Parachutes, Princes & Predicaments

In the heady days of April 1978, Edward Cartner found himself deep into his fifth tour of duty at the Royal Air Force’s venerable No.1 Parachute Training School. Known by the insiders as ‘PTS’, this institution has long been the cradle of British military parachuting prowess, a tradition that harks back to the early days of the Second World War. It’s not just a training hub; it’s the exclusive domain where RAF parachute jumping instructors, or PJIs, are born, bred, and employed.

To the uninitiated, military parachuting might seem like a thrilling cocktail of drama and danger, but don’t be fooled. The PJIs at PTS would likely roll their eyes at such romantic notions. For them, the routine is as mundane as it is meticulous, save for those rare moments when things truly hit the fan. Their job, after all, demands an unwavering commitment to precision—nothing less than the lives of their students are at stake.

So, imagine the seismic ripples across PTS when it was announced that none other than HRH the Prince of Wales, with his brother Prince Andrew in tow, would be gracing their hallowed grounds to train as military parachutists. For Edward, the officer tasked with their training, this was a curveball of royal proportions. Suddenly, his world of calculated routine was about to be shaken up with more drama, excitement, and potential for chaos than he’d bargained for.

This rollicking tale of how Edward and his band of PJIs navigated the royal tempest is not just an account; it’s a saga laced with humor and wit. It’s an unprecedented chapter in the annals of No.1 Parachute Training School, recounted with the same dry humor that Edward so masterfully wielded in his previous works, 'I Have Control' and 'Who Is In Charge Here?'

Publisher - Woodfield Publishing Ltd

Language - English

Perfect Bound

Contributors

By author

Edward Cartner

Published Date - 2026-03-13

ISBN - 9781903953174

Dimensions - 23.4 x 15.6 x 1.1 cm

Page Count - 198