The Helicopter Museum.

Press Release 22nd July2007

ROYAL VISIT TO THE HELICOPTER MUSEUM

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh visited the World’s largest dedicated rotorcraft collection at The Helicopter Museum on Friday 20^th July.

Accompanied by the Chairman of the Trustees, Captain Elfan Ap Rees, His Royal Highness renewed his acquaintance with a number of helicopter types that he flew in the 1950-1960’s including the sole surviving Queen’s Flight Whirlwind HCC.Mk.12 helicopter, along with several more modern designs representing advances in technology.

The Duke also spent some time discussing some of the restoration projects currently underway before chatting to volunteers, staff and representatives from AgustaWestland, Boeing, Eurocopter and other sponsors who have supported the museum since it officially opened to the public in 1989.

Afterwards, joined by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Royal couple inspected a Wessex HCC.Mk.4 helicopter, also formerly of the Queen’s Flight.

“The Queen remarked on its excellent condition and recalled that she had nick-named it ‘The Washing Machine’, She commented that she had forgotten how large it was compared with the S-76 now in Royal Flight service” said Capt. Ap Rees.” Her Majesty also asked why we didn’t have a Sea King yet in the collection but I explained that most of them were still in service and we hoped to add one in due course.”

In his welcome to The Queen and the Duke, Capt. Ap Rees said that their visit was especially welcome in this, the Centenary year of the first recognised helicopter flight, because the new skills training and education support being introduced at the museum marked the start of a new phase in the collection’s development “to encourage younger people to share our enthusiasm”.

The Duke then unveiled a plaque to mark the opening of the new Conservation and Engineering Hangar.

Providing room for three large helicopters to be restored at the same time, plus display space, the new building will also be used for the hands-on training of future helicopter engineers in conjunction with the City of Bristol College and other training providers. Funding for the 661 sq m

(7200 sq ft ) facility was primarily raised by THM and its supporters, although a new Heritage Lottery Fund grant and industry sponsorship will assist with the fitting out.

The Queen and Duke later left the museum to return home in the Sikorsky S-76C of The Queen’s Flight, making the visit the first time that three generations of Royal helicopters have been together at the same place and same time.