Prince William's lands RAF helicopter in Kate's back garden

Daily Mail ^ | 20th April 2008 | REBECCA ENGLISH

[A.A. Cunningham]

Corps

[Eric in the Ozarks]

36 years ago, one of the ladies in our college class at Iowa landed a job in the public relations department at Winnebago Industries. Shortly afterward, she drove back down to Iowa City where many of us were still finishing up the spring semester. The Winnebago Brave she drove became a two day rolling party for a 200 mile radius of Iowa City.
We picked up a hitch hiker on I-80 and handed him a beverage when he stepped aboard. I'll never forget the look on his face...

[A.A. Cunningham]

The Middleton family home is 16 miles away from RAF Odiham and the prince landed the Chinook in the field at the back of the house

[Dixie Yooper]

Your right, thanks! Marine One is the official name of the helicopter.

[newbolt]

I’m not sure if it’s still done, but during the Viet Nam era it was not unusual to take an aircraft for a weekend and visit home or go pick up shrimp in LA or king crab from WA. It was called ‘instrument training”.

[DManA]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSqkdcT25ss

[antonia]

My father was an Navy pilot back from flying off the Hornet in the Korean War, and then teaching in Florida. Around 1955, they would detour from Pensicola to Guantanamo Bay and fill their wings up with booze to bring back. I still have two bottles from Guantanamo Bay. US Navy stamp #32093233 on the bottle of 'tree vines brandy' while the remy martin cognac's stamp is gone.

I don't think that pilots can do that kind stuff anymore, their flight plans are absolute.

[Sax]

This thread's an excuse to post this chinook pic (again):

[antonia]

My father was an Navy pilot back from flying off the Hornet in the Korean War, and then teaching in Florida. Around 1955, they would detour from Pensicola to Guantanamo Bay and fill their wings up with booze to bring back. I still have two bottles from Guantanamo Bay. US Navy stamp #32093233 on the bottle of 'tree vines brandy' while the remy martin cognac's stamp is gone.

I don't think that pilots can do that kind stuff anymore, their flight plans are absolute.

Of course the Navy was a little bit more fun then. Or at least it appreciated the importance of letting off steam after engaging in high stress operations. Hence the such traditions as tailhook were developed. And then came the Clintons to put the nails in the coffin when they backed the outrageous tailhook investigations.

[Helen]

Thanks for posting that picture. I had not seen it before.

Amazing. The skill of those pilots is something to behold!

The cameraman and his pilot were no wusses, either.

[Tainan]

Yeah...sorta reminds me of how it was 'discovered' that you can get 5 cases of beer, in cans, in an OV-1 Mohawk.

[swain_forkbeard]

Kissing her is like licking an ashtray.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Only if the President is aboard.

[bobjam]

In flight speak, I guess one could describe this trip as a few “touch and go’s”. That actually is legitimate training- as is landing the chopper at an unprepared landing site (although that field probably wasn’t too difficult). I’m sure the “touch and go’s” continued well after they got off the chopper...

[ArrogantBustard]

I think her real name is Petri la Dish.

[gridlock]

Kissing her is like licking an ashtray.

No problem. She doesn't kiss...

[Mother of the Bride]

Several years (about ‘95), my Chinook pilot son (now retired) did a training mission with a lunch stop at Grandma’s. He landed behind the barn. Caused a sensation in the “blink and you miss it town”. It was a thrill for Grandma and several friends and relatives & stopped traffic on the highway about 1/4 mile away. He and his crew enjoyed the delicious lunch Grandma had prepared and gave a tour of the copter to a few of his relatives. One of my brothers took his kids out of school for the event. It was a day they’ll never forget!

[Dixie Yooper]

Only if the President is aboard.

Then I guess it was just a green and white military helicopter when Clinton's first deputy chief of staff, Philip Lader, flew it to Holly Hills Country Club in Fredrick, MD for a round of golf. A few days later he was fired.

[Wil H]

Way to go, Willie!

[Stentor]

Kissing her is like licking an ashtray.

I doubt that kissing is a part of any professional interaction.