HRH Prince William flies solo

The Times reported on 17 January 2008 that, having transferred to the Royal Air Force (RAF), Flying Officer William Wales has now flown solo in a Grob Tutor at RAF Cranwell. The RAF also has a story on his progress. I hope that this is the beginning of a lifelong interest in aviation for him and wish Prince William every success with the rest of his flight training.

The Tutor is a much more powerful training aeroplane than the two-seat, 115hp Piper Tomahawk ZK-EYG that I flew solo in at Paraparaumu Airport on 18 November 1989. My main recollection was that the aircraft performed significantly better in the takeoff and climb without the then chief flying instructor at the Wellington Aero Club, Sarah McIlroy, who had just been on board.

Safe flying William!