Prince William could take to the skies over Cambridgeshire today (Monday) flying the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
The 33-year-old second in line to the throne will be starting work at Cambridge Airport, from where he will fly medics to emergencies across Cambridgeshire, as well as Norfolk and Suffolk.
Prince William, a former RAF search and rescue pilot, has been training to fly the 160mph EC145 T2 aircraft used as an air ambulance by day and night for the last five months.
He took a break to go on paternity leave after the birth of his second daughter, Princess Charlotte, on May 2.
“He’s done very well, he’s passed and he’s ready to fly,” said air ambulance spokesman Diana Jakubowska. “It’s only the best pilots who can fly the HEMS [helicopter emergency medical service] missions, because most of them involve finding a safe landing space.
“As soon as the red phone rings the pilot gets into the aircraft and gets it running. The paramedic takes the call and gets the grid reference. The pilot then takes them to the location, finding as safe a place to land as possible.”
Prince William - whose job title will be Captain Wales - will work shifts alongside other pilots, although he will be allowed time off to perform Royal duties.
Officials say the number of shifts he works will be a private matter between him and his employers, Bond Air Services, along with his salary, which he is donating to charity.
The Prince flew more than 150 missions and logged 1,500 hours’ flying time in Sea King helicopters from RAF Valley, on Anglesey, before leaving the RAF last September.
Since then he and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge have moved to Anmer Hall, on the Sandringham Estate, with their young family. Their new home is a 50-mile drive from Cambridge Airport.
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