Secrets of the Royal Flight

[Capetonian]

Secrets of the Royal Flight
Friday 20th Sep 10:15pm (GB time) 2115Z
Secrets of the Royal Flight

Documentary examining the royal family's history with air travel, from the first King's Flight in 1936 to the modern-day journeys undertaken by Queen Elizabeth II. Cameras step inside the private world of regal life in the air, uncovering the mysterious traditions and protocols behind royal travel, from the story of the Queen's Commonwealth tour in 1953 to the unique challenges presented in more recent times.

What a pity the ex-As won't be able to watch it, as Ex-A flew for the Queen's Flight. Sadly I won't be able to watch either short of a miracle as our IPTV provider has lost the UK channels, hoping to restore them later tonight.

We might even catch a glimpse of Ex-A in the driver's seat!

Is anyone out there able to record it onto a DVD, I will cover any costs?

[unifoxos]

I (hope, I haven't checked yet) that I have it on my PVR. I may be able to transfer it on to a DVD - I have not done this yet but the manual says it's possible.

[Capetonian]

Many things are possible. I have a fancy new digital camera which says I can transfer photos directly from it to the email and internet. The trouble is, I can't. I have a printer which is supposed to work on wifi with all the devices in the house, but I can't set it up. We live in hope.

If you do have a DVD eventually, I'd love to have a copy, and will send it on to Mr. and Mrs. Ex-A.

Thanks!

[Ex-Ascot]

Thanks Cape would appreciate it. Have made a few comments on Trabb. Wodders has very kindly sent us quite a few DVDs some do not make it. We will pay for courier if you can get a copy. I believe that this documentary went back to the KIng's Flight. My secondary duty on The Queen's Flight was giving presentations on the history of the Flight so that would be interesting. I had many requests a year but would only do one a month. Did one for a WI meeting in the sitting room of a member. Complete contrast was The Manchester Aviation Spotters Club or summat. Bloody hundreds of folk standing, sitting and hanging from the light fittings. 30 min presentation then questions. Chairman said there would be a break before questions. I said no there are only usually a few. He insisted. There were 100s of questions. First one was 'Understand HRH Prince Philip had an air miss over London recently, what happened?' NEXT. At least the ladies of the WI only asked me what make of china we had on board.

[Wodrick]

I can't find it on my usual sources but will be able to download from my IPTV provider, still active.

Can send wherever. PM address.

I think we have only had 1 failure ExA - the last, I forget what it was now.

[Capetonian]

Thanks Wodrick. Let me know if you've managed to transfer to a DVD and I'll give you an address to send it to. Appreciated.

[Wodrick]

downloading now, this won't be HD but will be watchable

[Capetonian]

I've PMd you with my email and physical address in the UK.

Could you send it as a Dropbox link?

Muchas gracias.

[Wodrick]

I am trying to upload to dropbox, then I will try to share via a dropbox link. Voyage of discovery this all I have in my dropbox account at present is most of my photographs it seems.
It's slowly uploading it is 540 Mb small.

[Ex-Ascot]

Yes indeed Wodders only one failure but nothing short of a miracle. No way we can download anything that big we are usually about 500 kbps. I can send a courier to pick it up from someone. Just fascinated to hear what 'secrets' have been revealed. There are many.

[Wodrick]

Well at that you won't be able to stream it either.
I'll burn a DVD and send it in the normal way or if you prefer you can arrange a courier to collect from the Supermarket I use as a mailbox.
Like you no post or deliveries where I live.
Whatever you prefer.
Apart from seeing peeps you probably worked with, I think the program has limited value.

[Ex-Ascot]

Thanks Wodders I will email you later in the week when I have spoken to DHL.

Bet it didn't mention that if it was raining we boarded in the Queen's Fight hangar to go to LHR and were towed out to start up so that we didn't get wet. Flight planning and briefing were done in the steward's bay over breakfast freshly delivered from Concorde catering at LHR. Our headsets were taken out and plugged in for us. Our pristine white flying gloves were placed on the coaming with a Fox's Glacier Mint placed on each one.

I hated working for the airlines, just no respect for the drivers.

[Capetonian]

If Wodrick gets it to me I'll undertake the rest.

[Wodrick]

It'll be Tuesday before I post it so probably a week Tuesday before you get it *Capes* is that ok ?

[Ex-Ascot]

Have just seen a clip of Sqn Ldr Graham Laurie being interviewed about the Royal prang. He was hardly going to tell the truth was he. Very surprised he agreed to be interviewed. He took the rap for the whole thing, never argued. Even the Nav was disciplined and accepted it. It was part of the job. He is brilliant pilot, QFI and examiner. Taught me a lot.

[Rwy in Sight]

Just saw HRH the heir to the throne (should I say HRH Charles or Prince Charles?) in a uniform. My question which uniform one king/ heir wears (air force, navy, army) in public. Based on a biography of the former king of Greece him being the commander in chief he has training from all three branches of the armed forces.

I hope it makes sense.

[Ex-Ascot]

RiS, yes, good question and does make sense. HRH PC is Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Royal Air Force. This is awarded by HMQ. To save costs in 1995 they did not promote any serving officers to these ranks. This was my problem. There is also HRH PP who holds all three ranks and the Duke of Kent who is a Field Marshall. Obviously they wear the uniform most suited to the occasion. In the pub or in bed it is up to them.

Edit, for a general military knees up HRH would wear Admiral of the Fleet kit as that is the senior service. Say Service of Remembrance. However it gets a bit more complicated. Trooping of the colour is Field Marshal as it is an army bash. Awarding badges to the boy scouts he has to wear his shorts.

[Pontius Navigator]

How did he qualify for para wings?

I knew an Air Cdre, later ACM, who 'sported' para wings. No idea how he qualified though I did know a nav, ex-FAC, who certainly had his wings.

My son in law, a loggie, also confuses people with his wings but he got them on 2 Sqn RAF Regt.

[CharlieOneSix]

How did he qualify for para wings?

]From the Telegraph, Monday 04 June 2012

On being appointed Colonel-in-Chief of The Parachute Regiment in April 1977, a few months before he turned 30, the Prince volunteered to undergo parachute training. He joined paratroopers for several weeks of basic ground training and then carried out a series of eight jumps from a Hercules wearing a PX4 parachute from a height of 800 feet, jumping on to Weston-on-the-Green in Oxfordshire.

In an interview with Jonathan Dimbleby 15 years later he commented that he could not "look them in the eye" or wear The Parachute Regiment's famous beret and wings badge unless he had done the course.

I don't think he did the night jump though.

[Pontius Navigator]

So who got to go in the ring milling with him?

I can still remember when we got involved with his flying training. Not closely involved but definitely affected. We were dunked in the sea at Mountbatten by a bunch of sadists masquerading as combat survival instructors.

Simple task, jump in water, swim to dinghy, right it (always upside down), get in, head count, dive back in to 'rescue' injured man. I had gloves on so I got to do the rescue. Reboard dinghy using dunking method to drown (pull out) injured man. Inflate floor and walls, bail out, button up, wave ENOUGH and wait for helicopter.

And wait and wait and wait. Two and a half hours as the helicopter was excluded from the area by PCs purple airspace.