# Does the British Royal Family have a personal helicopter that Wills, Harry and Andrew fly? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 10, 2015, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481 "2015-09-10T00:26:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/1 "2015-09-10T00:26:29Z")
Quite extraordinary to have three helicopter pilots in one family. Harry flew Apaches, Wills flew air rescue and currently flies a medevac helicopter. Andrew flies helicopters and fought in the Falklands war. Does the royal family have a personal helicopter for them to jaunt around in? Separate of course from a official military helicopter assigned to the Queen. Charles is a pilot too. But I don’t think he’s flown helicopters. [http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/the-prince-of-wales/biography/military-career](http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/the-prince-of-wales/biography/military-career) > [@](#): > > when he started a four-month attachment with the Royal Air Force at Cranwell, Lincolnshire.The Prince had already gained his private pilot’s licence, and flew himself to Cranwell on 8th March, in a twin-engined Basset of The Queen’s Flight, to start advanced training to qualify as a jet pilot.Flight Lieutenant The Prince of Wales was awarded his RAF wings at Cranwell on 20th August 1971. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/2 "2015-09-10T00:49:44Z")
The Queen’s Helicopter Flight is a division of the Royal Household, and it operates a single helicopter which is dedicated solely to royal use. It’s supplemented as required with private helicopter charter. I’s supposed to be for official travel, and details of flights and costs are publicly reported, so I think the opportunity for family members to use it to “jaunt around in” are limited. There’s nothing to stop any member of the royal family from buying or leasing a helicopter privately, and using it at their own expense, and I dare say that they have the money to do that if they want to. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/3 "2015-09-10T00:53:57Z")
Yes, I assumed the official helicopter was only for royal business. I didn’t know if the family had purchased smaller, personal helicopters. They have the money and three trained family members. But I’ve never heard anything reported if they do fly (other than during their military service). ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/4 "2015-09-10T02:33:26Z")
I have to say that not many people buy helicopters for frolics. Anyone I know who owns a helicopter uses it for their work. Any frolicking is purely incidental. If all you want it for is the occasional frolic it makes much more sense just to rent one as required. Plus, the three people you mention learned to pilot helicopters as part of their jobs. This doesn’t mean that they are so passionate about flying helicopters that the job just doesn’t give them enough time in the air. Do bus drivers buy buses to drive around at weekends? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/5 "2015-09-10T02:38:59Z")
I had a relative that flew during the Viet Nam war. He missed flying a lot after leaving the military. He often talked about his flying days. But he never had the funds to charter a plane or even dream of buying and maintaining one. Pilots have to fly regularly or their skills quickly diminish. A private plane or helicopter can be big time savers over driving the crowded highways. It might even be safer for the Royals than driving. Cars can be intercepted and stopped on the road much easier than a plane or helicopter in the air. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/6 "2015-09-10T02:58:07Z")
There was a story last year about the Queen supposedly giving William a helicopter for his birthday. This turned out to be a gross distortion of the facts by a few irresponsible media. In reality the royal household had taken a lease on a helicopter for official use in preference to the series of charters they had been doing in the past. If William or any of the others are certified to fly the Agusta Westland A109S I suppose they might do so, but it’s not anyone’s personal toy. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/7 "2015-09-10T03:20:22Z")
A commercial license is different from flying in the military. I see no reason why the princes would pursue a commercial license. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/8 "2015-09-10T03:31:28Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > A commercial license is different from flying in the military. I see no reason why the princes would pursue a commercial license. Prince William actually just got one earlier this year, so he could be a civilian air ambulance pilot. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/9 "2015-09-10T03:33:00Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > Prince William actually just got one earlier this year, so he could be a civilian air ambulance pilot. Ah! Yes. I did hear about that. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/10 "2015-09-10T06:38:05Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Charles is a pilot too. But I don’t think he’s flown helicopters. > [http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/the-prince-of-wales/biography/military-career](http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/the-prince-of-wales/biography/military-career) He has indeed. From your own link: > [@](#): > > On 2nd September 1974 The Prince joined the Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton for helicopter flying training before being assigned to 845 Naval Air Squadron as a pilot on board the commando carrier HMS Hermes. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/11 "2015-09-10T07:13:49Z")
Prince Philip too. The records for one of the [old royal helicopters](http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/collections/X002-9905-WESSEX-XV732.pdf) (PDF) show him flying it himself sometimes: > [@](#): > > 11 May 70 HRH Prince Philip flew himself Manadon (Plymouth) – Taunton – > Yeovil. > 14 May 70 HRH Prince Philip flew himself and the Duke of Norfolk Ashford – > Lewes – Piddinghoe – Brighton – Chichester – Buckingham Palace. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/12 "2015-09-10T07:42:58Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > A commercial license is different from flying in the military. I see no reason why the princes would pursue a commercial license. I am pretty sure that the mere fact flying in the military/naval forces does not automatically grant you a civil licence even in the same type. I can imagine truncated procedures and applications for a military flyer versus a fresh civil one but don’t think it would be automatic. ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/13 "2015-09-10T09:42:36Z")
Helicopters are considered pretty unsafe. That may be unfair, but I believe that the Queen dislikes them and uses them only as a last resort. They also have a rule that she and Charles never travel in one together. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/14 "2015-09-10T11:08:33Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > Helicopters are considered pretty unsafe. Cite? Quite a broad brush I think. I flew helicopters five years in the Army, we never had an incident. One of our guys was however killed by a drunk driver. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/15 "2015-09-10T13:21:43Z")
Trivial factoid: the Queen Mother liked travelling by helicopter, and famously said her life had been changed by a chopper, much as Anne Boleyn’s had. This might have something to do with the Queen’s reluctance… ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/16 "2015-09-10T14:14:43Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > I have to say that not many people buy helicopters for frolics. Anyone I know who owns a helicopter uses it for their work. Any frolicking is purely incidental. If all you want it for is the occasional frolic it makes much more sense just to rent one as required. Yeah, helicopters are expensive to buy, and even more so to actually run. ISTR that when I worked at Eurocopter, someone told me that the actual cost to run the helicopter combined with all the required maintenance is what really dings most operators financially- the actual purchase price of the aircraft is chump change in comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/17 "2015-09-10T18:54:43Z")
More on The Queen’s Helicopter Flight: [Air transport of the British royal family and government - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen%27s_Flight#The_Queen.27s_Helicopter_Flight_.28TQHF.29) > [@UDS](#): > > …This doesn’t mean that they are so passionate about flying helicopters that the job just doesn’t give them enough time in the air. Do bus drivers buy buses to drive around at weekends? What is a “weekend”? ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/18 "2015-09-10T19:02:29Z")
> [@rsat3acr](#): > > Cite? Quite a broad brush I think. I flew helicopters five years in the Army, we never had an incident. One of our guys was however killed by a drunk driver. > [@](#): > > In spite of advances in cockpit technology and enhanced pilot training, helicopters’ global safety record has failed to improve dramatically over the past few years—and still lags far behind standards for airliners. > [@](#): > > In the U.S. and elsewhere, the number of civil helicopter crashes has stayed basically flat over the past decade at around 400 accidents annually world-wide. I have no idea how that compares in terms of passenger miles, but they do have a bad rep. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-the-british-royal-family-have-a-personal-helicopter-that-wills-harry-and-andrew-fly/730481/19 "2015-09-11T19:47:18Z")
Here’s more on helicopter accident rates. Short answer: it’s complicated. [http://haywardairportnoise.org/news/demaio.html](http://haywardairportnoise.org/news/demaio.html) > **[Helicopter Accident Rate Drops Dramatically - FLYING Magazine](https://www.flyingmag.com/aircraft-helicopters-helicopter-accident-rate-drops-dramatically/)** > > Initiatives within the helicopter community to reduce accidents appear to have yielded positive results. The United States Helicopter Safety Team (USHST), an organization made up of representatives from government agencies, industry groups, OEMs and... > **[Are Helicopters Safer Than Cars?](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2011/06/are-helicopters-safer-than-cars.html)** > > New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has reimbursed the state for personal and fund-raising helicopter trips, even though he insists the expenses were...