Prince William will start training as a pilot in the Royal Air Force (RAF) on Monday (07.01.08).
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The 25-year-old royal will be following in the footsteps of his father, Prince Charles, by embarking on the intensive four-month course at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire to learn how to fly helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
William, who will be known as Flying Officer William Wales when he starts his training, will not be treated any differently than any other trainees, according to Flight Lieutenant Lees.
Lees said: “All our students have time constraints that they have to get all the skills and achieve all the required standards in, and Prince William will go through the same thing.
“He will have a limited amount of time to achieve the right standards so it’s very demanding.”
The prince will start his training by getting to grips with a propeller-driven Grob 115E light aircraft, known as the Tutor.
After mastering the Tutor, he will be moved to the RAF Linton-on-Ouse airfield in North Yorkshire where he will learn to fly the Tucano T1 plane, and will finally progress to Shropshire’s RAF Shawbury to train on the Squirrel helicopter.
Group Captain Nick Seward said William’s training will help him in his future position as head of the armed forces.
A source added: “William really wants to make a good impression during his first week with the RAF. He takes his role in the armed forces very seriously and this demanding course will push him. He is going to have to graft.”
William father Charles qualified as a helicopter pilot at RAF Cranwell in 1971 before serving with 845 Naval Air Squadron on commando, while his uncle Prince Andrew learnt to fly at Yorkshire’s RAF Leeming before serving in the Falklands War.
