Thaindian News

May 7 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Prince Harry will be receiving his pilot’s wings from his father, Prince Charles later today (Friday). In the meantime, British Army commanders have selected Prince Harry to train as a pilot of an Apache attack helicopter pilot, and be in the prestigious regiment of the British Air Corps. He previously qualified for the competitive Apache training, a program which only allows 24 pilots in each year. At that time he was reported to have been flying the British made Lynx 9A instead.

“It is a huge honour to have the chance to train on the Apache, which is an awesome helicopter,” Harry said, adding it would be “one of the biggest challenges of my life so far. It is a seriously daunting prospect, but I can’t wait,” said the prince, who is third in line to the British throne.

Harry’s eight month training course will begin in July, and then he will join the Apache regiment and go through another eight or nine months training before having the title of a true Apache Pilot. “There is still a huge mountain for me to climb if I am to pass the Apache training course,” he said in a statement issued by his London office. “To be honest, I think it will be one of the biggest challenges in my life so far,” he added. “I am very determined, though, as I do not want to let down people who have shown faith in my ability to fly this aircraft on operations.”

Prince Harry, who is know as Lt. Harry Wales in the military, passed his helicopter training course last month. He was given the choice between the Apache and the Lynch, and said that the Army Air Corps felt he was best suited to the Apache. He wishes to return to the front lines of the war in Afghanistan.