Royal Flight

The RAF 32 (Royal) Squadron, better known as ‘The Royal Flight’, is likely to be wound up in 2022.  The world’s oldest VIP flight dates back to 1936 when the Duke of Windsor (King Edward VIII), always a keen aviation fan, used his own de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide.

Now based at RAF Northolt, on the A40 six miles north of Heathrow, the unit consists of two 32-year-old BAe 146-100 and a pair of 200 series in QC mode.  Carrying up to 26 passengers the aircraft have proved ideal over the years operating out of restricted airports such as London City, and when it was open, Plymouth City Airport.

According to the Daily Mail this is part of the proposed budget cuts by the UK Ministry of Defence.  The aircraft are used to transport government representatives, senior military personnel, and the Royal family, although the RAF has underlined that the last role constitutes "by far, the minority of the squadron's tasking."  According to the task in hand other aircraft have been chartered in from time to time and the RAF’s 14-strong Airbus A330 Voyager fleet includes a pair of “civilised” aircraft, one of which can be changed into a VIP mode.

The plans to retire the one time ‘whisperjets’ have been opposed by politicians, including the Conservative chairman of the Defence Committee, Tobias Martin Ellwood, who cited their importance for foreign deployments and military transport rather than just VIP needs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/air_transport_of_the_british_royal_family_and_government

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OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

Malcolm Ginsberg, London

Perhaps I should have said civilianised. A relation was on a trip with Prince William and says they they are very comfortable.

Chris Pocock, Uxbridge, UK

I'm glad to read that two of the RAF's A330s are civilised. What does that say about the others?