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Ceremony and Symbol
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Transport
Royal helicopter
A Sikorsky S-76 C+ helicopter is used for some Royal engagements AIR TRAVEL Air transport provides a quick and efficient way for members of the Royal Family to carry out engagements across the UK and overseas. It has allowed The Queen to travel to countries and places never possible for her predecessors. Official flying for members of the Royal Family is provided by BAe 146 and HS 125 jet aircraft of No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron, based at RAF Northolt just north west of London, and the Sikorsky S-76 C+ helicopter operated by the Royal Household from Blackbushe Aerodrome in Hampshire. The primary role of 32 (The Royal) Squadron’s is to provide support in operational theatres for the Ministry of Defence. Any spare capacity on the aircraft is offered to the Royal Family, the Prime Minister and senior Ministers. Royal flying accounts for less than 20% of the combined tasking of both the BAe 146 and the HS125. In 2005-06, 32 (The Royal) Squadron has two four-engined BAe 146s (each of which carries 19 to 23 passengers) and five twin-engined HS 125s (each of which carries a maximum seven passengers). The Royal Travel Office based at Buckingham Palace co-ordinates use of the different types of aircraft by members of the Royal Family, ensuring that their use is both appropriate and cost-effective. In 2004-05, the BAe 146 were used for Royal flying over 218 flying hours, the HS125 for 230 flying hours and the Sikorsky for around 400 flying hours. |
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Did you know? The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) became the first member of the Royal Family to fly, learning in France during the First World War. The Prince went on to become a skilful pilot. The cost of official Royal travel by air is met by the Royal Travel Grant-in-aid, the annual funding provided by the Department for Transport. Aircraft of No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron have a distinctive white livery with a red, white and blue stripe. The Royal Household S-76 is finished in the red and blue colours of the Brigade of Guards. Air transport has been used by the Royal Family for Royal visits since the 1930s. King Edward VIII became the first British monarch to fly in 1936. Royal flying was formalised on 21 July 1936 with the creation of The King’s Flight at Hendon in North London. The new flight operated a single twin-engine Dragon Rapide, G-ADDD, formerly King Edward VIII’s private aircraft. The Dragon Rapide was replaced in May 1937 by an Airspeed Envoy III, G-AEXX, the first aircraft purchased specifically for The King’s Flight. The Second World War saw The King’s Flight temporarily disbanded, although members of the Royal Family continued to fly using military aircraft. In 1946 The King’s Flight was reformed, in greater strength, at RAF Benson with four Vickers Vikings. The following year all were heavily used during the Royal Tour of South Africa. The Queen boards a plane in Australia The Queen boards a Royal Australian Air Force plane during her visit to Australia in March 2006 After The Queen’s accession The King’s Flight was renamed The Queen’s Flight. The first helicopter, a Westland Dragonfly, was acquired in September 1954 and was quickly championed by The Duke of Edinburgh (who qualified as a helicopter pilot the following year). It was replaced in 1958 by two Westland Whirlwinds. In 1964 Hawker Siddeley Andovers were introduced for fixed-wing flying and saw more than 25 years of service before being superceded by the current British Aerospace 146. In June 1969 the Whirlwinds were replaced by two Westland Wessex. These served for nearly 30 years, together making more than 10,000 flights and each flying the equivalent of 20 times around the world, before being replaced on 1 April 1998 by a single Sikorsky S-76 C+. In 1995, The Queen’s Flight was disbanded and the aircraft reformed as No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron. At the same time the squadron moved from RAF Benson to its current location at RAF Northolt. Have you seen…
Royal visits Royal Travel Grant-in-Aid |
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