Posted on 02/27/2010 9:16:04 PM PST by Saije
Prince Harry famously said he didn’t have the ‘brain capacity’ to fly an Apache attack helicopter – but now it seems he may be proved wrong.
Sources at the Army Air Corps headquarters in Middle Wallop, where the Prince is learning to fly, have told The Mail on Sunday that Harry is being considered to pilot the demanding aircraft after doing well on his current training.
If Harry does graduate to an Apache, it could help his dream to return to the front line in Afghanistan, where he served in December 2008, as there is a shortage of Apache crews.
Until now, he has been learning to fly a Lynx utility helicopter, used for support and convoy protection as well as ferrying troops around; but Apaches have a more direct combat role. And if training goes well, he could be deployed in Afghanistan at the controls of an Apache as early as next year.
One of his superiors at Middle Wallop, Hampshire, said: ‘Harry has done better on his course than we were expecting and that is why the Apache is now being considered for him. You have to be able to take in a lot of information very quickly and have good situational awareness and Harry has proved that he has.’ Harry will undergo another six to eight weeks of training before any decision is made.***
‘The Apache can disorientate a lot of pilots because of its technical demands. For instance the pilot receives his information through a monocle that covers one eye.You have so much information coming in all the time, it is very demanding. They are hard work.’
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
I felt so sorry for those kids after they lost their mom and have always read news about them.
As for Harry, he looks like he is ornery as sin but has a good heart.
Hoping for the best for both of them.
I thought that his elder brother was the chopper pilot?
Do Brit cavalry officers have the option to swing between armored cav & air cav?
I sorta figured that the chopper was towing a radar-reflecting target. That would at least give the chopper a chance if a sea-skimming exocet was successfully spoofed. Never really looked into it however.
THEY HAD A SALE ON THEM AT WALMART IN THE UK
I think if you talk to just about any military helicopter pilot they will tell you that it requires diminished brain capacity to willingly fly one. A military helicopter is best described as a collection of 500,000 moving parts built by the lowest bidder.....
Prince Harry reminds me of Marquis de Lafayette.
Go, Harry!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.