Princess Anne pilots an A350 in Singapore

Princess Anne proved she’s as fearless in the cockpit as she is in the saddle, strapping into an A350 flight simulator during her visit to the Airbus Asia Training Centre in Singapore. 

The royal took the controls at the world’s largest Airbus flight crew training facility, showing the same composure she’s known for on royal engagements just with a bit more turbulence.

Before takeoff, the ever-unflappable royal quipped about her last flight simulator experience, jokingly relieved to hear this one would be “gentle.”

Greeted at the Airbus Asia Training Centre by Trade Commissioner Martin Kent, Anne toured the world’s largest Airbus flight crew facility, home to nine full simulators that make even seasoned pilots sweat. 

Dressed in a beige jacket, striped shirt, and trousers, the Princess Royal then braved Singapore’s torrential rain for a stop at the nearby Rolls-Royce site.

There, she peered curiously between the gleaming blades of the massive Trent XWB engine, the same powerhouse that drives the A350 she’d just “flown.”

While Anne took command from the pilot’s seat, her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, prepared for takeoff in a separate simulator suspended high above the vast open plan training floor. 

The high flying visit marked part of the couple’s two day trip celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Singapore proving that for the Princess Royal, adventure is always part of the itinerary.