Harry to fly Apache-good idea?

[Four Cofffee]

I see Prince Harry has been 'selected' to train to fly Apache helicopters.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37017036/ns/world_news...

May as well paint a big cross hair on the side of every apache and on the uniform of every apache crew member?

Realstically, is he ever going to justify that investment for the time he spends on active service or would the training be better spent on someone who can actually be sent for more than one tour?

Mind you the course will no doubt be fun, perhaps he could pop to polo matches in it?

[Skywalker]

I doubt that Terry needs another reason to dislike and target the Apaches in theatre.
If he has got the gig on merit for his flying skills then good on him. I hope that he returns on teh investment and has a full career.

His previous training and tour as a FAC will be useful I imagine.

[Eric Mc]

Do you think the average Taleban tribesman will take this on board?

[Mr_B]

Any Apache is target, they just don't much ability to shoot them dowm, so he is safer in the air than on the ground.
A bigger problem is if he really would have made the grade to fly these without being who he is.

[Eric Mc]

Mr_B said:

Any Apache is target, they just don't much ability to shoot them dowm, so he is safer in the air than on the ground.
A bigger problem is if he really would have made the grade to fly these without being who he is.

have you any reason to believe that he wasn't good enough?

I doubt that he would be allowed within ten feet of an Apache if he wasn't considered competent enough to fly it.

[pokethepope]

I believe him when he says he chose to retrain as a heli pilot to increase his chances of being re-deployed.

As others have said, Apache's aren't exactly sitting ducks for opium farmers with rusty AK's and crappy RPGs.

[anonymous-user]

Skywalker said:

If he has got the gig on merit for his flying skills then good on him.

It's amazing that all these royal show such great aptitude. Those flying jobs in the forces are incredibly hard to get but the all the royals seem to just have the knack for it.

[Mr_B]

Eric Mc said:

Mr_B said:

Any Apache is target, they just don't much ability to shoot them dowm, so he is safer in the air than on the ground.
A bigger problem is if he really would have made the grade to fly these without being who he is.

have you any reason to believe that he wasn't good enough?

I doubt that he would be allowed within ten feet of an Apache if he wasn't considered competent enough to fly it.

I don't, but the suspious part of me thinks that anyone who says I would like to do that job and gets the chance to do so on the back of his family name, has a much slimmer chance of being able to do so to a grade that would pass selection if he was Joe Bloggs.
I don't doubt the Army wouldn't let him fly, so would guess he is a good pilot, his name though means the obvious will always be asked - is he that good he would have made Apache pilot anyway.
He is one of the few Royals I have a good opinion of, I thought doing a foot solider patrol in Afghanistan took a lot of balls; he literally put him self in the firing line for a massive fail. Personally, I hope he is good enough to fly and fight once again.

[Eric Mc]

The same aspersions have been cast on all members of the Royal family who ended up qualifying to fly in the services. It's quite an impressive list actually -

King Edward VIII
The Duke of Kent (killed in action)
The Duke of Edinburgh
The Prince of Wales
Prince Andrew
Prince Harry

[Castrol Craig]

Guam said:

Four Cofffee said:

I see Prince Harry has been 'selected' to train to fly Apache helicopters.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37017036/ns/world_news...

May as well paint a big cross hair on the side of every apache and on the uniform of every apache crew member?

Realstically, is he ever going to justify that investment for the time he spends on active service or would the training be better spent on someone who can actually be sent for more than one tour?

Mind you the course will no doubt be fun, perhaps he could pop to polo matches in it?

Yeah these Apaches are so easy to target and take down just ask the ex Iraqi army ........................oh wait

took the words right out of my mouth.

seeming as the average apache pops up a few clicks away from the target, blows it to smitherines then ducks back down and fks off, i doubt we will be seeing many more apaches added to the, er, non existant list of losses.

[Captain Flashman]

Eric Mc said:

The same aspersions have been cast on all members of the Royal family who ended up qualifying to fly in the services. It's quite an impressive list actually -

King Edward VIII
The Duke of Kent (killed in action)
The Duke of Edinburgh
The Prince of Wales
Prince Andrew
Prince Harry

You forgot William the Conqueror...

[Halb]

Eric Mc said:

Mr_B said:

Any Apache is target, they just don't much ability to shoot them dowm, so he is safer in the air than on the ground.
A bigger problem is if he really would have made the grade to fly these without being who he is.

have you any reason to believe that he wasn't good enough?

Because royals are usually given preferential treatment in the armed forces?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7339475.stm
He most likely is good enough.

[Talksteer]

Eric Mc said:

The same aspersions have been cast on all members of the Royal family who ended up qualifying to fly in the services. It's quite an impressive list actually -

King Edward VIII
The Duke of Kent (killed in action)
The Duke of Edinburgh
The Prince of Wales
Prince Andrew
Prince Harry

He may well be good enough but I suspect the forces have a considerable reservoir of pilots and potential pilots who would like to fly Apaches but end up flying less interesting machines or never being allowed to go to flight training at all. Being Royal means you just have to be good enough to pass the various stages of training you don't have to be persuasive, lucky or exceptionally brilliant.

[Taita]

Did he just transfer corps as would any other junior officer? It can be quite hard once you reach a certain point so I've heard.

[Pesty]

He needed help with the machine gun he fired for the cameras when he was out there before. How did he manage with an Apache

[Halb]

Talksteer said:

He may well be good enough but I suspect the forces have a considerable reservoir of pilots and potential pilots who would like to fly Apaches but end up flying less interesting machines or never being allowed to go to flight training at all. Being Royal means you just have to be good enough to pass the various stages of training you don't have to be persuasive, lucky or exceptionally brilliant.

I agree. Most likely is good enough (with intensive training or not). And taking the name of a great English castle always gets you to the front of any queue.

[Halb]

Pesty said:

He needed help with the machine gun he fired for the cameras when he was out there before. How did he manage with an Apache

All you need to do is press a button?

[elster]

I never realised so many people on PH worked in HR of the military and knew how well he did, and what training he skipped.

Reality being, they wouldn't have allowed him to fly an Apache if he wasn't good enough. As that is worse than him not qualifying. I am sure he was put to the front of the queue for the role, but I wouldn't question his actual ability.

Eric Mc said:

Do you think the average Taleban tribesman will take this on board?

Absolutely, this will be being tweeted and printed in the gossip columns as we speak by the Afghanis.

Edited by elster on Saturday 8th May 11:08

[ellroy]

Taita said:

Did he just transfer corps as would any other junior officer? It can be quite hard once you reach a certain point so I've heard.

No, he's still Blues & Royals, see the cap badge in the pics floating about. You used to be able to transfer across for a period into AAC, as there is always a lack of pilots, but remain in your parent Regiment.

If you want, and slots are available, you can transfer permanently later.

I know of one friend having done the former and one the latter.

[coanda]

Castrol Craig said:

Guam said:

Four Cofffee said:

I see Prince Harry has been 'selected' to train to fly Apache helicopters.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37017036/ns/world_news...

May as well paint a big cross hair on the side of every apache and on the uniform of every apache crew member?

Realstically, is he ever going to justify that investment for the time he spends on active service or would the training be better spent on someone who can actually be sent for more than one tour?

Mind you the course will no doubt be fun, perhaps he could pop to polo matches in it?

Yeah these Apaches are so easy to target and take down just ask the ex Iraqi army ........................oh wait

took the words right out of my mouth.

seeming as the average apache pops up a few clicks away from the target, blows it to smitherines then ducks back down and fks off, i doubt we will be seeing many more apaches added to the, er, non existant list of losses.

Well, you see, if these assets are applied in an incorrect manner they are pretty vulnerable....ask the 11th Attack Helicopter Regiment about Najaf in 2003. However, I see no risk to a UK Apache given how they are used by us, and what they are used against.

I see no reason why Harry should not have his shot at the Apache so long as he isn't 'helped' along and is there under his own merit. I am led to believe that training for the Apache is one of the hardest things you can do. If he stays there and succeeds on merit then he will have done very well.

Was it Andrew or Edward that flew Helicopters in the Falklands war?