Prince William fully operational SAR pilot

Flight Lieutenant Wales, as Prince William is known in the UK Royal Air Force (RAF), has graduated from his search and rescue (SAR) training course at RAF Valley in Anglesey, Wales. He has now joined C Flight of Number 22 Squadron, remaining at RAF Valley as a fully qualified, fully operational SAR pilot flying the Sea King helicopter, beginning his operational service as co-pilot of a Sea King Mk3 helicopter, working as part of a four-person crew. Prince William has been presented with a graduation certificate and Search and Rescue Force badge by the Group Captain at RAF Valley along with six fellow students. The Prince has also received his squadron badge from the officer commanding 22 Squadron. The graduation is the culmination of seven months of training with the SAR Training Unit and the Sea King Operational Conversion Unit.
Prince William completed 70 hours of live flying plus 50 hours of simulator training and learnt how to manoeuvre the Sea King helicopter to the high standards expected of SAR helicopter pilots. The course ended with a series of assessed exercises designed to test the students’ abilities to work as fully integrated members of the Search and Rescue Force.
Flt Lt Wales said: “I am really delighted to have completed the training course with my fellow students. The course has been challenging, but I have enjoyed it immensely.” He added: “I absolutely love flying, so it will be an honour to serve operationally with the Search and Rescue Force, helping to provide such a vital emergency service.”
Prince William was commissioned into the Household Cavalry from the Sandhurst Royal Military Academy in December 2006. He also served on attachment to the Royal Navy and RAF, before training to become a full-time pilot with the RAF Search and Rescue Force.

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