Why did Airmiles Andy hire £5k helicopter for 120-mile trip? So he could dash back from racing jolly for ‘vital Royal Household meeting’

(Mail Online 02 May 2010 Christopher Leake)

He is said to loathe his ‘Airmiles Andy’ nickname, but the Duke Of York did little to silence his critics when he spent almost £5,000 of taxpayers’ money on a helicopter jaunt to Silverstone – so he could race around the circuit in a Formula 1 car. Prince Andrew chartered the Sikorsky S-76C to make a round trip of just 120 miles, despite the £4,700 bill. A first-class rail ticket, in contrast, would have cost £167. He hired the chopper to whisk him from the grounds of Windsor Castle to appointments just 59 miles away, including the visit to the home of the British Grand Prix, and then to fly him back to Buckingham Palace.

The trip last Thursday has been condemned by environmental campaigners, as it would have pumped a ton of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere – 30 times more than the train trip. However, Buckingham Palace insisted the helicopter was vital so the Duke could get back in London in time for afternoon meetings. The 50-year-old Prince took off from the grounds of Windsor Castle at around 9.30am for the first 40-minute flight, saving him about half an hour compared to taking the car. It landed at a small airfield near Brackley, Northamptonshire, where he opened a fire station.

He unveiled a plaque, toured the building and watched a demonstration by fire crews. The Duke was then driven the eight miles to Silverstone in a Range Rover with blacked-out windows with his aides and Royal Protection Officers. At Silverstone, he cut a ribbon to open the redesigned £5million circuit. He then changed into a white jumpsuit, personalised with the words ‘HRH The Duke Of York’ on the waistband, and raced 12 laps around the circuit in a two-seater Formula 1 car. With former world champion Damon Hill at the wheel, he reached speeds of 150mph. The Prince then enjoyed a private lunch with Hill and fellow racing stars Sir Jackie Stewart and Derek Warwick, after which he took the Sikorsky back to Buckingham Palace in a 50-minute flight arriving at 2pm.

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