Prince William Lands Sea King on a Canadian Lake !
Chief Bottle Washer
Thread Starter
Prince William Lands Sea King on a Canadian Lake !
Prince William expected to fly Sea King helicopter in Prince Edward Island
HALIFAX - Prince William has been cleared to fly a Sea King helicopter during a flight demonstration Monday in Prince Edward Island, the Canadian military has confirmed.
The 29-year-old prince has flown Sea Kings before, having served in the Royal Air Force as a search and rescue pilot since September 2010.
The prince and his wife Kate are to arrive in Ottawa on Thursday to begin a tour that will also take them to Quebec, the Northwest Territories and Alberta, before leaving July 8 for California.
The couple is slated to arrive in Charlottetown on Sunday night before departing the next morning for Dalvay by-the-Sea, the waterfront resort where William is expected to board a CH124 Sea King with at least two Canadian military pilots and a navigator.
Military spokesman Lt. Tyrone Grande said Wednesday the prince will be on board the aircraft during a so-called waterbirding demonstration, which will involve landing the amphibious helicopter on Dalvay Lake.
The training manoeuvre is designed to simulate an emergency landing.
"His Royal Highness will be flying the aircraft ... with guidance from our crew," Grande said in an interview from 12 Wing Shearwater, the Halifax-area airbase that is home to the Atlantic fleet of Sea Kings.
One of the pilots aboard the helicopter will be Col. Sam Michaud, wing commander at Shearwater.
Canadian Sea King pilots undergo one hour of waterbird training annually.
After the helicopter flight, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — with at least 400 members of the media in tow — will take part in a dragon boat race on the lake before leaving for Summerside, P.E.I., for more search and rescue demonstrations.
The couple leave for Yellowknife that night.
The 29-year-old prince has flown Sea Kings before, having served in the Royal Air Force as a search and rescue pilot since September 2010.
The prince and his wife Kate are to arrive in Ottawa on Thursday to begin a tour that will also take them to Quebec, the Northwest Territories and Alberta, before leaving July 8 for California.
The couple is slated to arrive in Charlottetown on Sunday night before departing the next morning for Dalvay by-the-Sea, the waterfront resort where William is expected to board a CH124 Sea King with at least two Canadian military pilots and a navigator.
Military spokesman Lt. Tyrone Grande said Wednesday the prince will be on board the aircraft during a so-called waterbirding demonstration, which will involve landing the amphibious helicopter on Dalvay Lake.
The training manoeuvre is designed to simulate an emergency landing.
"His Royal Highness will be flying the aircraft ... with guidance from our crew," Grande said in an interview from 12 Wing Shearwater, the Halifax-area airbase that is home to the Atlantic fleet of Sea Kings.
One of the pilots aboard the helicopter will be Col. Sam Michaud, wing commander at Shearwater.
Canadian Sea King pilots undergo one hour of waterbird training annually.
After the helicopter flight, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — with at least 400 members of the media in tow — will take part in a dragon boat race on the lake before leaving for Summerside, P.E.I., for more search and rescue demonstrations.
The couple leave for Yellowknife that night.
Good, he will need to get current again after spending the last couple of months on extended holiday.
Is he ever going back to work as a RAF SAR Pilot or will he now be restricted to Royal duties only?
Is he ever going back to work as a RAF SAR Pilot or will he now be restricted to Royal duties only?
Willie on the water
His lowness
The Duke of Cambridge has landed a Sea King helicopter on water as part of his tour of Canada with his wife, Kate.
The RAF search and rescue pilot had requested the exercise ahead of a day of activities on Prince Edward Island.
Canada is the only country to train its pilots to perform "waterbird" landings, in which the helicopter's engine is cut before it is landed on water.
The couple later went head-to-head as they steered teams of dragon boat racers across Dalvay Lake.
William was guided through the tricky manoeuvre in the Sea King by Col Sam Michaud from the Canadian Forces, who described the royal as "relaxed and professional".
At one point, he hovered around 40ft (12m) above the water, then plunged quickly out of the sky, sending spray up into the air.
Col Michaud said the duke told him his colleagues back home would be jealous he got to do it.
The RAF search and rescue pilot had requested the exercise ahead of a day of activities on Prince Edward Island.
Canada is the only country to train its pilots to perform "waterbird" landings, in which the helicopter's engine is cut before it is landed on water.
The couple later went head-to-head as they steered teams of dragon boat racers across Dalvay Lake.
William was guided through the tricky manoeuvre in the Sea King by Col Sam Michaud from the Canadian Forces, who described the royal as "relaxed and professional".
At one point, he hovered around 40ft (12m) above the water, then plunged quickly out of the sky, sending spray up into the air.
Col Michaud said the duke told him his colleagues back home would be jealous he got to do it.
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: In The Trap, trapped.....
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Utter drivel from the uninformed masses of the media......again! 
1. Poor Weather?, looked fine to me!
2. Canadian Search and Rescue don't fly the CH124!
3. Don't think they'll be landing on for a Rescue Mission either!
Good to see the old girl can still be tapped up each summer for fun on the lake
1. Poor Weather?, looked fine to me!
2. Canadian Search and Rescue don't fly the CH124!
3. Don't think they'll be landing on for a Rescue Mission either!
Good to see the old girl can still be tapped up each summer for fun on the lake
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 392
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Prince William Lands Sea King in a Canadian Lake !
BBC News - Prince William lands helicopter on water during Canadian visit
Prince William has landed a Sea King helicopter on water as part of a demonstration of a search and rescue manoeuvre which is carried out in Canada.
The prince was watched by crowds who braved the rain to see his flying skills in Dalvay-by-the-Sea. The Duchess of Cambridge was also watching from dry land.
Canada is the only country which trains its Sea King pilots to perform 'waterbird' landings and the duke performed it for the first time.
The prince was watched by crowds who braved the rain to see his flying skills in Dalvay-by-the-Sea. The Duchess of Cambridge was also watching from dry land.
Canada is the only country which trains its Sea King pilots to perform 'waterbird' landings and the duke performed it for the first time.
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Not here
Posts: 174
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Good on him for bringing Helicopter search and rescue into the public eye, can only be good for every service in the world that relies on donations from the public.
Thanks William
Thanks William
Moderator
During a discussion I had with a Canadian military Sea King maintenance person, when I asked about water landings, he told me "We don't do those anymore, the hulls are not water tight.".
Thus, I watched with interest. There was yellow tape all over the lower portion of the fuselage. I would remark that duct tape has been made for decades in Canada, in the perfect Sea King grey colour. Perhaps that would have been a less conspicuous choice!
Thus, I watched with interest. There was yellow tape all over the lower portion of the fuselage. I would remark that duct tape has been made for decades in Canada, in the perfect Sea King grey colour. Perhaps that would have been a less conspicuous choice!
Believe me, the course is alive and well and they continue to throw the S61 at the lake to this day in all their professionalism. A fantastic experience - possibly unique in the world for helicopter offshore pilots.
In the 80s, the Danish AF did also OEI waterlandings on a lake with their S61. Few former collegues had the chance to do it there, they were quite impressed, usefull experience.
skadi
skadi
Pilot DAR, I'd guess the holes they were covering up are generally meant to be open, so the more conspicuous the tape, the less likelihood of some remaining where it shouldn't after the exercise.
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: UK
Posts: 2,584
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As did S61s and Chinooks on the Loch of Skene. Used to be part of the type training, if not part of the 6 monthly base check iirc (just before my time, sadly). Again, early 80s.
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: UK
Posts: 291
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For those who have never flown the Queen of the Skies, a waterbird course was/is always something to do if you could/can. It's a potential life-saver, should a Seaking crew find themselves on the water with only one engine, as the aim is to teach how to get OFF the water again!
No doubt his Squadron colleagues will have discussed the theory of winding up Nr & overpitching to get unstuck, but I'll bet they'll be quizzing him for detail of the experience when he gets back to work. There are few helicopters that could even consider dragging themselves off the water on one engine, so it's good to see the Canadians are still teaching it. And of course the average airframe would probably take on some water in a ditching, but one would hope not enough to stop it getting airborne again, as it's only likely to ditch once! The airframes used for the waterbird course are normally kept for that purpose only, so of course they'll try to minimise water ingress in those machines they regularly put in the water. There really are some real "Duh" comments on this thread sometimes. 
While Prince William has a profession as his day job, albeit apparently part-time, he also has a destiny which is not of his making. Give the guy a break for bringing the skills of our profession to the front page, instead of Royal-knocking a young gentleman who's making a good job of introducing himself and his wife to the world. He, like other members of the "Firm", may not get it right all the time, but he's not doing badly so far, IMHO. For those who haven't yet learned, the media report what they want to, and how they want to - don't expect it to live up to what pprune members expect and maybe try to read the positive bits between the lines.
No doubt his Squadron colleagues will have discussed the theory of winding up Nr & overpitching to get unstuck, but I'll bet they'll be quizzing him for detail of the experience when he gets back to work.
There are few helicopters that could even consider dragging themselves off the water on one engine, so it's good to see the Canadians are still teaching it. And of course the average airframe would probably take on some water in a ditching, but one would hope not enough to stop it getting airborne again, as it's only likely to ditch once! The airframes used for the waterbird course are normally kept for that purpose only, so of course they'll try to minimise water ingress in those machines they regularly put in the water. There really are some real "Duh" comments on this thread sometimes. While Prince William has a profession as his day job, albeit apparently part-time, he also has a destiny which is not of his making. Give the guy a break for bringing the skills of our profession to the front page, instead of Royal-knocking a young gentleman who's making a good job of introducing himself and his wife to the world. He, like other members of the "Firm", may not get it right all the time, but he's not doing badly so far, IMHO.
For those who haven't yet learned, the media report what they want to, and how they want to - don't expect it to live up to what pprune members expect and maybe try to read the positive bits between the lines.
They dont use the waterbird for anything other than this evolution. It is a vastly modified bird having a load of stuff stripped out and maskers everywhere!
The lake is freshwater too meaning the cab will still be flyable a month later!
The real aircraft would take onboard about a ton of water every 10 minutes because it leaks like a seive.
Once the 'stab' fails (light in cockpit extinguishes) you are stuffed as there is so much water in the nose bay/avionics that the CofG is out of limits (remember that Mil8 take off video where he tries tog et airborne with an out of limit fwd cofG?)
I can't recall any modern helos built to take off again from the water. Its become an anachronism. Once ditched -stay ditched! Mind you it would probably cause more problems launching after "hitting" the water......who knows what you have done to the tail rotor or drive train......and you don't want to know seconds after lifting
It is a rare step back to the time when flying was really fun
I'm glad it still goes on and the experience one achieves from doing it - will live with you forever.
Um lifting - you joking or what???? Whats an S62
The lake is freshwater too meaning the cab will still be flyable a month later!
The real aircraft would take onboard about a ton of water every 10 minutes because it leaks like a seive.
Once the 'stab' fails (light in cockpit extinguishes) you are stuffed as there is so much water in the nose bay/avionics that the CofG is out of limits (remember that Mil8 take off video where he tries tog et airborne with an out of limit fwd cofG?)
I can't recall any modern helos built to take off again from the water. Its become an anachronism. Once ditched -stay ditched! Mind you it would probably cause more problems launching after "hitting" the water......who knows what you have done to the tail rotor or drive train......and you don't want to know seconds after lifting
It is a rare step back to the time when flying was really fun
I'm glad it still goes on and the experience one achieves from doing it - will live with you forever.Um lifting - you joking or what???? Whats an S62
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Canada
Posts: 1,852
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
From CNN Prince William, Catherine visit Northwest Territories on Canadian tour - CNN.com
In the exercise, which was originated by Canadian armed forces for use in search-and-rescue missions, the helicopter's engine is cut off and it then lands in the water. When it is about one-quarter submerged, the propellers are restarted to bring the helicopter back to toward the sky
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Out of Africa
Age: 70
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Waterbird
I had the pleasure of completing the Waterbird course at Shearwater when we visited Halifax in HMS HERMES in early summer 1974.
Fantastic course and great to see it is still going.
The jump technique taught (plus fast fuel dump) came in useful when I had an engine failure at max gross (++) departing HMS Tiger a few years later.
I hope William had as much fun as I did!
Trog
Fantastic course and great to see it is still going.
The jump technique taught (plus fast fuel dump) came in useful when I had an engine failure at max gross (++) departing HMS Tiger a few years later.
I hope William had as much fun as I did!
Trog
Last edited by Troglodita; 5th Jul 2011 at 18:24. Reason: confusing William with Harry! - Old age creeping up!
I unwillingly ditched at night from the hover in a heavy Sea King in 1975 and three years later experienced water operations in controlled training conditions in an S61N with Bristows at Meickle (?) Loch. I wish the order had been the other way around because to be in a helicopter on the water is initially a most peculiar and unsettling feeling, and the Bristow water training gave one terrific confidence. The Sea King and S61N may be relatively large helicopters but they are very small boats when bobbing about on the ocean. As regards taking on water, after three hours the sea was lapping over the top of the sponsons, and yes, most of our electrics had gone. I believe it would also be a very brave, or stupid, pilot to attempt the demanding "running" single engined take-off to overpitch and then accelerate just above the surface unless both visual and sea conditions were very good indeed .... but there was always the idiot sitting safely behind a desk who asked why I didn't attempt it.
