William: Military training RAF/SAR/EAAA

[cinrit]

THE Duke of Cambridge is to leave the RAF base in Anglesey where he is nearing the end of a 3-year tour of duty as a Sea King helicopter pilot.

Prince William has told his commanding officer at RAF Valley search and rescue force that he has decided it is the right time to "move on". He is expected to leave in the summer but it is not clear whether he will take up other duties in the armed forces.

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/National/royalwedding/article1251979.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2013_04_27 

Cindy

[Lothwen]

IMO, the real reason why he is quitting is because the RAF is being privatized, and downsized, and more likely than not this isn't him "quitting" so much as being told that they need to allow those men and women who actually need the job to stay on.

[marine2109]

Prince William repordely leaving the RAF - hellomagazine.com

[stepperry]

Not so much to keep the people who need to be working SAR but those have not yet work what their next posting wether with or not with SAR is going to be. Some of the RAF pilots are staying on for a period of time either to training the civi pilots for SAR work if they don't already have that training since it a new helicopter.
However, William is either going to stay in the military probably the Blues and Royals with increased royal duties or full time royal duties.

[Blue Clover]

IMO, the real reason why he is quitting is because the RAF is being privatized, and downsized, and more likely than not this isn't him "quitting" so much as being told that they need to allow those men and women who actually need the job to stay on.

:goodpost:

[marine2109]

Prince William completes his last shift as an RAF pilot - hellomagazine.com

[cinrit]

Prince William's RAF rescue team was the busiest helicopter unit in the country during his final year with the military.  His team based at RAF Valley on Anglesey were scrambled 323 times and rescued 298 people during 2013.

The Duke of Cambridge quit his search and rescue pilot role with C Flight of 22 Squadron in September after three years.

He took part in many daring rescue missions in the mountains of Snowdonia and rough waters of the Irish Sea.

Figures from the RAF revealed how the Prince's search and rescue team accounted for more than a quarter of the 1,202 emergency alerts from 10 bases across Britain last year.

More: Prince William's RAF team saved most people during future king's final year with military - Mirror Online

Cindy

[missbliss]

I think all the men  are to be commended. This is doing William no favors having his presence being credited with the most rescues.

I really don't see that William is being given the credit for the rescues.   It says "the team".  Of course had he not been connected with the team there would probably have been no credit given to any of them.  That's the press for you.

I posted this article on another thread

Duke of Cambridge's former RAF search and rescue unit 'busiest in Britain' | UK | News | Daily Express

[cinrit]

William is mentioned because we know who he is.  If we knew the others on his team, I'm sure they'd be mentioned, as well.  As missbliss says, that's the media for you ... they mention the name that will sell the most papers or induce the most clicks online.  This from the article:

Group Capt Mackmin said: “The harsh, protracted winter that lasted from January through to early April saw C Flight complete a higher than average number of rescues.

“They were also accomplished in some of the worst weather conditions Snowdonia has seen for many years.

“I’m incredibly proud of all the men and women under my command who go out by day and night, in all weathers, united with one common aim - the preservation of life.”

Cindy

[TLLK]

William is mentioned because we know who he is.  If we knew the others on his team, I'm sure they'd be mentioned, as well.  As missbliss says, that's the media for you ... they mention the name that will sell the most papers or induce the most clicks online.  This from the article:

Group Capt Mackmin said: "The harsh, protracted winter that lasted from January through to early April saw C Flight complete a higher than average number of rescues.

"They were also accomplished in some of the worst weather conditions Snowdonia has seen for many years.

"I'm incredibly proud of all the men and women under my command who go out by day and night, in all weathers, united with one common aim - the preservation of life."

Cindy

Exactly. The article praises all members of the RAF SAR including William. He shouldn't be embarrassed or downplay his role in saving lives just because he is a member of the BRF. The entire team is to be commended and that includes William, after all he put his life on the line as much as any other crew member. SAR is some of the most dangerous work in the military.

I'm going to guess that the individuals who were rescued by SAR were grateful for the assistance. In an emergency I doubt that anyone was really checking to see who was part  of the team.

[PrincessOfPeace]

If William does take this job, here is some information about the charity. I think its very noble and rewarding work

East Anglian Air Ambulance

[PrincessOfPeace]

Local officials and even the Health Minister are very much behind this

News of the talks with the service have been welcomed by leading local figures. Waveney MP Peter Aldous said: "Prince William is a very skilled helicopter pilot and anything that raises the profile of the air ambulance and the work they do is good news."

Health minister Norman Lamb, MP for North Norfolk, said: "I would massively welcome it. It would bring enormous focus to the fantastic work of the air ambulance. It is of incredible value to our region, particularly given its rural nature and the coastline. I think this would be a brilliant thing for him to do."

Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman said: "The EAAA is a great local medical charity. With a young family and increasingly important Royal duties, this is a great way for the prince to put his pilot training to work for the good of the community in a flexible way outside full-time military service. We would be lucky to have him."

A spokesman for Prince William said: "An announcement will be made in due course."

More: Prince could become an East Anglian Air ambulance pilot - News - Norwich Advertiser

[PrincessOfPeace]

The Royal Air Forces Association has welcomed Flt Lt HRH The Duke of Cambridge as a new member.

Nick Bunting, the RAF Association Secretary General, said: "Unsurprisingly the Association is thrilled to be welcoming the HRH The Duke of Cambridge as a member. The RAF Association is all about the RAF family providing friendship, help and support whenever and wherever it's needed."

The Duke of Cambridge completed seven-and-a-half years of full-time military service. His Royal Highness began his career with the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals) and later served with the Royal Air Force, with his final posting as an RAF Search and Rescue Pilot. The Duke of Cambridge left operational service in the Armed Forces in September 2013.

More: RAF Association welcomes HRH The Duke of Cambridge as a member

[Curryong]

This may be a stupid question, but does anyone know where the money for fuel comes from?

As far as the London Air Ambulance is concerned its operations are partly funded through the National Health Service and that would encompass its fuel costs too, I would guess. For the rest of it the LAA relies on fundraising donations, though I should think the latest news will help a bit.

[cinrit]

The Duke of Cambridge Has Started Work as an Employee of Bond Air Services

The Duke of Cambridge has today started work as an employee of Bond Air Services.

Over the coming months he will undertake job-specific training before he begins piloting missions for East Anglian Air Ambulance during the summer.

The mandatory training will involve simulator, aircraft and in-flight skills training.

Press release

Cindy

[In All I Do]

@gec -- yes, the process for becoming a helicopter pilot in the UK is described in this document. http://www.britishhelicopterassociation.org/sites/default/files/careers/pdf/Helicopter%20Pilot_0.pdf

In order to be an air ambulance pilot, he needed to earn a Air Transport Pilot License.  To get there, you have to go through a sequential process. A Private Pilot's License has to be gained before the commercial license which must be gained before the Air Transport Pilot License. You can't just go from leaving the military to ATPL exams, though I understand from helicopter pilot message boards,  the military helps with the in-flight hours for all these licenses (in-flight hours being the most expensive part of the requirements).

In April 2014, Palmer reported that William had his private pilot's licence and was training for his Commercial Pilot License. According to the document I linked to, that training involves 500 hours of theory. That's 12 full time weeks of study (i.e. 40 hours a week). He earned that in the summer (April-May-June-July). Completion of that also coincided with the official announcement of the air ambulance job (i.e., they seem not to have announced the EAAA job until he was ready to start the ATPL training). He then took August off.

After the commercial pilots license is earned, he had to do the training for the ATPL license. The theory portion of the ATPL(H) is either 650 or 750 (depending on the course) hours, or about 16-18 full time weeks.  (E.g., if he'd started that theory work on September 8 and taken absolutely no time off from it, studying 8 hours a day 5 days a week, he could have started taking his exams the week of January 5, but that would have precluded the NYC trip and Christmas). They announced that he had finished them on February 26.

That's all based on publicly available sources and is set down by the regulatory body. The great unknown is the training he started in April upon returning from China, which is not based on regulatory requirements, but instead his employer. That is not public knowledge, and there's a good argument to be made that it's confidential employment information between Bond Air Services and their pilots.

Hope that was helpful.

[missbliss]

Former RAF Valley chef reveals Prince William's favourite duty meal during his time on Anglesey - Daily Post

William was so down to earth which I used to find unbelievable.

"I used to spot Kate a few times waiting in their car for him to finish his duties. They were just like any other young couple."

Nice to hear something good about William!  :happy:

[TLLK]

Rescue pilot Wills takes to the air again: Prince starts news job with air ambulance team (and he'll have to take a packed lunch because there's no

It's hazardous, it involves night shifts, staff might have to work Christmas Day and they take a packed lunch because there's no canteen.

It hardly sounds like a career fit for a prince, yet at 7am tomorrow the Duke of Cambridge reports for duty at Cambridge International Airport, to start his new job as a pilot with the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA).

The former RAF search-and-rescue pilot will now carry out risky missions ferrying to hospital critically ill members of the public that other emergency services cannot reach.

One of William's new colleagues, Jeremy Mauger, a doctor on the EC145 helicopter the Duke will be co-piloting, said it is a very rewarding job.

'Our crew, particularly the pilots, are fantastic and we are looking forward to working with the Duke,' said Mr Mauger a 47-year-old consultant anaesthetist at West Suffolk hospital, who has worked with the EAAA for 13 years. 'They fly in very challenging conditions and land in tight spaces, such as a sports field or busy dual carriageway.'

The Duke will be on a six-strong team on a roster of day and night shifts, which last nine and a half hours and could fall on Christmas Day.

He will have no contact with the Duchess when he is on call-outs as mobile phones must be switched off during rescue flights.

[/quote]Thank you for sharing the article. Sounds like typical first responder shift hours from the description. As for safety concerns, there will be some flights  which involve landing in rural or highway spaces according to the veteran EAAA crew members. However I believe that William would have dealt with those scenarios while working with SAR.

[Limabeany]

Interview

[HereditaryPrincess]

Prince William has rescued a man who was the victim of a shooting in Bury St. Edmund's, Suffolk:

Prince William rescues shooting victim in latest air ambulance mission | Royal | News | Daily Express

[TLLK]

Prince William lands air ambulance in Saffron Walden to help man in 80s - News - Saffron Walden Reporter

[TLLK]

^^^AFAIK these are team efforts when EAAA or any other first responder unit is called for assistance. EAAA copters have medical personnel on board so the pilots can do their task of transporting patients. It's an ambulance unit after all. An awaiting emergency/casualty unit would be waiting on the ground to meet the injured person and to receive information from the on board team members regarding the patient's condition.

Also the article above mentioned that the elderly man's injuries were not life-threatening, but head wounds should be checked out for a variety of reasons. :)
Double post auto-merged: November 28, 2015, 10:34:57 PM

Man thanks Prince William and East Anglian Air Ambulance crew for helping grandad in Saffron Walden - News - Saffron Walden Reporter

Hopefully this link will work.

is this the old chap who fell?  I can't imagine how anyone could say that this is "staged" presumably to make Wiliam look good. 

Yes this the gentleman who was injured.

[TLLK]

Prince William in mercy mission to help save a three-year-old boy choking on peanuts - Mirror Online

[TLLK]

8 February: Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire - East Anglian Air Ambulance

[TLLK]

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visit RAF Valley, Anglesey - BBC News