afghanistan amid the fears that he would be a high-profile target and therefore increase the risk to himself and to his men. Prince Harry had trained with his troop, and was aghast to be told that he couldn't serve with them.
I believe that Prince Harry is as capable as any officer in the British Army, and I daresay that he won his award on merit alone. However, media interest will probably prevent him from ever deploying on dangerous operations.
Its also the same with Prince William. Just a brief look at his service history shows unique experience. Afterall, how many officers have served in the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force?
Originally Posted by Training Risky
due to their status as royal princes they will NEVER be just another officer or just another pilot.
I believe that Prince Harry is as capable as any officer in the British Army, and I daresay that he won his award on merit alone. However, media interest will probably prevent him from ever deploying on dangerous operations.
Its also the same with Prince William. Just a brief look at his service history shows unique experience. Afterall, how many officers have served in the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force?
Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
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Can someone answer me a question ,
It's reported that the prince has qualified as a "pilot" but in the link on the BBC website.he's sitting in the front seat of the apache. Is that not the WO position? And the fact he won a Award for top of his class for shooting ?
It's reported that the prince has qualified as a "pilot" but in the link on the BBC website.he's sitting in the front seat of the apache. Is that not the WO position? And the fact he won a Award for top of his class for shooting ?
The Apache course in the USA may possibly sort out those who are best in which seat?
Does anybody know?, does it matter?
God bless the pair of them for stepping up to the plate.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Why Granddad like nothing better than flying a Nimrod from Sandringham to Balmoral
Its also the same with Prince William. Just a brief look at his service history shows unique experience. Afterall, how many officers have served in the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force?
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Not to forget that daddy and granddad were also accomplished pilots flying all sorts like 146 and Nimrod.
http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/65F3C...00_29jun94.pdf
these guys have achieved something that c 95% of the population have not got the ability to do!
they passed their courses through their own efforts, just like everyone else.
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Prince Harry has already been prevented from serving with his unit in Afghanistan amid the fears that he would be a high-profile target and therefore increase the risk to himself and to his men. Prince Harry had trained with his troop, and was aghast to be told that he couldn't serve with them.
I believe that Prince Harry is as capable as any officer in the British Army, and I daresay that he won his award on merit alone. However, media interest will probably prevent him from ever deploying on dangerous operations.
I believe that Prince Harry is as capable as any officer in the British Army, and I daresay that he won his award on merit alone. However, media interest will probably prevent him from ever deploying on dangerous operations.
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"While they may have passed their courses through their own efforts (and this is debatable), it certainly wasn't their own efforts that got them onto their courses in the first place."
Can't penalise him for who his parents are.
And I am sure the Military gets plenty of free advertising mileage out of them being in the armed forces and serving in the various services so it cuts both ways.
Would the top brass really have put Capt Wales onto the Apache course if they didn't think he had the aptitude / skills to at least have a good chance of passing ?
Considering the media interest, I think putting him on the course and having him wash out would not have been a good look and he maybe would have been "steered" in another direction.
Can't penalise him for who his parents are.
And I am sure the Military gets plenty of free advertising mileage out of them being in the armed forces and serving in the various services so it cuts both ways.
Would the top brass really have put Capt Wales onto the Apache course if they didn't think he had the aptitude / skills to at least have a good chance of passing ?
Considering the media interest, I think putting him on the course and having him wash out would not have been a good look and he maybe would have been "steered" in another direction.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Maybe Princes do get some slack in flying hours, if in the opinion of the QFIs / QWIs they will come good in the end. This is no different to ordinary mortals, and I was bloody grateful for this myself in training.
As to the media stuff - they always sit pilots in the front of any aircraft, any aircraft with two crew has two pilots, and it doesn't matter how many times you tell them otherwise. They have a stereotype, and neither they nor the RAF PR types are prepared to change that. Since the stereotype is that we are "The Few" with a bit of "Top Gun" mixed in, it's not worth arguing about.
As to the media stuff - they always sit pilots in the front of any aircraft, any aircraft with two crew has two pilots, and it doesn't matter how many times you tell them otherwise. They have a stereotype, and neither they nor the RAF PR types are prepared to change that. Since the stereotype is that we are "The Few" with a bit of "Top Gun" mixed in, it's not worth arguing about.
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The stuff on here would be better in the Daily Mirror. These 'insights' are similar to the crazy conspiracy theories of who killed Princess Diana - did MI6 really do it and surely we should be told? Whether MI6 would have done it or not turned out to be irrelevant - they did not have to as a drunken French driver in the pay of her idle layabout boyfriend's corrupt and decadent Egyptian father did the job for them. Similarly, you can argue whether or not Royal Princes would be unfairly helped through flying training or not, should the need arise. Boring as it is for the conspiracy theorists to accept, they have not had to as they have made it comfortably through under their own steam. As others have wisely said, no one would publicly speculate about their colleagues' ability on here - why do it with Prince Harry? He has proven himself to be a popular and capable officer who has won prizes for his ability. You can only hide a lack of ability for so long - if you hand out flying and gunnery prizes to someone who cannot fly a kite then someone, somewhere on one of his courses will let the cat out the bag. As that has not happened, I stand by the view that he is a competent guy who is serving his country in dangerous times - just as his Uncle did so willingly before him. If that were any other family in this country, we would applaud and admire it - I choose to do just that in Harry's case.
Originally Posted by Top Bunk Tester
Taking pride of place in my downstairs loo is a small framed section of the hull of a ship I impaled on a steel-capped pile during a particulary heavy berthing on a gusty Friday afternoon with an onshore Force 8 and no tugs available. This keepsake was presented to me by my ship's company when, still a relatively junior officer, I relinquished Command a year later. Why was my ship's company so appreciative? It was their final opportunity to take weekend leave after a long and demanding work-up before deploying east of Suez for eight months. By not standing off or going to anchor, they were in time to catch their trains home.
Fortunately for me, this was at a time when my entire competence and subsequent career weren't judged on the basis of a single incident. The damage was repaired by the time we left UK but I still received a well-deserved rollicking from CINCFLEET for breaking his ship.
Last edited by FODPlod; 9th Feb 2012 at 14:33.
Avoid imitations
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While we're on the subject, how many flex hours did each pilot receive? Was it more than Joe Bloggs on the same course?