Royal Navy officer arranges helicopter visit for private school kids

Royal Navy officer arranges for a £20m military helicopter to visit pupils from private school (including his own) – at the taxpayers’ expense

• Merlin chopper landed in field near Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School, in Hammersmith, west London, last Friday 
• Pupils at £18,000-a-year-school chatted to the crew and had a look inside
• One resident said: ‘It seems a lot of taxpayers’ money is being spent on these trips for children at an expensive private school’ 
• MoD denied there was a cost to taxpayer as trip doubled as a training exercise 

A Royal Navy officer whose children attend a private school in west London gave pupils a treat by arranging for a military helicopter to visit them – albeit at the taxpayer’s expense.

The £20million Merlin chopper was seen landing in a field near Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School, in Hammersmith, last Friday. 

It is believed to have travelled from RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, about 100 miles away.

The school tweeted: ‘RPPS definitely took the topic “People who help us” to a whole new level! All year groups as well as nearby schools came to hear the team talk about the aircraft & their very important jobs. What a fantastic day!’

A Royal Navy officer whose children attend a private school in west London gave pupils a treat by arranging for a military helicopter to visit them

The £20million Merlin chopper landed in the field near Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School, in Hammersmith. Although the experience was very rewarding for pupils at the £18,000-a-year-school – who chatted to the crew and had a look inside the aircraft – some have called it a waste of taxpayers’ money

The helicopter is understood to have travelled from RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset, about 100 miles away

Although the experience was very rewarding for pupils at the £18,000-a-year-school – who chatted to the crew and had a look inside the aircraft – some have called it a waste of taxpayers’ money.

One resident said: ‘It seems a lot of taxpayers’ money is being spent on these trips for children at an expensive private school. It does not seem right to me,’ according to The Mirror. 

A commenter on a forum for people based in Chiswick, west London, wrote: ‘Great for the kids – but hopefully there will be no complaining about any future cuts from the armed forces’

Another wrote on Instagram: ‘Always great to actually see £20million of our tax money up close!’

Meanwhile, on a forum for those based in Chiswick, west London, one commenter wrote: ‘Great for the kids – but hopefully there will be no complaining about any future cuts from the armed forces.’ 

And it’s not the first time it has happened. In 2013, a Royal Navy Lynx helicopter visited thanks to a different parent – a naval commander whose children attended the school. 

Cuts to the defence budget in recent years have left the British Army half as capable as it once was, a former Chief of the General Staff said last October.

General Lord Richard Dannatt said there is a ‘very strong case’ for Britain to increase defence spending, and that the military would benefit from an extra £5billion a year.

Asked about the current state of Britain’s military and whether it has been damaged beyond repair, he highlighted how the UK has some ‘very good equipment’, but not enough of it.

Gen Dannatt added that when he was at the head of the Army in 2009, it was at a size of 102,000 but is now at a level of fewer than 80,000.

Cuts to the defence budget in recent years have left the British Army half as capable as it once was, a former Chief of the General Staff said last October. General Lord Richard Dannatt said there is a ‘very strong case’ for Britain to increase defence spending, and that the military would benefit from an extra £5billion a year. (Above, the chopper in Hammersmith last week)

Regarding the helicopter crew treating the children, the Ministry of Defence denied there was a cost to the taxpayer because the trip doubled as a training exercise.

The MoD told the Mirror: ‘To train effectively, military helicopters often use external landing sites so crews can practise operating in complex and unusual airfields and airspace. 

‘This particular training opportunity also enabled a community engagement event with a number of local primary schools.’

A defence source added that military parents liked to organise such trips to make up for the time lost by being away from family.   

It’s not the first time pupils at Ravenscourt Park Preparatory (above) have been treated in such as fashion. In 2013, a Royal Navy Lynx helicopter visited thanks to a different parent – a naval commander whose children also attended the school

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