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-   -   Prince Harry joins helicopter club... (https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/635617-prince-harry-joins-helicopter-club.html)

Nige321 19th Sep 2020 14:23

Prince Harry joins helicopter club...
 
It's in the Sun, it must be true...!

So will it be an R44 or something with a bit more bling...?


PRINCE Harry has joined a helicopter club in California so he can take Meghan Markle and Archie on family trips, a source claims.

The Duke of Sussex, 36, qualified as an Apache helicopter commander in 2013 but is keen to helicopter licence current up-to-date or it won’t be renewed.

A source told Fabulous: “Harry has joined a local flying club in California so that he can keep his helicopter licence current.

“You know you have to do a number of hours per year otherwise your licence won’t be renewed, and that applies in the US as much as it does in the UK.”

A friend of Harry’s added: "He’s very proud of that licence; he worked hard to get first the basic and then the Apache.

“He’s hardly likely to be recalled for military service in England again but he wants to keep the hours up for personal use, so he and Meghan can just take off for expeditions if they want to.“Having your own licence gives you that freedom.”

The source added that the prince doesn’t have his own helicopter, “at least yet”, but added that there “will be plenty of rich benefactors with helicopters who would love the royal association.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped down as senior royals in March, and have now bought an £11million mansion in Santa Barbara to live in with baby Archie, one.

It emerged that the cost of running the large pad could reach over £5million a year, but the couple have just secured a £112million deal with Netflix to produce documentaries, films and shows.

Prince Harry first embarked on his helicopter pilot training in December 2008, when he passed his Army Air Corps "Grading" and Pilot’s Selection Board interview to begin training to become an Army Air Corps Pilot.
During his time in the Army Air Corps he was assigned to 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment within 16 Air Assault Brigade.He was awarded a prize for best co-pilot gunner when he first qualified as an Apache pilot in February 2012.

Harry later qualified as an Apache helicopter commander in 2013 after three years of training.

While on a five-month tour in Afghanistan, he served as a co-pilot gunner - sharing flying duties and taking control of the weapons of the two-man Apache.

“Eco-friendly” Prince Harry, who launched his eco-tourism project Travelyst last year, may have to watch his carbon footprint if he takes up frequent flying.

Earlier this year, Prince Charles faced criticism for doing a 125-mile helicopter ride from Highgrove to Cambridge to give a climate change speech.

The full helicopter journey caused carbon emissions of around 2.5 tonnes, used hundreds of gallons of aviation fuel and cost at least £12,000, according to experts.

If the Prince had travelled by car he could have slashed his carbon footprint down to around 0.2tonnes.

parabellum 20th Sep 2020 10:16

My guess is whatever Harry flies it will be a twin.

Medevac999 20th Sep 2020 11:41


Originally Posted by parabellum (Post 10889070)
My guess is whatever Harry flies it will be a twin.

I guess he will have to get a license first!

cattletruck 20th Sep 2020 11:59

Twin seaters available for him: R22, H300, G2, AH64.
:E

Bravo73 20th Sep 2020 13:09


Originally Posted by parabellum (Post 10889070)
My guess is whatever Harry flies it will be a twin.

Didn’t he used to fly the Royal Flight A109? Or was that just William?

trim it out 20th Sep 2020 14:42


Originally Posted by parabellum (Post 10889070)
My guess is whatever Harry flies it will be a twin.

Maybe go back to AS350 seeing as he’ll already have ~100 odd hours on a Squirrel?

Bell_ringer 20th Sep 2020 15:04

A few hours at the Tom Cruise school for the rich and famous and he will be good to go.
Meg will be quite fetching in a 22, doors off. Not that it will look good when you drop into Harrison's place for margeritas.

Sikpilot 20th Sep 2020 16:27


Originally Posted by Bell_ringer (Post 10889216)
A few hours at the Tom Cruise school for the rich and famous and he will be good to go.
Meg will be quite fetching in a 22, doors off. Not that it will look good when you drop into Harrison's place for margeritas.

Meg wouldnt be caught dead in an R22. So beneath her!!!

Davey Emcee 20th Sep 2020 20:21

She might be!

Sir Korsky 20th Sep 2020 20:34


Originally Posted by Davey Emcee (Post 10889352)
She might be!

:ok: Nice one

aa777888 21st Sep 2020 20:28

Or she might be in an AW169 leaving a football stadium. Or in an AW139 flying off the coast. Or in an S76 heading to a basketball game...

ApolloHeli 21st Sep 2020 20:43


Originally Posted by aa777888 (Post 10889908)
Or she might be in an AW169 leaving a football stadium. Or in an AW139 flying off the coast. Or in an S76 heading to a basketball game...

Not quite sure what you're trying to say... I'm sure we all know what you're implying, but exactly why, I don't understand.

homonculus 21st Sep 2020 23:29


A few hours at the Tom Cruise school for the rich and famous
No comparison

oldbeefer 22nd Sep 2020 10:19

I'm not sure where he got a licence from - he didn't need one to fly in the military.

olster 22nd Sep 2020 11:21

That’s an interesting point. There is no public record of Harry having taken any kind of civil heli pilot qualification. His military career is also slightly vague on how far he got in terms of actual piloting. I am a huge fan of rotary flying and ordinarily would have no issue in anyone recreationally flying helicopters but in view of the much documented climate change position held by the Sussex’s there is a slight whiff of hypocrisy.

DOUBLE BOGEY 22nd Sep 2020 11:36

Harry is a Rotorhead. No doubt about that. For the posters making vague references to his wife being killed in a helicopter....shame on you. Where are the mods when you really need them because in my view that the lowest form of wit!
For the others about to wind themselves up into a lather about climate change and what Harry has and has not said, get over yourselves. He is a young man trying to find his way. He has stood and been counted with courage for his Country. He deserves respect for that alone. If you cannot say anything nice....

Sir Korsky 22nd Sep 2020 11:53


Originally Posted by DOUBLE BOGEY (Post 10890285)
Harry is a Rotorhead. No doubt about that.

Really? Haven't seen the user name GINGERWOKETWAT yet. See if you can get a reversal on that humour extraction !

olster 22nd Sep 2020 12:18

Nobody is winding themselves into a lather. As I stated I am a big fan of rotary albeit only a ppl alongside an airline pilot career. Probably the most fun aeronautically speaking and nobody is more admiring of s and r helicopter pilots nor military with extremely challenging roles in dusty places. However, there is financial gain and political ambition obtained by joining the climate change bandwagon. This is obviously not compatible with recreational heli flying and ergo just a whiff of hypocrisy about Harry which the British tax payer could legitimately question. Quite obviously anyone who wishes them physical harm is sick in the head and is the spectacular downside of the internet. I still wonder what actual civil qualifications he holds.

Cheers

Bell_ringer 22nd Sep 2020 12:53


Originally Posted by DOUBLE BOGEY (Post 10890285)
the lowest form of wit!

When exactly was sarcasm knocked off the top spot?
You've just ruined my reason for being.
:E

Bravo73 22nd Sep 2020 13:16


Originally Posted by olster (Post 10890273)
His military career is also slightly vague on how far he got in terms of actual piloting.

He was awarded his AAC wings and was a qualified Apache commander, including a tour of Afghanistan. How is that 'slightly vague'?


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