Prince Harry to become helo pilot?
Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
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He'll have to pass all the exams other Army helicopter pilots are required to pass. It used to be the CEB exams set by the RAF for flying subjects and Army exams for Tactics, Gunnery, Signals etc. but that has probably all changed now.
I don't think Harry will be expected to pass CPL(H) theory.
I don't think Harry will be expected to pass CPL(H) theory.
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Rotorwings: As Billy Connolly once said “I think the Queen should be saved and God is the very fellow to do it!”
Seriously though, if her Grandsons are willing to sign up and learn to fly with the Services then good luck to them, just as long as they are assessed honestly and they don’t end up costing some poor, maybe more capable, hopeful a place on the course. But that’s unlikely to happen is it? Similarly, if it turns out they aren’t good enough (it’s not a crime) they should be dropped from the course. But we all know that it won’t happen either!
And SOLO means SOLO not having a safety pilot as a chaperone!!
Then once they’re qualified they can look forward to Stag Weekends the length and breadth of the Country!!
Seriously though, if her Grandsons are willing to sign up and learn to fly with the Services then good luck to them, just as long as they are assessed honestly and they don’t end up costing some poor, maybe more capable, hopeful a place on the course. But that’s unlikely to happen is it? Similarly, if it turns out they aren’t good enough (it’s not a crime) they should be dropped from the course. But we all know that it won’t happen either!
And SOLO means SOLO not having a safety pilot as a chaperone!!
Then once they’re qualified they can look forward to Stag Weekends the length and breadth of the Country!!
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It's all very well criticising the more important members of the Royal family for the choices they make but the reality is that there are few choices available to them. They have to try to make the most out of every opportunity that they can within the rules that constantly constrain them.
They may like a boozy night out (who doesn't?) but both William and Harry are capable and adventurous young men desperate to earn the publics respect and the AAC are crying out for people to volunteer. It is very demoralising for Harry to not be able to fight alongside other members of his Regiment (who by the way are Cavalry - not Infantry as someone said earlier). They both still want to have a front line role so why begrudge them using this opportunity.
It may be a bit harder for their instructor to chop them if they are struggling but if they do turn out to be hopeless I believe they would be failed.
Those posters with chips on your shoulders about this are full of impractical, left wing ideology.
I say - in the wet society that exists in this country today, thank god some public figure heads are willing to join up, get stuck-in in the front line and take some risk.
They may like a boozy night out (who doesn't?) but both William and Harry are capable and adventurous young men desperate to earn the publics respect and the AAC are crying out for people to volunteer. It is very demoralising for Harry to not be able to fight alongside other members of his Regiment (who by the way are Cavalry - not Infantry as someone said earlier). They both still want to have a front line role so why begrudge them using this opportunity.
It may be a bit harder for their instructor to chop them if they are struggling but if they do turn out to be hopeless I believe they would be failed.
Those posters with chips on your shoulders about this are full of impractical, left wing ideology.
I say - in the wet society that exists in this country today, thank god some public figure heads are willing to join up, get stuck-in in the front line and take some risk.
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The next "News Flash" may be HM Gov all want to mix it with the Rooshians,............... Whoa there dont get excited I mean like his Lordship the Dark warrior who by all accounts is training to drive a JCB, and drink G&Ts at our expense.
But at least Prince Harry wants to go where we need many good men, and by that I mean soldiers who want to go, how many of you miserable armchair types who constantly carp on about the Royals would volunteer to go to the No1 Sandpit, ......come on stick your hands up lets be hearing from you.
The young Prince is very competative, and I can tell you all whilst at RMAS his platoon failed by 1 point only in trying to be the "Sovereigns Platoon" at their passing out parade! in his previous 12 months he was no slacker .
Cut the lad some slack, he can take all that comes his way!
Peter R-B
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But at least Prince Harry wants to go where we need many good men, and by that I mean soldiers who want to go, how many of you miserable armchair types who constantly carp on about the Royals would volunteer to go to the No1 Sandpit, ......come on stick your hands up lets be hearing from you.
The young Prince is very competative, and I can tell you all whilst at RMAS his platoon failed by 1 point only in trying to be the "Sovereigns Platoon" at their passing out parade! in his previous 12 months he was no slacker .
Cut the lad some slack, he can take all that comes his way!
Peter R-B
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Harry's all right
In response to our chap that questions the whole royal family thing: Did Aristotle, or did he not, say that the best form of government was monarchy? He was a bright bloke. Didn't fly a copter, granted. But bright, nonetheless. Bagging the royals is a bit lame, and a bit off the beaten track for rotorheads?
Parabellum - you will find that the young lads(and lasses) come straight from Sandhurst to Middle Wallop and there are lots of them That go straight onto the Apache. The initial manning for the Apache came from Lynx and Gazelle pilots because that was all they had.
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[email protected] - Thanks for that clarification but presumably that applies to young career officers in the AAC? I would have thought that the basic flying course, followed by an Apache course would have taken up most of a three year detachment and the Army would not get it's monies worth out of him? They used to require three years operational. Because it has been stated that he will remain with his regiment and not transfer to the AAC I have presumed he will just do the normal young Army officer thing of three years detachment away, as in SAS, AAC,foreign armies etc. etc. before continuing his career in his own regiment, that is how it used to be. Officers who chose to stay on and do a second flying tour had to take in to account that it might effect their future adversely. (possibly not with Harry though!). 
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Prince Harry - Pilot?
Good luck to the young bloke. As per a previous post, cut him some slack and let him get on with it. Its a tough course and will require him to put in a lot of effort to pass. If anyone wants to venture that he will get an easy or free ride through the course or on subsequent operations then dream on. Wannabees and pretenders are quickly found out and it appears that the guy has a bit too much personal integrity to allow the rails to be greased.
Both Harry and his elder brother seem as 'normal' as you could be given their personal circumstances. Having one of the Princes within the Army Air Corps can only be a good thing. He's an ideal candidate; drinks to excess on occasions, likes girls, behaves inappropriately at parties, likes to get stuck in, not affraid of a fight and wants to be alongside his men when it gets a bit hazardous.
Detractors can now lay off and go and bleat about something else.
Floats' out.
As per a previous post, cut him some slack and let him get on with it. Its a tough course and will require him to put in a lot of effort to pass. If anyone wants to venture that he will get an easy or free ride through the course or on subsequent operations then dream on. Wannabees and pretenders are quickly found out and it appears that the guy has a bit too much personal integrity to allow the rails to be greased. Both Harry and his elder brother seem as 'normal' as you could be given their personal circumstances. Having one of the Princes within the Army Air Corps can only be a good thing. He's an ideal candidate; drinks to excess on occasions, likes girls, behaves inappropriately at parties, likes to get stuck in, not affraid of a fight and wants to be alongside his men when it gets a bit hazardous.
Detractors can now lay off and go and bleat about something else.
Floats' out.
Parabellum - unless he gets a shortened course through DHFS it will still take him 18 months to get through that plus a Lynx/Gaz conversion. I think they will have to make a special case for him to do more than 3 years outwith his Regt anyway if they are to amortize his training costs. I can't imagine him wanting anything but AH anyway.
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Not too sure about the logic of this one. I can understand why he wants to fly the Apache, but if he was pulled out of his previous role because it was too dangerous where do they intend to send him in an Apache ?
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Apache
Good luck to him if that's what he wants to do. Envy is a terrible thing. The army air corps was always an Officers flying club, with SNCO's doing the majority of flying, which was great. I never envied them there desk jobs. More to the point who is going to do the cleaning for the REME servicing inspections, normally a pilot/crewman job.
Maybe he'll join us on the North Sea one day.
Maybe he'll join us on the North Sea one day.
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Those who serve,or who have served, in the military, will sympathise with the comments about allegiance to our current (or previous) monarch. Some of those who haven't served will also understand but it appears that some will never get it.
Our Royal Family provide more income (directly & indirectly), to the Government than they receive in Civil List payments. The two young Princes earn their own wage and do their Royal duties on top, at all times being expected to keep a lid on any show of, naturally youthful, exuberance lest the gutter press discover them doing what we all did at their age - enjoy ourselves, from time to time.
That they wish to serve on the front-line, despite the reluctance of the top brass to see them as bullet magnets, is commendable - most of us "lucky" enough to actually get involved in combat, as young men, regarded it as the culmination of our training and our raison d'etre - we were proud to serve Queen & Country and spent the time trying to do our best, not let our colleagues down and concentrating on getting home alive . . . as any other thoughts were not worth contemplating.
I would have thought that flying an Apache would be a "safer" sort of bullet magnet than driving a "snatch" landrover - at least you can spit back!!
Interesting that the Times today reported a significant increase in public support for our military, as well as a more recruits in all three services. It's possible that the Princes have helped the military image, who knows? Whether we think the Forces are fighting for the right cause, or in the right countries, is irrelevant - they, like all of us who bother to vote, are doing what their democratically elected government are asking them to do . . . although I'd like to wager that they'll quote the Queen long before they mention the man currently residing in No10!!
(Edited for typo)
Our Royal Family provide more income (directly & indirectly), to the Government than they receive in Civil List payments. The two young Princes earn their own wage and do their Royal duties on top, at all times being expected to keep a lid on any show of, naturally youthful, exuberance lest the gutter press discover them doing what we all did at their age - enjoy ourselves, from time to time.
That they wish to serve on the front-line, despite the reluctance of the top brass to see them as bullet magnets, is commendable - most of us "lucky" enough to actually get involved in combat, as young men, regarded it as the culmination of our training and our raison d'etre - we were proud to serve Queen & Country and spent the time trying to do our best, not let our colleagues down and concentrating on getting home alive . . . as any other thoughts were not worth contemplating.
I would have thought that flying an Apache would be a "safer" sort of bullet magnet than driving a "snatch" landrover - at least you can spit back!!
Interesting that the Times today reported a significant increase in public support for our military, as well as a more recruits in all three services. It's possible that the Princes have helped the military image, who knows? Whether we think the Forces are fighting for the right cause, or in the right countries, is irrelevant - they, like all of us who bother to vote, are doing what their democratically elected government are asking them to do . . . although I'd like to wager that they'll quote the Queen long before they mention the man currently residing in No10!!
(Edited for typo)
Chief Bottle Washer
He seems to be achieving his aims
Daily Telegraph
Prince Harry is offered chance to fly fearsome Apache helicopters
Prince Harry may return to Afghanistan now that he has been judged talented enough to fly Apache helicopters.
As the Prince of Wales returns from visiting British soldiers in Afghanistan, where he spent the night at Camp Bastion in Helmand, his son is looking forward to the prospect of a much longer spell on the front line.
Mandrake can disclose that Prince Harry has been offered the chance to fly the lethal Apache attack helicopters, paving the way for him to serve in Afghanistan again.
The 25-year-old Prince is said to have impressed his instructors so much during his helicopter pilots' training course that he has been given the option of flying either Apaches or the Lynx utility helicopter.
Only the most talented trainees are offered the chance to fly Apaches, which are each worth £35 million: just 2 per cent of those who embark on the Army Air Corps' helicopter pilots' training course end up flying the strike aircraft.
The Prince is understood to have been given just over a month to make his decision, which will be taken in consultation with his military commanders, along with his father and Prince William, who is training to be a search and rescue helicopter pilot.
Harry will receive his provisional pilot's "wings" next month and will start his specialist training - in an Apache or Lynx - later this summer. The Prince has been modest about his abilities as a pilot in the past, joking that he did not have the "brain capacity" to be an Apache pilot. At present, the Lynx, unlike the Apache, has only had a limited role in Afghanistan.
Harry secretly spent 10 weeks serving in Afghanistan in 2007 to 2008 and has spoken of his desire to return. His last frontline tour was cut short because foreign media reported that he was in Afghanistan, which put him and his comrades at risk of being targeted by the Taliban.
"Prince Harry has expressed a preference in the past for Lynx, but if they [his commanders] think he is good enough for Apache, he will certainly seriously consider the option properly," a courtier tells me.
Harry passed his basic helicopter training course last year at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire, where William, who is serving with the RAF, was also training at the time. He has since been training at the Army Air Corps headquarters at Middle Wallop, Hampshire. If he opts to fly Apaches, he will transfer to RAF Wattisham in Suffolk.
"Prince Harry, like any soldier, retains a strong ambition to serve his country wherever it may send him, including to Afghanistan," says his spokesman. "Ultimately, it will be a decision for the chain of command."
The Ministry of Defence says he could fly Apache, Lynx or Gazelle helicopters. "Which aircraft he flies will depend on his progress during the remaining weeks of his course," says its spokesman.
Prince Harry may return to Afghanistan now that he has been judged talented enough to fly Apache helicopters.
As the Prince of Wales returns from visiting British soldiers in Afghanistan, where he spent the night at Camp Bastion in Helmand, his son is looking forward to the prospect of a much longer spell on the front line.
Mandrake can disclose that Prince Harry has been offered the chance to fly the lethal Apache attack helicopters, paving the way for him to serve in Afghanistan again.
The 25-year-old Prince is said to have impressed his instructors so much during his helicopter pilots' training course that he has been given the option of flying either Apaches or the Lynx utility helicopter.
Only the most talented trainees are offered the chance to fly Apaches, which are each worth £35 million: just 2 per cent of those who embark on the Army Air Corps' helicopter pilots' training course end up flying the strike aircraft.
The Prince is understood to have been given just over a month to make his decision, which will be taken in consultation with his military commanders, along with his father and Prince William, who is training to be a search and rescue helicopter pilot.
Harry will receive his provisional pilot's "wings" next month and will start his specialist training - in an Apache or Lynx - later this summer. The Prince has been modest about his abilities as a pilot in the past, joking that he did not have the "brain capacity" to be an Apache pilot. At present, the Lynx, unlike the Apache, has only had a limited role in Afghanistan.
Harry secretly spent 10 weeks serving in Afghanistan in 2007 to 2008 and has spoken of his desire to return. His last frontline tour was cut short because foreign media reported that he was in Afghanistan, which put him and his comrades at risk of being targeted by the Taliban.
"Prince Harry has expressed a preference in the past for Lynx, but if they [his commanders] think he is good enough for Apache, he will certainly seriously consider the option properly," a courtier tells me.
Harry passed his basic helicopter training course last year at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire, where William, who is serving with the RAF, was also training at the time. He has since been training at the Army Air Corps headquarters at Middle Wallop, Hampshire. If he opts to fly Apaches, he will transfer to RAF Wattisham in Suffolk.
"Prince Harry, like any soldier, retains a strong ambition to serve his country wherever it may send him, including to Afghanistan," says his spokesman. "Ultimately, it will be a decision for the chain of command."
The Ministry of Defence says he could fly Apache, Lynx or Gazelle helicopters. "Which aircraft he flies will depend on his progress during the remaining weeks of his course," says its spokesman.
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Good News
If he opts to fly Apaches, he will transfer to RAF Wattisham in Suffolk.
Chief Bottle Washer
Prince Harry to become Lynx helicopter pilot
Prince Harry is to become a Lynx helicopter pilot clearing the way for a return to the front line in Afghanistan, it will be announced today.
He has been selected to join a Lynx regiment that is likely to herald a return to the front line next year, The Daily Telegraph has learned.
The prince has successfully completed his basic helicopter pilot training and will be awarded his wings in the coming days, Clarence House will announce today.
“Prince Harry is absolutely determined to return to the front line in Afghanistan and flying the Lynx will give him the best opportunity,” an Army Air Corps source said.
“But there will have to be proper risk assessment made for any future deployment as neither he nor the Army want to endanger the lives of fellow soldiers.”
Prince Harry last served in Helmand for 10 weeks in 2008 as a forward air controller carrying out the highly skilled job of dropping bombs on the enemy.
However a return to the front line is likely to lead to complications after he was forced to abandon his last operational tour when an American blogger ignored a media blackout request to reveal that he was in Afghanistan.
Prince Harry was originally meant to serve with his original unit, the Blues and Royals, in Iraq in 2007 but was stopped from going by the then head of the Army. Gen Sir Richard Dannatt assessed that his presence would attract greater attention from insurgents endangering the lives of comrades.
It had been speculated that the 25-year-old soldier, known as Lt Harry Wales, would be selected to fly Apache attack helicopters but has been instead chosen to less high profile Lynx, one of the fastest helicopters in the world. In an Apache the prince would almost certainly have been involved in close combat using the helicopters highly effective 30mm cannon to kill insurgents. There have also been incidents where Apaches have accidentally killed civilians.
Flying a Lynx Mk 9A will mean there is much stronger likelihood of a return to combat operations. The utility helicopter, fitted with powerful surveillance equipment, is used for reconnaissance missions as well as ferrying passengers, including VIPs, or occasionally in combat.
Prince Harry will be awarded his provisional wings, known as “brevet”, after he successfully completed the demanding Operational Training Phase at Middle Wallop, Hants.
He will next begin Conversion to Type training ten week course on the Lynx with 23 flying hours and 36 simulator hours.
The Lynx has two pilots and can achieve a top speed of 201mph powered by two Rolls-Royce engines. In Afghanistan it carries two 7.62mm machine guns and can be equipped with a minigun and Hellfire air-to-ground missiles. Twelve Lynx have been specially converted to enable them to fly in the hot and high conditions in Afghanistan.
He has been selected to join a Lynx regiment that is likely to herald a return to the front line next year, The Daily Telegraph has learned.
The prince has successfully completed his basic helicopter pilot training and will be awarded his wings in the coming days, Clarence House will announce today.
“Prince Harry is absolutely determined to return to the front line in Afghanistan and flying the Lynx will give him the best opportunity,” an Army Air Corps source said.
“But there will have to be proper risk assessment made for any future deployment as neither he nor the Army want to endanger the lives of fellow soldiers.”
Prince Harry last served in Helmand for 10 weeks in 2008 as a forward air controller carrying out the highly skilled job of dropping bombs on the enemy.
However a return to the front line is likely to lead to complications after he was forced to abandon his last operational tour when an American blogger ignored a media blackout request to reveal that he was in Afghanistan.
Prince Harry was originally meant to serve with his original unit, the Blues and Royals, in Iraq in 2007 but was stopped from going by the then head of the Army. Gen Sir Richard Dannatt assessed that his presence would attract greater attention from insurgents endangering the lives of comrades.
It had been speculated that the 25-year-old soldier, known as Lt Harry Wales, would be selected to fly Apache attack helicopters but has been instead chosen to less high profile Lynx, one of the fastest helicopters in the world. In an Apache the prince would almost certainly have been involved in close combat using the helicopters highly effective 30mm cannon to kill insurgents. There have also been incidents where Apaches have accidentally killed civilians.
Flying a Lynx Mk 9A will mean there is much stronger likelihood of a return to combat operations. The utility helicopter, fitted with powerful surveillance equipment, is used for reconnaissance missions as well as ferrying passengers, including VIPs, or occasionally in combat.
Prince Harry will be awarded his provisional wings, known as “brevet”, after he successfully completed the demanding Operational Training Phase at Middle Wallop, Hants.
He will next begin Conversion to Type training ten week course on the Lynx with 23 flying hours and 36 simulator hours.
The Lynx has two pilots and can achieve a top speed of 201mph powered by two Rolls-Royce engines. In Afghanistan it carries two 7.62mm machine guns and can be equipped with a minigun and Hellfire air-to-ground missiles. Twelve Lynx have been specially converted to enable them to fly in the hot and high conditions in Afghanistan.