[ryan71]

I'm starting to like these brothers.

[Dixie Yooper]

At least it wasn’t a White House staffer flying Marine Corp One to a golf course to play a round....

[saganite]

I’m sure they’ll catch hell for it but the govt sometimes gives it’s young pilots expensive machines to play with on the weekend. It’s called cross country training. I’m guessing the rules will change now.

[wideawake]

Given the history of British princes, this is pretty mild behavior.

Between these kind of "Jack the lad" antics which the male punters will love, William's appeal to the ladies, and Harry's military service, the princes are insuring the continued existence of the monarchy for another generation.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Gigi La Chance. Now there’s a name to beware of...

[Red Badger]

Well, it was on the way......

[infantrywhooah]

And the British taxpayers picked up the tab for his little weekend romp. I wonder if he observed the 12 hour “bottle to throttle” rule that weekend. I doubt it.

[palmer]

but MPs demanded to know why the young royals were allowed to use the Chinook aircraft as a "stag do taxi service".

Sheesh, give them some slack. As Franklin might have said: "a monarchy, if you can keep it".

[Allegra]

Prince William's '£30K stunt' as he lands RAF helicopter in Kate's back garden

OK, that explains the apostrophe.

[brooklyn dave]

For once let guys be guys

[DustyMoment]

. . . . "MPs demanded to know why the young royals were allowed to use the Chinook aircraft as a "stag do taxi service"

I tend to agree with the MPs. Why should the British (over)taxedpayers have to foot the bill for William's stag party joyride? If he wants to fly a helo to party, he can rent one at his own expense - NOT the taxpayers. That's NOT what those military choppers are for!!

[webschooner]

His main squeeze's family is apparently no slouch in the bank account department, if this thing will fit comfortably in her "back yard".

My guess is she prolly doesn't have to mow the grass on Saturdays ...

[colinhester]

I'm starting to like these brothers. No guts, no glory. Pretty funny stunt

[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

[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):

[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...

[Wil H]

Way to go, Willie!

[Yo-Yo]

Nothing wrong with keeping current with your cross country flying. Why do you think there are travel pods for fighter aircraft?