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?

......... 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.

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

Billy Piper is up the duff???? How did that happen???

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).....??

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.:rolleyes:

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).

He cant have flown over Highgrove:= its a PMP......................init?:rolleyes:

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

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?

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?

Daily Mail
"taken on the 80-minute sortie from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire"

I didn't know that Coningsby had Muds:8

Not much of a :8 are you!!!!


Never heard of 41(R) Sqn, the Fast Jet & Weapons OEU, it has Harriers and Tornado GR4 aircraft, it is based at RAF Coningsby!

Video of the 41(R) Sqn GR.4 going through Tebay/M6 Looks like a 41 (R) Sqn Harrier leading.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...icle300101.ece

Cheers

TJ

What does make me wonder - just how much of a taste of the RAF has William had in his attachment to the RAF? All he seems to have done is break up his time between partying with jollies. Has he chatted to apprentices in training, gunners doing pre deployment training, MCSU chefs, SWOs, people undergoing resettlement etc etc? I wonder. To look back fondly on a few months of flying about, without having an understanding of what makes the RAF tick under the surface seems like educating someone in the price of something, but the value of nothing.

And if someone of influence is reading, can someone please tell Harry to get A F:mad:KING HAIRCUT? The pretentious little hobbyist looks like a bag of ****. Compare him with the subaltern from 3 Para being interviewed yesterday. In fact, don't. There is no comparison to be had.

I think that your selling Harry a bit short there AIR.

Anyway I thought it was a perk of the job as a normal pongo officer to have a wavy floppy haircut?

Fair one - he's only Cav after all. This precis of 3 Para at the moment is worth a few minutes. Not much floppy hair there.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7364357.stm

From the Daily Mail article:

Oh are they going to hell for that one!! :E

Roland, that quote nicely sums up just how much crap is published about PW's flying activities.

L/Cpl Philip Briggs - Fantastic sideys mate!!

Indeed, nice lamb chops. :ok:

I was fixed once, by Mike Jackson's beady gaze and he boomed: 'Aha! The only person in theatre with longer hair than me!'. The RSM's eyes widened and afterwards, as he hunted me down, we skipped town pronto.

For those who know him, I was with Ernie Kay at the time.