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.

Why is he evenvtravelling from Windsor to KP anyway? Windsor isnt that far from London. Yes they could have gone by car or they could cut their buzzing around all over the place down altogether. William flies all over the place but does minimal engagements. I doubt we'll see any of them face to face until after their Feb half term holiday. unless more Epstein files are released.

I question how sensible it was for William and George to be travelling together. Although helichops seem to be a very safe means of getting about.

Apparently, KP is no longer their home (I think that was in response to questions about why they needed so many homes in such a small area), it's offices (yet they do stay there...so go figure...). But if he lives in Windsor now then surely that stonking great castle nearby can house offices.

I think it's ridiculous they have two homes not very far apart.

Sorry, haven't RTFT, but just wanted to say was he flying the helicopter himself? At least some of the journeys? Maybe he wants to keep his flying skill/licence up to date.

On this we can probably agree.

To keep the monarchy going William and Catherine must be the perfect couple, with a perfect family. It's the one thing that is promoted heavily so for it to fail would be untenable.

I think it's far more likely that she stayed behind with Louis for very banal reasons!

Bit different really...🙄

I'm not surprised, you don't get to be a billionaire by making ethical and moral choices.

This.

@BoxingHare Yes indeed. It could easily be done by car - it’s not as if they have to wait in traffic because everyone has to get out of the way of their police escort.

I do think that the traditional view that now George is older he’s not allowed to travel with his dad is unfair when he’s not an only child. Making it so there’s never all of them and William in the same helicopter/car/plane makes sense - but it doesn’t follow that George has to be the one to always travel alone/with mum.

@FancyBiscuitsLevel I'm sure George accompanies William to football events, including in other countries.

Come on - Harry never takes his children with him to events.

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!

There's legitimate argument, from opposing viewpoints - and then there's wishing death on children.

The second is never acceptable.

Exactly!
and i would assume that most actual republicans would baulk at “good king Harry” .

If they use a car and outriders though, that involves some of the outriders going ahead and stopping the traffic from adjoining side roads. They have at least two cars and around eight bikes. It’s probably more cost effective and definitely less disruptive to the general public to use a helicopter

Better he utilised the vast space at Windsor then for his offices, then he could cycle to work from his new forever home.

Though presumably considerably more disruption for commuting staff.

Difficult to say, there might be a few issues possibly preventing that - type ratings, recency and whether the Kings Flight policy is always have two fully rated pilots at the controls whenever any of the RF are on board..

TBH it's quite possible W let his licence expire after his air ambulance days - they run out of validity v quickly if you don't fly.

But William is fully rated, isn't he?

ETA: Saw your edit, maybe this is his way of keeping his licence?

Me too. I was in Las Vegas for a work conference years ago and went on ( in a free afternoon ) a tourist trip over the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam in a helicopter . I think I nearly broke my friend's hand gripping on to it. Never again. Apparently Tony Blair didn't like helicopter flights and once said he hated taking off from Battersea Heliport and flying over the Matthew Harding memorial stand at Stamford bridge. I won't be in one again. 😊🚁= no from Basilisk.

I did that same helicopter trip! Agree. It was terrifying and I did the same thing- clung onto my friends hand and the heli rail all the way. I dont remember anything else. They seem incredibly precarious. On that same trip I stood right on the edge of the Grand Canyon in the days where a bit had no guard rails, no problem at all.

I have vertigo and am afraid of heights! It’s a no from me too ! , I don’t even like looking up at them, dh used to travel in them a lot , with the door open , leaning out and looking at the ground!!! 😱 , I was terrified when he told me this but he said it was normal and safe! 🤷‍♀️

He must have been rated on I think the H145 when he was with East Anglian Air Ambulance...he'd need to go back to school or at least do a course somewhere to get rated on the AW139s that the Kings Flight have just acquired...

I see he finished in the Air Ambulance world in 2017, if he hasn't kept ticking the boxes/flying very regularly at the controls since then his licence will now be worthless.

I honestly think William would be happy still living on Anglesey or Sandringham and flying the local air ambulance. I can imagine he would keep his licence up to date if he could.

I agree with this. I think he'd want a bit more than an air ambulance salary, though.