PRINCE WILLIAM IS AWARDED HIS WINGS AS A HELICOPTER PILOT

PRINCE WILLIAM HAS BEEN AWARDED HIS WINGS AS A FULLY-FLEDGED HELICOPTER PILOT WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND KATE MIDDLETON BY HIS SIDE. FLT LT WILLIAM WALES WAS PRESENTED WITH HIS FLYING BADGE DURING A GRADUATION CEREMONY AT RAF SHAWBURY IN SHROPSHIRE BY THE PRINCE OF WALES, IN HIS CAPACITY AS AIR CHIEF MARSHAL, AND THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL. MIDDLETON LOOKED ON PROUDLY AND APPLAUDED DURING THE 30 MINUTE CEREMONY. PRINCE WILLIAM SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A YEAR LONG ADVANCED ROTARY TRAINING AT RAF SHAWBURY AFTER TRAINING ON TWIN-ENGINED GRIFFINS TO BECOME A FULL-TIME PILOT WITH THE ROYAL AIR FORCE'S SEARCH AND RESCUE FORCE (SARF). THE MILITARY OF DEFENSE SAID HE PASSED WITH 'FLYING COLOURS'. HE IS DUE TO BEGIN A SEARCH AND RESCUE CONVERSION COURSE AT RAF VALLEY IN ANGLESEY IN WALES WHERE HE WILL BE TAUGHT TO FLY SEA KING HELICOPTERS AFTER HE RETURNS FROM HIS FIRST OFFICIAL OVERSEAS TRIP REPRESENTING THE QUEEN TO NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA. THE 27 YEAR OLD WILL LEARN TO MANEUVER THE AIRCRAFT WITH PINPOINT ACCURACY, ENABLING HIM TO RESCUE STRICKEN MOUNTAINEERS OR EXHAUSTED SWIMMERS IN TREACHEROUS CONDITIONS. PRINCE WILLIAM IS EXPECTED TO SERVE IN THE FALKLANDS THIS YEAR AS PART OF HIS TRAINING, FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE DUKE OF YORK WHO SERVED AS A HELICOPTER PILOT IN THE WAR IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC IN 1982. HE WILL BECOME AN OPERATIONAL PILOT IN 2011 AND UNDERTAKE A THREE-YEAR SEARCH AND RESCUE TOUR OF DUTY. HE WAS GRANTED PROVISIONAL WINGS IN 2007 AFTER COMPLETING A BESPOKE COURSE DESIGNED TO INTRODUCE HIM TO THE RAF AND FLYING. PRINCE HARRY, WHO IS ALSO TRAINING TO BE A HELICOPTER PILOT BUT WITH THE ARMY AIR CORPS, IS EXPECTED TO WIN HIS WINGS IN MAY.