Our Future King ( GB that is)
 

It seems the National Newspapers are getting themselve in quite a lather due to the fact that HRH P/O Wales has had a few little freebies of using HIS helicopter FROM HIS ROYAL Airforce to fly his younger Bro to a bit of a do, and also as one rag puts it "to take his Chopper to his girlfriends houes"....................... is it so serious, are the rest of you hacked off about this or do we act like knowledgable people and accept thing like this are bound to happen.

I for one, dont think it is wrong, and I am quite willing to accept as our future Monarch the HrH should enjoy these sort of perks, what about the rest of you?..... can it be as bad as the game of Croquet played by a load of lefties and an ex Ferry Steward at Dorney Wood, or the claiming of Taxpayers funds for every MP to have a new kitchen sink! some how I think not

Peter R-B
VfrpilotPB/2

It pales in comparison the the obscene amount of money spent on bringing war, err, peace to Iraq/Afghanistan.

Couldn't agree more lads. The News of the World had an "aviation specialist" stating how it was a waste of training hours, and no other low time pilot would get the left seat of a chinook. Fair point, but he's the only low hour pilot who is gonna be on the throne, far less the left seat!

I've heard of all sorts of things going on during training sorties, and frankly, if you can combine training with pleasure, go for it!

Good skills!
:D :ok:

Peter,

I was against it before reading your post. He is in a priviliged position, and I had thought he's abusing it. But I guess if anyone can, then he can... he didn't ask for the job of royalty and if you believe in the monarchy then I guess he should be allowed such privileges,

and your right about comparing it to MP abuseing expenses!!!

MADY

I thought his Mom owned them anyway?

Oh and lets not forget that in some countries, anyone daring to criticise the monarchy/government/ruling party or whatever often winds up in serious sh**t - if not dead!

As far as I'm concerned his mum owns all the aircraft and if she's happy for him to do it then so be it!!!

As far as I'm concerned his mum owns all the aircraft and if she's happy for him to do it then so be it!


Mmm...I think you will find WE own all the aicraft, as paid for by OUR taxes over the last few hundred years.

I wouldn't do his job for all the money in the world - if he can get any pleasure out of it, good luck to him.

Phil

Things like this have been happening for years; and long may it continue. I've had Wessex, Gazelle, Puma and Squirrel at my home - all in the interests of training, either for me or my students. It's not the norm, but it is far from the scandal the tabloids, and Radio 2 for that matter, would have us believe. It's a shame that these flights in more recent times have been seen as provoking negative press and were consequently much more difficult to get authorised.

I think it's great that Wills has been allowed to do this; hopefully it will set a precedent for everyone else to have a go. God knows, our crews deserve a few perks after all the ***** they're having to fly through daily in Afghanistan and Iraq! To all the serving helicopter crews who read this; keep up the good work; it's been an honour to have worked and trained with many of you.

All the very best

JJ

Yo JJ couldn't agree more!

And Flap Flap, I said "as far as I'm concerned" but on the basis that WE own the aircraft and that therefore means me too, then he's got my permission!

Good luck to him!!;)

Sorted!!:ok:

Interested to know what he has trained on, was he fast tracked and did he prove himself as talented and was he a good student - I have seen some of the flying his uncle did (if he had the controls) and seems like he did the business. If any of our leaders, icons, symbols of power had enough to prove to the world they could land a Chinook in a field next to their girlfriend Africa would not be in the situation its in. Running for cover.....

His mom? (!)

His grandmother! Will's mother was killed in a car accident; we've hardly been allowed to forget it recently!! :}

Her Majesty the Queen does not "own" the aircraft; the MoD does as an agency of our Government, duly elected by the people! Similar to "Registered Keeper is not necessarilty Legal Owner!"

If HM did own the Armed Forces, I doubt they'd be in the state they are!

Cheers

Whirls

210 hours got one into the Chinook as a Warrant Officer in the US Army....perhaps someone a couple of breaths away from "greatness" can be excused for less.

I think I must be about 100 millionth in line for the throne but I came home for the weekend in a Wessex during my training at Shawbury. We could have flown the trip to Finningley on Friday morning and then returned to Shawbury Friday afternoon, or do the first leg Friday afternoon and then the return on Monday morning. Either way the flying hours were exactly the same so the taxpayer didn't lose a penny. All power to HRH, it's good to see that all the fun hasn't left the RAF.

Actually just checked the population figures for Great Britain, make that 60 millionth in line for the throne :)

The aviation expert assumed that William was the only member of the crew getting any benefit from the exercise. Personally, I think the whole thing can easily be justified by the training value for the crewmen in monitoring the aircraft into an unfamiliar, friendly and not-too-distant confined area. We were short enough of those when there was an OCU (as opposed to the current arrangement) at Odiham, I doubt much has changed for the better since.

I believe he has just done the Elementary flying traing school part of flying training, with a bit of flying in fast jets, helos, and transport a/c for experience. He is an Army officer witht the Blues and Royals, so this is just an exchange year for him. Best of luck to him in all he does ... as some above me have said, same to the other lads( and lassies) deploying to foreign lands.
:D
SP.

Journalists often scour this website and im sure they will be for this occasion... but I bet they dont quote anything said here!!!

MADY

Good on him!

and bugger off the green eyed monsters on this thread!!

Ken, bet you're still jealous as hell though!!!! ;)

I am! :}

Cheers

Whirls