ROUGH CUT - NO REPORTER NARRATION<br/> <br />Britain's Prince William has started a six-week tour of duty as a search and rescue helicopter pilot on the disputed Falkland Islands.<br/> <br />Video footage released by the UK Ministry of Defence shows the 29-year-old performing checks on a Sea King chopper before taking off as co-pilot.<br/> <br />William, who in the Royal Air Force is known as Flight Lieutenant Wales, will provide search and rescue cover for both the civilian and military population.<br/> <br />Although search and rescue will be the chopper crews' main responsibility they can also be called upon to deal with a range of other jobs including taking seriously ill patients to hospital, putting out peat fires, and dropping off vital supplies to remote parts of the islands.<br/> <br />Prince William has arrived on the archipelago at a time of escalating tensions between Britain and Argentina which also lays claim to the territory.
