Prince William and His Work as a Helicopter Pilot

[Osipi]

From what I know of William (and yes, most of what I do know is from observing his public life and what the media chooses to inform me of), I honestly think that if he couldn't pull his own weight when it comes to his EAAA job, he would have left a while ago. This job is something he chooses to do and donates his wages to charity. He just simply isn't the type of person, IMO, that wouldn't care how his actions would affect others he works with.

 

[Rudolph]

The British press and British public are completely separate things. Show me any opinion poll that shows the public is unhappy with what William is doing.

There are unpopular royals but William isn't one of them. If he is so unpopular he wouldn't have been the public's first choice to be the next king after the Queen passes. (not that it's a popularity contest)

I understand not everyone likes William for whatever reason but that goes for any royal.

And this whole thing with EAAA is ridiculous but it's ammo for William's critics.

EAAA says William is a skilled pilot who is an integral part of the team. And William is the only royal who works that we actually get to see work. I post articles in this thread anytime William is spotted on the job.

There are other royals who we are told have jobs or do 'volunteer' work and yet we never see any photos of them

The public knows William has a job because we actually see him in action

 

[Dman]

A new series about the work the royals do behind the scenes would be great. It's always good for people to gain some insight on the royals work.

 

[Skippyboo]

General News and Information for the Duke of Cambridge

William would had to get his schedule/ time off request approved by his bosses at the air ambulances. It's not like he was supposed to work on Christmas and called in sick.


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[Osipi]

Exactly. When my hubby worked shifts as a professional EMT, he would be scheduled for 24 - 36 hour shifts where he would remain "on station" for the entire duration of the shift. The schedules were planned out sometimes 2-3 months in advance so it was pretty easy to request certain days off for trips, special occasions and so forth. With William's other responsibilities most likely also being planned quite a bit in advance, it makes it easier to make sure there's time for everything.

When one person stated that they didn't see William for most of December, that is very possible. It could be that during the period of the end of November, early December, William got his hours in so as to be free for Christmas at Amner/Balmoral and whatever other engagements scheduled.

 

[VictoriaB]

William would had to get his schedule/ time off request approved by his bosses at the air ambulances. It's not like he was supposed to work on Christmas and called in sick.


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Do you honestly think that if His Royal Highness Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge asked his bosses at EAAA for time off that it would be denied whether it fitted in with anybody else's schedule or not?

 

[Lumutqueen]

Do you honestly think that if His Royal Highness Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge asked his bosses at EAAA for time off that it would be denied whether it fitted in with anybody else's schedule or not?

Yes.
If William is being treated as plain old john smith at work, then he would be denied time off if it was too short notice or they couldn't find cover for his shift. If he's not, then he's getting special treatment, using his status to get advantages other don't.

 

[Skippyboo]

I am a normal person I can ask my boss for 2 weeks off if I do it with plenty of notice. Why wouldn't William be able to ask for specific dates off with plenty of notice. We already know of days he will have off such the April tour dates, June 10-13 for Queen's Bday and Trooping, June 30 July for Somme anniversary. So if he asks in March for May 2 off or July 22, he can get it off just I can get time off from my job.


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[PetticoatLane]

As a Brit it always amuses me to come here and other royal websites to see Americans and Australians etc. say things like "what the British people want ix x, y and z!"

How kind of you all to enlighten us stupid people in these little islands! However should we decide what we think without you all here to tell us!

 

[Countessmeout]

I am a normal person I can ask my boss for 2 weeks off if I do it with plenty of notice. Why wouldn't William be able to ask for specific dates off with plenty of notice. We already know of days he will have off such the April tour dates, June 10-13 for Queen's Bday and Trooping, June 30 July for Somme anniversary. So if he asks in March for May 2 off or July 22, he can get it off just I can get time off from my job.


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Does your job allow you unlimited time off? Normally yes if you give a descent amount of notice it shouldn't be an issue but 6 or more weeks off a year? That doesn't seem likely that other pilots are given such leeway with vacation time.

 

[Rudolph]

When William and Harry were in the military, it was said by critics they received special treatment because their granny was the commander in chief.

Well last time I looked, EAAA is a registered charity and answers to to it's directors.

EAAA has said he is a valuable and integral part of the team and a skilled pilot.

Prince William is a consummate professional but even so does anyone really believe an air ambulance service would allow one of it's pilots to just show up for work whenever he feels like it.

If anyone has evidence to contradict EAAA they can present it.

 

[sndral]

Prince William to miss Sandringham Christmas after volunteering at RAF Valley | Daily Mail Online
This is from 2010, but it offers some insight for those claiming William is work shy - when he did not have a young family he volunteered to work the holidays so that those with families could have that time off. I don't know what the tradition is with private rescue, but William's calendar is set far in advance - his employers were aware of his other commitments and willing to work around them. It was announced that he was assuming a part time job and donating his salary when he took the job.
Some professions - fire and rescue especially, have X number of days off and X number of days on, are the people working in those jobs lazy because they don't work 5 or 6 days a week?
Other professions, for example teaching, have 2-3 months off every summer and a 2 week Christmas break plus Easter break. Are teachers lazy because they get a summer holiday longer than most every year?
I submit that during the rest of his time William's not just sitting on the couch at Amner watching Downton Abbey reruns and eating bonbons. I know many inexplicably think there is nothing for him going on when he is not flying his helicopter but that is untrue. He is assisting w/ his father's Duchy (which he will inherit) and working with his charitable causes as well as preparing for his appearances - you can't just show up somewhere w/out prep and hope to be effective, for example, last year's China visit probably took a great deal of prep given how important his visit was in terms of building ties between the UK and China.
I suspect the press is trying to turn up the heat to gain more access to the Cambridges - and I truly hope they fail. This tempest in a tea pot will soon pass, IMO.

 

[Rudolph]

This is the moment Prince William flew an East Anglia Air Ambulance helicopter from a car crash incident in Braintree.

In his emergency service work the heir to the throne landed in a field along Millennium Way, behind Millennium Veterinary Practice and the tennis courts.

He attended the scene of a crash on Lower Chapel Hill at the Lakeside Industrial Park yesterday (February 24) at about half past eight in the morning, in which a man in his 40s was hit by a transporter van.

Staff at the vets came out to see Prince William take off after he spoke to the site's handyman (who did not wish to be named) on landing.

Video and read more: Watch as Prince William flies air ambulance from Braintree crash scene | Essex Chronicle

 

[hel]

Does your job allow you unlimited time off? Normally yes if you give a descent amount of notice it shouldn't be an issue but 6 or more weeks off a year? That doesn't seem likely that other pilots are given such leeway with vacation time.

Well, standard holiday entitlement in the UK for most employees is 5.6 weeks; I know it sounds like an astounding amount of starting vacation time to us Canucks, but, then, we North Americans are notable by our stingy vacation time allowances.

 

[cepe]

The hours and time off is dependent on the contract of employment which William has signed.

Because there is a need for flexibility (royal duties) I would assume that he is committed to a certain # of hours over a given period - these could be annualised or quarterly or etc.

So - if he needs time off for India/Bhutan tour; 90th birthday celebrations or what ever he and his boss (not his colleagues) will have worked out what is required and when. He is a part-time member of EAAA and I can certainly remember that being stated from the beginning. So it is also possible that he is being asked to move his hrs around to meet the needs of other staff (ie people wanting half term off as holiday).

My assumption is that William is meeting the terms of his contract - whatever they may be.

 

[Skippyboo]

Does your job allow you unlimited time off? Normally yes if you give a descent amount of notice it shouldn't be an issue but 6 or more weeks off a year? That doesn't seem likely that other pilots are given such leeway with vacation time.

I get five weeks of vacation. However, we don't know if William is using his vacation or its unpaid time. William isn't working for the money anyways unlike most of us. The money from his job is going to charity.


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[cepe]

Can I also add that William is not alone in wanting to vary his shifts, have time off - just a few that would impact on just an ordinary EAAA worker

- holiday
- pregnancy (maternal/paternal leave)
- illness
- jury service
- family illness
- bereavement

and not all of these are able to be planned ahead.

 

[TLLK]

Well, standard holiday entitlement in the UK for most employees is 5.6 weeks; I know it sounds like an astounding amount of starting vacation time to us Canucks, but, then, we North Americans are notable by our stingy vacation time allowances.

5.6 weeks!!!!! Wow why are we North Americans always working????

 

[TLLK]

Can I also add that William is not alone in wanting to vary his shifts, have time off - just a few that would impact on just an ordinary EAAA worker

- holiday
- pregnancy (maternal/paternal leave)
- illness
- jury service
- family illness
- bereavement

and not all of these are able to be planned ahead.

And those who have advanced notice of their upcoming time off would want to juggle around shifts during the year to accommodate.

 

[cepe]

5.6 weeks!!!!! Wow why are we North Americans always working????

to clarify - UK f/time employees are entitled to 28 days paid leave per annum.
This can include the 8 days Bank Holidays that UK have each yr.

So for the majority of employment contracts this is 20 days paid leave plus 8 days paid bank holidays.

Sorry for going off thread but thought this needed clarification.

edit: BHs are New Years Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, May Day (1st Mon May), Spring Bank Holiday (formerly Whitsun) (last Mon in May), August Bank Holiday (last Mon in August), Christmas Day, Boxing Day

 

[TLLK]

to clarify - UK f/time employees are entitled to 28 days paid leave per annum.
This can include the 8 days Bank Holidays that UK have each yr.

So for the majority of employment contracts this is 20 days paid leave plus 8 days paid bank holidays.

Sorry for going off thread but thought this needed clarification.

No worries cepe but that is still more than most American workers would have per year.

 

[cepe]

No worries cepe but that is still more than most American workers would have per year.

I know. And its probably why we are no longer a strong manufacturing country. But they are the rules and employers have to work to them.

 

[Jacknch]

Please note that this thread has been created to discuss Prince William's job as a helicopter pilot with the above posts having been moved from the General News and Information thread about him.

 

[Lumutqueen]

I am a normal person I can ask my boss for 2 weeks off if I do it with plenty of notice. Why wouldn't William be able to ask for specific dates off with plenty of notice. We already know of days he will have off such the April tour dates, June 10-13 for Queen's Bday and Trooping, June 30 July for Somme anniversary. So if he asks in March for May 2 off or July 22, he can get it off just I can get time off from my job.


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As I said, if William gave short notice for time off he wouldn't be given it. If he gave enough notice, depending on how EAAA work their shifts patterns of course he would be allowed it.

For instance I have a week off in May that I have booked just yesterday, that's been allowed. However I don't think that myself nor William would be able to turn up to work tomorrow and say we would like next week off to go to Mustique for instance.

 

[Skippyboo]

However, there is no evidence that William didn't give plenty of notice. Given that the Royal schedule is planned months in advance, it's more likely that EAAA has plenty of notice.

Also there will be time that a pilot can't do his/her shift on short notice such as illness so I sure the Ambulance service has a procedure for covering an emergency with one of their pilots.

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[Lumutqueen]

However, there is no evidence that William didn't give plenty of notice. Given that the Royal schedule is planned months in advance, it's more likely that EAAA has plenty of notice.

Also there will be time that a pilot can't do his/her shift on short notice such as illness so I sure the Ambulance service has a procedure for covering an emergency with one of their pilots.

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I agree with this - however the initial post i was replying to was suggesting that the EAAA wouldn't refuse William any time he wanted because of his title. This makes him not the everyman, but very special.

 

[Rudolph]

Katie Gates, a deputy nurse at the practice told the Essex Chronicle: "[The handyman] went round to have a look at what was going on. The pilot got out to make sure he didn't come too close to the helicopter for safety reasons.

"He said Prince William was so 'normal' and professional that it took him a minute or two to realize where he knew him from – as you can imagine we don't often get royalty in Braintree!"

The onlookers were taken aback by the royal's down-to-earth behaviour. "[We] were so impressed by how professional yet friendly he was," Katie concluded.

Read more: Prince William surprises locals during rescue mission

 

[royal rob]

I agree with this - however the initial post i was replying to was suggesting that the EAAA wouldn't refuse William any time he wanted because of his title. This makes him not the everyman, but very special.

Very special indeed if that was true. In my previous job it was extremely hard to take annual leave
As others had family problems etc The bonus was when I left I had almost 6 months leave paid out.
So I would hope Williams leave isn't making it hard for others to take theirs


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[Blog Real]

They think that William will continue to work on the helicopter when it becomes Prince of Wales?

 

[GracieGiraffe]

They think that William will continue to work on the helicopter when it becomes Prince of Wales?

I've always thought he would continue even after he's POW.