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From The Times
January 18, 2008

Prince William conquers his fears for surprise first solo flight

Squadron Leader Roger Bousfield decided that Prince William was ready to fly solo
Michael Evans, Defence Editor

Prince William took his life in his hands yesterday by flying solo in a light aircraft after his RAF instructor decided he was ready to take to the skies without him.

The 25-year-old Prince admitted, after returning safely to land, that he had been “amazed” when Squadron Leader Roger Bousfield jumped out of the seat next to him in the propellor-driven Grob 115E, known as the Tutor, and declared that his solo moment had arrived.

Prince William, who is doing four months’ training with the RAF, had completed a few circuits around the airfield at RAF Cranwell, in Sleaford, Lincolnshire, with Squadron Leader Bousfield, 36, by his side. But when he landed the Tutor, his instructor made an unexpected move.

“Roger, my instructor, basically, turned round and said, ‘Right, I’m going to jump out now’. I said, ‘What? Where are you going?’ He said, ‘You are going on your own’, and I said, ‘There’s no way I’m going to do that’. But he said I was ready for it and jumped out,” Prince William recalled.

“The next thing I knew I was taxiing down the runway and I was sitting there saying, ‘Oh my God, this is a bit odd, there’s no one in here’.”

Prince William, who, before joining the RAF, served with the Army as Lieutenant Wales, a troop commander with The Blues and Royals of the Household Cavalry, added: “God knows how somebody trusted me with an aircraft and my own life. It was an amazing feeling, I couldn’t believe it.

Once I’d taken off, it was fine. You just remember your checks and do all the things you’ve got to do and fly the circuit. Then I was watching the runway getting closer and thinking, ‘Please, please don’t mess this up.”

Next month he tackles the Tucano, the aircraft that RAF pilots must master before choosing whether to become a jet flyer or a multi-engine aircraft pilot. He will also learn to fly a Squirrel helicopter.

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