Royal helicopters and William

[FancyBiscuitsLevel]

So, not seen any threads on this - the story broke at the start of the week that the two new helicopters the RF took ownership of at the start of last year have already flown the distance of twice round the world. Anne is the biggest user and the explanation has been to allow multiple engagements on the same day and to allow secure access to more remote locations.

But in that, there was a detail about Prince William, last year he took the helicopter 52 times between Kensington palace and their new windsor home. Now, this is only about an 1 hour drive. There are regular train services between central London and Windsor. While the headline focus has been on the multiple uses for engagements on the same day by Anne (which to be clear I don’t begrudge if that’s the only practical way to do it), this travelling between your two homes that aren’t that far apart by helicopter feels excessive for someone who’s work is supposed to be focussed on the environment.

I think this will happen in the 20/30 years. Hopefully it will be properly thought out. I don’t think I could take another Brexit. 30 years takes it to possibly in my lifetime. It would be interesting to see that’s for sure.

That doesn't surprise me 🙄

yes, yes i can

It's not me deciding to transport my children using riskier transport methods - can you imagine what sort of parent would choose that!

Anyway back on topic, there will never be a good justification for the additional expenditure, it's clearly just more luxury for them at a higher cost for us - but then that's how the whole system works sadly.

But that’s not what you said. That’s a valid discussion, travelling by helicopter. I wouldn’t either. However:-

This is what you said

Back on topic - the fact that the RF have decided that cars are beneath them is just another level of fuck you to the general public. On the flip side, I'm kind of for it in a way, fatal helicopter crashes are more frequent than car accidents (see Kobe Bryant etc....) So we are only one incident away from King Harry! It would make the next series of 'The Crown' absolutely epic.

I don’t believe the helicopters can be justified either. If the late Queen managed with cars and trains on the whole, then so can William. I do not believe he faces more security threats than the late Queen did. This is just William being a gluttonous Prince and I dread what his reign as King will bring.

You’re back pedalling @TheHaplessWit

William and Kate seem to be happy to take unnecessary risks with their children. Helicopter rides and hugging strangers. I find these things to be very strange parenting decisions.

I’ve been held up and missed My train connection whoever waited for the then prince Charles to whisk past on the blummin royal train a couple of years back. He’d only gone by train because he was doing something at the railway museum in York. I was furious.

Back when Bill Clinton was president, he visited NYC. His entourage had to pass by an elevated train line to get to the airport when he left to go home. They shut down the entire elevated train line for security reasons. Unfortunately it was my train line and I was stuck on a subway platform for two hours since that was the only line to my neighborhood. No warning, no explanation. I found out why when I got home and turned on the radio. Now I think they chopper into Manhattan from the airport when they visit from Washington DC. Much less disruptive.

He also has to keep up his flying hours to maintain his qualification. I think it’s fine, this sort of nit picking is a waste of time.

Why? Is he going to go back to the army or to his job with the air ambulance? I don’t think there will be much need for him fly helicopters other than as an excuse to keep flying helicopters.

I'm not sure he's current anymore, or even rated (i.e. done ground school training and exams) on the new helicopters..

If he's not current and rated I suppose it's not beyond question that with an instructor in the other pilot seat he might "have a go" but that introduces risks...KC, when, PC, bent an aircraft doing that.

The fact the recent video of William getting out of a helicopter without his wife and with just two of his three kids, sort of suggests the family have considered this possibility and are making a point of at least one of the dcs travelling separately to their dad. So it’s even more wasteful, because that was a flight between London and Windsor, so Kate and Louis either went via car or a second helicopter was sent for them.

(side note, but if something terrible happened to all the wales kids, wouldn’t it be King Henry not Harry? Harry is just a nickname.)

I hate the whole concept of a royal family but if he’s in a car would there be several other security cars with him as well? So the environmental impact of helicopter vs car may not be so easy to calculate . Please note This is not meant to condone any aspect of Royal behaviour. When the Queen died I couldn’t stand how everyone was banging on about how she had sacrificed her life for “Duty” when that duty had literally consisted of being treated like a queen every day of her entire sodding life. She wasn’t the one making sandwiches for the garden parties

I thought they could choose/change their name? Queen Victoria’s name was Alexandrina, although I think Victoria was her second/middle name.

A quick google says a helicopter can burn 40 times the fuel of a car per hour, contribute to poor local air quality and noise pollution.

Yay! Just like Take Back Control. A New Beginning/A New Britain. Make America Great Again.

3/4 word slogans are brilliant. But never any plans

Vast majority of the Worlds most stable democracies are Monarchies. So as a very soft Royalist currently having to live through the Brexit balls-up and witnessing America devolving I'm not a fan of 3 word slogans spouted online.

But please, start a thread and back up the statement with facts and numbers.

X is full of Meghan fans. They insist that Kate is the antichrist, that William is a bully, that their marriage is in name only, etc. They have some limited footage of the kids getting out of a helicopter and say it’s because of access arrangements. A few years ago they were adamant Kate was dead. It’s all nonsense for clicks.

I suggest you bypass X. Especially since the Grok problems with image generating and children

Yeah, X is a cesspit and it's only getting worse.

The Royals will be criticised regardless of how they travel - several examples on this thread. That's a legitimate criticism, bringing in the regurgitated rumours diminish the legitimate criticism.

Lots of rich people DON'T travel by helicopter as it's so bloody dangerous. I'm surprised if Kate's encouraging it, with her new appreciation of life etc. There's really no coming back if the helicopter loses control.
Personally I'm glad they fly, the convoys bugger up the traffic (that is admittedly already fairly buggered).

Her video with a nice peaceful walk in beautiful surroundings bringing her ‘quiet consideration’, would have been ruined by Willy flying over in one of their very noisy and nature polluting helicopters.

Grammar not yours!

Well yes because King Harold managed with a horse. 😂

There's quite some difference between a washing machine and a helicopter!

I think this could easily be done by car, the royals must drive around without incident, and if William is using a helicopter to travel between his home, sorry offices, at KP, and his other home, sorry new forever home, it's a bit much.

If he didn't keep harping on about the environment (which I doubt he gives a stuff about, Earthshot is just good PR), then it wouldn't be so bad.

But as the crow (or helicopter) flies the distance between the two is about 40km or 25 miles!