Prince William takes first solo flight for Royal Airforce Pilot Training

 

Known as Flight Officer William Wales, 25-year-old Prince William  took his first solo flight yesterday. While second in line for the British throne, his immediate goal is to have the title of Pilot.
The prince flew a propellor-driven Grob 115E light aircraft (known as the Tudor) with his instructor around an airfield at the RAF base Cranwell in Lincolnshire, where he is stationed with 1 Squadron of 1 Elementary Flying Training School.

Now just two weeks into his four-month training program Officer Wales didn’t suspect he was ready to solo.

“I was doing a few circuits going round and round then Roger, my instructor, basically turned around and said, ‘Right, I’m going to jump out now,’” William revealed. “And I said, ‘What? Where are you going?’”

Prince William said it was “an amazing feeling,” and joked, “God knows how somebody trusted me with an aircraft and my own life.”

“I was watching the runway getting closer and closer,” he continued, “and thinking, ‘Please, please don’t mess this up.’”

Once he has mastered the Tudor, he will move to RAF Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire, where he will be trained to fly the faster Tucano T1 plane. If all goes well the Prince will finally progress to RAF Shawbury in Shropshire to fly the Squirrel helicopter. He is expected to graduate from the program with his wings in April. Say what you want about Royal life that is some pretty risky stuff, becoming a Royal Airforce Pilot.

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