Wing Commander “Sparky” Dunlop remembering the royal guest’s days at the controls of the Sea King , he said: “He was a good pilot. In our work, there is no room for hangers-on, and he earned his wings just like everyone else.
“He did bring a spotlight on us, but that was a good thing.
“Hopefully, it brought a spotlight on the work we do.
“The Prince is a part of our family and hopefully he will always be part of that family.”
Some of those present had served with the Prince at RAF Valley, including Flight Sergeant Rob Linfoot.
“He’s absolutely brilliant,” he said of the Prince.
“You can’t dislike him. He really expected a lot of himself and he strived to be better than anyone else.
“He coped brilliantly with all he had been through in the press and he was a brilliant pilot.”
Flt Sgt Linfoot flew between 20 and 30 sorties with the the Prince and praised his ability to stay cool under pressure.
“It was evident from the outset he was a cool, calm and collected guy,” he said.
“He would even come to the back of the helicopter and give us a hand.”
Another with direct experience of Prince William was Flt Lt Rob Hughes, who was at RAF Shawbury when he was completing his flight training.
“He was always a very good pilot,” he said.
“He’s a very impressive man, especially the way he conducts himself, and is able to understand so many things so quickly.”