Prince Harry wants to become a copter pilot

By Sarju Kaul

London

Oct. 27: Prince Harry wants to become a helicopter pilot like his elder brother William and has started the tough Army selection process in order to join the course.

Prince William, 26, will train to become a full-time pilot with the Royal Air Force’s Search and Rescue Force from January. He will begin his 18-month training course with the RAF in January 2009 and, if successful on the course, would become a fully operational Search and Rescue pilot in 2010.

Prince Harry will be graded next month to determine whether he can start the full Army Air Corps programme, Clarence House said. Candidates take a four-week course to chalk up 13 hours of flying when they need to prove their ability to learn and progress. Harry has passed an initial aptitude test and if he successfully completes the four-week course, he will progress to full flight training in January, which will last 16 months.

The 24-year-old had served as a forward air controller in the Helmand province of Afghanistan from mid-December to February. He had been deployed on a four-month tour.

However, the deployment was cut short after 10 weeks when a news blackout broke down at the end of February. Prince Harry is the first member of the royal family to see active service in a war zone since his uncle, Prince Andrew.