Britain's Prince William has completed an advanced helicopter course and will next year continue training to become a military search and rescue pilot, his office said Saturday.
Second in line to the throne, William will receive his wings at the beginning of the new year along with his fellow students, and then will begin learning to fly Sea King helicopters, St James' Palace said in a statement.
William, 27, who graduated as an army officer in December 2006, is training to be a full time pilot with the Search and Rescue Force branch of the Royal Air Force.
William is following in the footsteps of his father the Prince of Wales who served as a Royal Navy helicopter pilot as did his uncle, the Duke of York, a Sea King helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands War.
Copyright 2009 AFP Global Edition
