Prince William starts RAF rescue training on Anglesey

Prince Charles congratulates Prince William at his graduation ceremony

Prince William has arrived at RAF Valley on Anglesey to start his training as a search and rescue pilot.

The 27-year-old prince, who is known as Flt Lt Wales, will be based on the island until the end of the summer.

If successful on the course, he will become a fully operational pilot with one of the six UK-based RAF Search and Rescue Force flights later this year.

He graduated from a 12-month advanced helicopter training course at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire this month.

Prince Charles attended the graduation ceremony and presented a flying badge to his elder son.

During the search and rescue conversion course at RAF Valley, William will be taught to use his new skills to fly Sea King helicopters.

Once operational, a typical tour for a pilot in the Search and Rescue Force (SARF) is between 30 and 36 months.

The prince is following in the footsteps of his father, who flew helicopters in the Royal Navy, as did his uncle, the Duke of York, a Sea King helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands War.

William previously spent two weeks on work experience at RAF Valley in December 2005.

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