Royal Flying
 

No one on PPRuNe would give me the location of where Rainbow 1 was moved after it left Blackbushe but today, thanks to the Daily Express, I have finally found out.

Royal Family's helicopter only to be flown by Armed Forces pilots (Quite right too)

Royal Family's helicopter only to be flown by Armed Forces pilots | Royal | News | Daily Express

...or they could just hitch a lift in a passing N-reg 500... :eek:

Maybe one has to be English to understand that article. Just how does moving the aircraft's location mitigate the risk of flying into a crane in fog?

There are obviously no laws stating what the royals can do when it comes to flying.

Errm....is this a trick question?

Operate from an area where there aren't a load of high-rises, cranes and people and you lengthen the odds of hitting any of them :8

Now, If you really meant to refer to the change to Military Pilots only.......Well, the cranes would bow to H.M. as her Chopper hove into range, thus clearing the way.:}

I hope you can sleep well now that mystery is solved :ok:

I'm out of touch with the current TQHF pilots, but most of the names I did know were ex-military, including some ex-Royal Flight pilots and a couple of ETPS graduates - and the 76 is flown two crew - so not sure what on earth this article is based on!

Yes, Blackbushe is a real nightmare for those things :confused:

Summertime - media short on Royal stories........

Hope to sleep very well tonight as a result! :E

Just didn't make much sense really. Almost all the head of state helicopters around the world are based a military installations which are known, ie. Marine One at Quantico etc.

Re: drivers, the chief driver used to be Chris Pittaway but I think he's moved on. Not sure about the rest of the crew, presumably someone knows - or maybe that too is top secret!

Having moved base specifically for these reasons, no doubt if the Royal Helicopter needs to go to / fly past an area containing risky structures such structures will be dismantled accordingly, and mantled again after the flight passes.

What a nonsense story. My children can work out that the "reasons" don't fit.

Totally off-subject but on topic for "the press don't care about accuracy so long as they have a story", here is one from Wimbledon a few days back. Scroll down tot he picture of Nicole Scherzinger...... except..... it isn't, it's one of my team.

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling sprinkles some magic onto Centre Court at Wimbledon | Mail Online

<<Rainbow 1>>

Callsign used under particular circumstances and not linked to the aeroplane.

We hope that you are back in action again very soon Sir.

Rainbow callsign
 

Any credence to the rumours that Prince Harry's callsign on ops is 'Rainbow Warrior'?

WW I hope that you didn't jump to tbe wrong HRH here.

The article is clearly a piece of tabloid trash but may have highlighted a policy of TQHF regarding the requirements of their contractors in that the crews of aircraft supplied to the Royal Household must be ex-military. Whether this is so and whether this policy is new, I do not know.

In practical terms all this will mean is that Starspeed's civvie drivers won't be allowed in the front bit of G-BYOM while on Royal charters.

If the BHA's Peter Norton is to be believed then the Barnes crash may serve at a catalyst for reviews to the safety and quality procedures relating to (especially) freelance charter pilots but, with regard to TQHF one supposes they already have a system for auditing potential contractors and which includes suitable vetting of their crews and overall procedures as well as their safety and quality management systems.

Good to see the Royal MD500 in the news again!

Is this Prince William's?

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...75_634x432.jpg

News story

Well there is a William Wales holding an FAA PPL(H) so you never know...

MD500
 

Not wishing to sound like a snob but surely our future King would be using better aircraft?

Let us be thankful that it isn't a Robinson. That would be a national embarrassment! :eek:

Better for what? MD makes a very good machine. Honestly, have you ever flown one?

I know that royals normally fly red helicopters but - and this could just be me - I think it looks a little orange in colour?

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6156/6...327dd861_z.jpg

Seems to have at least 3 landing lights on its belly - in case the baby is born at night maybe?

I like the exposed wires at the back of the instrument panel, it gives the heli a utility/economical look.