Prince Harry’s former military teacher has blasted his wild military “suicide attempt” coaching claims as “complete fantasy”.
The outspoken royal claimed in his new e book that a military teacher intentionally stalled their Slingsby T67 Firefly propeller airplane with out warning.
But these “dramatic” allegations have been slammed as false by the person who sat beside him on the time, ex-Sergeant Major Michael Booley, who insists each element of coaching flights is mentioned beforehand.
In his highly-anticipated and controversial autobiography, Spare, launched on January 10, Prince Harry spoke of the alleged aviation incident.
“On one of our first flights together, with no warning, Booley threw the aircraft into a stall,” the 38-year-old royal claimed in his memoir.
“I felt the left wing dip, a sickening feeling of disorder, of entropy, and then, after several seconds that felt like decades, he recovered the aircraft and levelled the wings.
“I stared at him. What in the absolute —? Was this an aborted suicide attempt?
“No, he said gently. This was the next stage in my training.”
However, Sargent Booley informed the Sunday Mirror that he was “in shock” after studying these phrases.
“I am staggered by this, in shock even” he revealed to the outlet.
“Whilst the book compliments me, the recollection of the sorties and lessons is inaccurate, I’m afraid.
“It’s important to highlight that nothing in the cockpit comes as a surprise. Every sortie is thoroughly briefed beforehand, every single aspect.
“The sortie is flown exactly as per that brief. The only time there are surprises is later in the syllabus, not as stated in the book, when emergencies are introduced.
“Engine failures are practised before the first solo obviously, in case the student suffers one.”
Sargent Booley’s clear model of the incident comes after a string of claims have emerged that recommend elements of Harry’s e book have been confirmed to be inaccurate.
The 57-year-old served within the army for 33 years and taught the Duke of Sussex to pilot the Firefly in 2009.
Harry – who flew Apache assault helicopters in Afghanistan – was introduced along with his wings a 12 months later by his father King Charles, Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps.
Harry was criticised by senior army figures for revealing his ‘kill count’ of 25 in his new memoir, whereas the Taliban accused the royal crime of committing struggle crimes after he referred to individuals he killed as “chess pieces”.
While Booley asserted that he maintains the “utmost respect and admiration” for Harry, he questions elements of his e book which have been ghostwritten by main creator, John Joseph Moehringer.
“I think the reference to the flying sorties has been dramatised. I think it’s a result of the ghost writing,” he defined.
“I never called him Lt Wales, he was an officer, and I called him Sir.”
Michael nonetheless holds dad-of-two Harry in extraordinarily excessive regard and fondly recalled the time they shared a roast lamb for a Sunday lunch.
The pair have been photographed collectively in 2009, shortly after Harry graduated from the Defence Elementary Flying Training School.
“He was an exceptional student, very talented indeed,” he added.
“He is a friend and a man I respect immensely who would always have my ear.”
This just isn’t the primary time Harry’s comrades have questioned the Duke of Sussex’s model of occasions throughout his time within the military.
“All training sorties are briefed to the ninth degree so the student is fully aware of what the plan is,” A former Apache teacher reportedly informed The Mirror.
“In the air is not the time to try and brief somebody on what the plan is. The briefing will take place on the ground in front of a blackboard.
“I can only assume the book was written like this for dramatic effect because it’s wrong and no instructor would behave like this.”
Originally revealed as ‘Complete fantasy’: Prince Harry’s military boss blasts ‘suicide’ coaching claims
