Prince William got his RAF wings.

He's one of us now:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7339475.stm
Can you be an RAF pilot in 13 weeks?

It can take up to four years to fully train an RAF pilot, so how
did Prince William get his wings in under four months?

Prince William is never going to be an operational air force
pilot.

Recruits at the RAF's Central Flying School at Cranwell normally
face a course of 26 weeks to complete their elementary flying
training, as a prelude to a much longer period of specialised
training in a single type of aircraft.

But the prince, destined one day to be commander-in-chief of the
armed forces, is enjoying only a taste of life in the RAF.


Officers at the flying school devised a bespoke syllabus that
meant the future king was able to fly solo in two fixed-wing
training aircraft and a helicopter within 13 weeks. The prince was
even able to find time to go skiing in Klosters with his father.
more...




http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7340692.stm
William's first solo flight came just eight days into his RAF
training, when he piloted a propeller-driven Grob 115 E light
aircraft round the airfield at RAF Cranwell.

He then trained on the faster Tucano T1 plane at RAF
Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire.

His final placement was at RAF Shawbury, Shropshire, where he
learnt to fly the Squirrel helicopter.

William's training periods with the RAF and Navy are
familiarisation attachments, aiming to prepare him for his future
role at the head of the armed forces.

His shortened training course was designed to make him a competent
flier, but an RAF pilot would usually spend up to four years under
instruction.




http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...cle1029688.ece
At a ceremony held in the service’s spiritual home - RAF Cranwell
in Lincolnshire - Charles awarded his son his wings as the Duchess
of Cornwall looked on.

Among William’s guests was his girlfriend Kate Middleton, in her
first appearance with the Prince at a major official event since
the young royal - a serving officer in the British Army -
graduated from Sandhurst in December. Video...