Warbird Information Exchange

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Prince William talked on Thursday about his nerves ahead of the first solo flight of his RAF pilot training.

The second-in-line to the throne is two weeks into his training stint at the RAF's Cranwell school in Lincolnshire.

William, 25, described his surprise when his instructor said he was ready to take over the controls earlier this month.

"It was one of those experiences when I thought ... you know, hopefully I'll get another practice," he told BBC television.

"And the next thing I know, my instructor jumps out and goes 'Get on with it', and I was left there sort of looking around going, er, what?

"So I just did it, and once you got up in the air it was fine."

Known as Flying Officer William Wales, he has begun his training on a propeller-driven Grob 115E light aircraft, known as a Tutor.

He will then move to RAF Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire where he will be trained to fly the faster Tucano T1 plane, before finally progressing to RAF Shawbury in Shropshire to fly the Squirrel helicopter.

The prince, who has spent the past year with the Household Cavalry's Blues and Royals, said he had been ribbed by his colleagues about his life in the Army.

"I keep sort of having lots of jokes about the Army ...that is fine, and I stick up for them," he said.

His RAF colleagues were "a bunch of really good guys, love their flying, all really dedicated guys," he added.

The prince also talked about his frustration with the weather, which has prevented him taking to the skies as much as he would have liked.

It has been a personal ambition for the prince -- the future head of the armed forces -- to learn how to fly and he follows other members of the royal family into the RAF, including his father Prince Charles and uncle Prince Andrew who saw frontline duty as a helicopter pilot in the 1982 Falklands War.

He will start a final attachment, with the Royal Navy, in the early summer.

(Reporting by Avril Ormsby; Editing by Steve Addison and Paul Casciato)

Video: http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/ ... 5&src=news

So he will have served in the army, RAF AND the Navy?

I never realized until now that I had never heard what the last name of the Royal Family was. So this Prince OF Wales is William Wales.

Their name is Windsor now but this was not always the last name
used by the Royal family. Their name sounded too German so it was changed. By decree of the Queen their last name is actually Mountbatten-Windsor.

Mudge the researcher

Andy...You ask me, I'll tell you...I don't know,
but it's
TRADITION

Mudge the elitist

WHOOAA Andy...I'm not defending the tradition. I see absolutely no purpose in their existence as "heads of state" either. The term "leeches" comes to mind.
I was actually trying to make a humorous reference to a line from "Fiddler on the Roof". When asked why things were done a certain way, Tevya replies,
"You ask me. I'll tell you. (long pause) I don't know. But it's TRADITION."
Sorry for the obtusness of the post. (Is obtusness a real word?)
I do better next time.

Mudge the chagrined

Its ok Mudge I understand! No offence intended on my part towards you!

Its a shame that a perfectly intelligent and impressionable young human being (and his brother) are being poisoned by the belief that they are somehow the chosen Elitists and better than all of us and don't need to earn their crust in life. Poor example to the rest of the World I'd say.

Sad thing is, he probably is a top bloke and will make a good pilot. (unlike his father who whilst 'in command' crashed a 146 after landing long, down wind on a short downhill runway with zero currency and then got an RAF right hand seater to take the blame for not taking ownership of his cock up until too late. (tax payer fixed up the plane so thats alright then)

He'll end up with his head up his tushy like ALL the rest of them once he realy grasps the concept of the UK owing him a living.....for ever.