Prince Harry - who is due to receive his pilot's wings from his father, Prince Charles, later Friday - says his selection is a "huge honor" and the training course will be "one of the biggest challenges of my life so far."
The prince, who is third in line to the British throne, passed his basic helicopter training course last month. He has made no secret of his desire to return to the front lines in Afghanistan.
Flying is in this family's royal blood: Harry's older brother, William, is learning to fly search-and-rescue choppers. Charles qualified as a helicopter pilot in 1974, and their uncle, Prince Andrew, flew a Royal Navy helicopter during the Falklands War.
