The Queen, Prince William and helicopters...
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: West Sussex
Age: 84
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Back in prehistoric Helicopter days, I was a volunteer crewman on Belvederes, in the days before it was an established aircrew position, about half a dozen of us airframe and engine men did this as a bit of a change from our normal duties.
In 1963, we were on a major exercise flying from Dartmouth Naval college to ships at sea. I was lumbered with flying from HMS Hermes with Lord Mountbatten and about 16 Generals, Admirals, and Air marshals. There was also a government minister who I think was Roy Jenkins. They all got on the aircraft sitting in troop seats, with lifejackets on apart from the minister who did not have one. A lifejacket was passed up from the deck, and he put it on, but did not fasten up the front buttons. I was sitting in the crew seat, with Mountbatten sitting across looking at me, so I thought I cannot let this guy fly without the lifejacket done up properly, otherwise if we go into the water it will just float off.
So in front of the Lord, and lots of top brass looking at me, I had to try and stuff a well wined and fed government minister into his lifejacket. The buttons would not do up across his ample middle, so I had to reach across his back to release the straps, all the while being observed by the biggest collection of brass I had ever seen.
If that aircraft had gone down, the UK would have been without a defence organization.
In 1963, we were on a major exercise flying from Dartmouth Naval college to ships at sea. I was lumbered with flying from HMS Hermes with Lord Mountbatten and about 16 Generals, Admirals, and Air marshals. There was also a government minister who I think was Roy Jenkins. They all got on the aircraft sitting in troop seats, with lifejackets on apart from the minister who did not have one. A lifejacket was passed up from the deck, and he put it on, but did not fasten up the front buttons. I was sitting in the crew seat, with Mountbatten sitting across looking at me, so I thought I cannot let this guy fly without the lifejacket done up properly, otherwise if we go into the water it will just float off.
So in front of the Lord, and lots of top brass looking at me, I had to try and stuff a well wined and fed government minister into his lifejacket. The buttons would not do up across his ample middle, so I had to reach across his back to release the straps, all the while being observed by the biggest collection of brass I had ever seen.
If that aircraft had gone down, the UK would have been without a defence organization.
The absurdity of the 'half life' requirement saw our Sea Kings which were all relatively new and less than a few years old, relegated to the flight deck in May 1973 whilst HRH Lt Chuck was brought over from the Minerva (on which he was G2, and removed from the flight deck on my co-pilot's request: another dit) by jackstay.
Of course that was safer
For lunch with the Admiral, of course
Of course that was safer
For lunch with the Admiral, of course
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
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Originally Posted by [email protected]
Back in the days when we were allowed families days in the RAF and were able to take wives and children flying in the back of helicopters, the same rules applied in that you couldn't fly the aircraft your family were in so I understand where HMTQ is coming from regarding Wills, Kate and the kids.
But that rule also applied when had our UAS families day. Pilots could not fly their own wives in the SEP fixed wing aircraft (Bulldogs back then).
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: In the gutter..........
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According to various contemporary news reports, the Queen is upset over the use of the Cambridge family's use of helicopters to transport the entire family together. In the event that the Cambridge line of succession was to be extinguished in some way, the Duke of Sussex (the royal formerly known as Prince Harry) would be second in line to the throne, after Prince Charles. If Harry has a valid claim to the throne after all this stuff they've been going through, he would become heir to the throne, and King Harry and Queen Meghan would then take over!
This would make a great dream sequence for the next series of The Windsors, but potentially quite a nightmare for everyone else in the real world!
I'd stick to the old horse and carriage from now on.
This would make a great dream sequence for the next series of The Windsors, but potentially quite a nightmare for everyone else in the real world!
I'd stick to the old horse and carriage from now on.
Luckily, it doesn't really matter a chimpanzee's chuff who wears the sparkly hat as it's all a load of medieval nonsense. So, that's a load off everyone's mind.
My dear sister knew a couple of people who had died in helicopter crashes and thought I was entering a very dangerous occupation.
I once. had a Life Insurance Salesman drop by the house during one of my Leaves.....he was thinking of selling me a Policy.....right up to the point the learned I was headed back to Vietnam flying helicopters in combat.....at which point he closed his briefcase...stood up...and informed me even if the company would approve the policy I would not be able to afford the cost and walked out the door.
Your Sis. was spot on!
I once. had a Life Insurance Salesman drop by the house during one of my Leaves.....he was thinking of selling me a Policy.....right up to the point the learned I was headed back to Vietnam flying helicopters in combat.....at which point he closed his briefcase...stood up...and informed me even if the company would approve the policy I would not be able to afford the cost and walked out the door.
I once. had a Life Insurance Salesman drop by the house during one of my Leaves.....he was thinking of selling me a Policy.....right up to the point the learned I was headed back to Vietnam flying helicopters in combat.....at which point he closed his briefcase...stood up...and informed me even if the company would approve the policy I would not be able to afford the cost and walked out the door.
Did you tell him about the enhanced physical security measures including those Kevlar Curtains on the crew bus?
Avoid imitations
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Posts: 14,576
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Your Sis. was spot on!
I once. had a Life Insurance Salesman drop by the house during one of my Leaves.....he was thinking of selling me a Policy.....right up to the point the learned I was headed back to Vietnam flying helicopters in combat.....at which point he closed his briefcase...stood up...and informed me even if the company would approve the policy I would not be able to afford the cost and walked out the door.
I once. had a Life Insurance Salesman drop by the house during one of my Leaves.....he was thinking of selling me a Policy.....right up to the point the learned I was headed back to Vietnam flying helicopters in combat.....at which point he closed his briefcase...stood up...and informed me even if the company would approve the policy I would not be able to afford the cost and walked out the door.
But there’s a lot of dead folks who had “safer” jobs….
Nigerian In Law
Compluter says No comes to mind................
NEO
