Row over William helicopter landing

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It was the second time in five days that the Ministry of Defence had to justify the young royal's actions after a separate incident where he flew himself and his brother to a stag do.

William, 25, who is currently on an attachment with the RAF, took off in a Chinook helicopter from RAF Odiham in Hampshire on April 3. He touched the aircraft down 16 miles away in a field behind the home of Miss Middleton's parents in Bucklebury, Berkshire.

Aviation analyst Jon Lake described the flight as "ridiculous and inappropriate".

He told the News of the World: "This is an absolute waste of training hours on the Chinook helicopter that the military are hard-pressed to afford. No other pilot at Prince William's stage of training would be allowed anywhere near the left-hand seat of a Chinook."

In a statement the MoD said practising landings in fields and confined spaces was a "vital part" of training for operations in conflict zones like Iraq and Afghanistan.

It added: "Helicopter bases continually seek permission from landowners to use their fields and there are only two fields permanently available in Hampshire.

"Opportunities to use alternatives are therefore regularly seized. The sortie on April 3 was fully authorised and planned and was an agreed part of Prince William's attachment to the RAF."

It emerged last week that on April 11 William piloted a Chinook to London, picked up his brother Prince Harry and then travelled to the Isle of Wight for a stage do.

The MoD stressed that the sortie was always planned as part of William's training and included all the elements being tested - flying in busy air traffic, crossing water and landing in an enclosed helicopter pad.