By . Rebecca English . PUBLISHED: . 11:29 EST, 10 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:53 EST, 10 April 2012 . Prince William is mourning the loss of his former flying instructor who has been killed in a motorbike crash. The Duke of Cambridge yesterday extended his ‘deepest sympathy’ to the grieving family of James Hassell, 36, a Warrant Officer Class 2 with the elite Wild Cat Fielding Team, which is based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset. The respected Army Air Corps Lynx helicopter pilot was selected to teach the prince on a fast-track flying course four years ago. Skilled: Pilot James Hassell, 36, was trusted to teach the future King of England Prince William how to fly . Mourning: Prince William, seen during his flight training, was saddened by news of the death of his former instructor James Hassell . Nicknamed ‘Safe Hands’ due to his . goalkeeping skills, he taught William about the tactics and skills . required by military pilots when he joined the RAF on a four-month . attachment. WO2 Hassell from Chipping Campden, . Gloucestershire, died last month when his motorbike was involved in a . collision with a truck in Faringdon, Oxfordshire. A military funeral was . held on March 26. A spokesman for the Prince said . yesterday: ‘The Duke of Cambridge has been informed of the sad news and . his thoughts are with Mr Hassell’s family.’ Other friends and family paid tribute to WO2 Hassell, who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan. His close friend and fellow pilot Matt . Webb, 36, revealed that he managed to keep his cool when jokers tried . to disrupt his tutoring of the prince. He said: ‘He had carefully prepared a . day’s presentation for the prince when one of his friends wiped it from . his computer as a practical joke – but he still managed to deliver the . mission orders perfectly from memory. ‘His goalkeeping skills earned him the . nickname ‘Safe Hands’ – a name which followed him into his flying . career as he was a consummate professional.’ Tragic: The death of Major Alexis Roberts, left, who was killed instantly, left Prince William, right, 'deeply saddened' His stepfather, Pat Salter, from . Taddington, Gloucestershire, added: ‘When we found out our lad was . teaching the future King we were shaking in our boots. ‘At the funeral I asked his captain . “Why James?” and he said, “We couldn’t afford a cock-up and he was the . only one for the job”.’ At the time of the accident WO2 Hassell and his wife of 12 years, Lily, were about to buy their first home together. William also lost his much admired . Army mentor from Sandhurst, Major Alexis Roberts, 32,  who died in an . explosion in Afghanistan in  2007. The married father of two, of 1st . Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, was in charge of a 30-vehicle convoy . negotiating a stretch of road nicknamed ‘IED alley’ when the fatal blast . occurred.
James Hassell, 36, who was hand picked to hone the future King's skills, died after colliding with a lorry .
Prince mourning death of his second military instructor in just a few years .
By . Rebecca English . PUBLISHED: . 11:29 EST, 10 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:53 EST, 10 April 2012 . Prince William is mourning the loss of his former flying instructor who has been killed in a motorbike crash. The Duke of Cambridge yesterday extended his ‘deepest sympathy’ to the grieving family of James Hassell, 36, a Warrant Officer Class 2 with the elite Wild Cat Fielding Team, which is based at RNAS Yeovilton in Somerset. The respected Army Air Corps Lynx helicopter pilot was selected to teach the prince on a fast-track flying course four years ago. Skilled: Pilot James Hassell, 36, was trusted to teach the future King of England Prince William how to fly . Mourning: Prince William, seen during his flight training, was saddened by news of the death of his former instructor James Hassell . Nicknamed ‘Safe Hands’ due to his . goalkeeping skills, he taught William about the tactics and skills . required by military pilots when he joined the RAF on a four-month . attachment. WO2 Hassell from Chipping Campden, . Gloucestershire, died last month when his motorbike was involved in a . collision with a truck in Faringdon, Oxfordshire. A military funeral was . held on March 26. A spokesman for the Prince said . yesterday: ‘The Duke of Cambridge has been informed of the sad news and . his thoughts are with Mr Hassell’s family.’ Other friends and family paid tribute to WO2 Hassell, who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan. His close friend and fellow pilot Matt . Webb, 36, revealed that he managed to keep his cool when jokers tried . to disrupt his tutoring of the prince. He said: ‘He had carefully prepared a . day’s presentation for the prince when one of his friends wiped it from . his computer as a practical joke – but he still managed to deliver the . mission orders perfectly from memory. ‘His goalkeeping skills earned him the . nickname ‘Safe Hands’ – a name which followed him into his flying . career as he was a consummate professional.’ Tragic: The death of Major Alexis Roberts, left, who was killed instantly, left Prince William, right, 'deeply saddened' His stepfather, Pat Salter, from . Taddington, Gloucestershire, added: ‘When we found out our lad was . teaching the future King we were shaking in our boots. ‘At the funeral I asked his captain . “Why James?” and he said, “We couldn’t afford a cock-up and he was the . only one for the job”.’ At the time of the accident WO2 Hassell and his wife of 12 years, Lily, were about to buy their first home together. William also lost his much admired . Army mentor from Sandhurst, Major Alexis Roberts, 32,  who died in an . explosion in Afghanistan in  2007. The married father of two, of 1st . Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, was in charge of a 30-vehicle convoy . negotiating a stretch of road nicknamed ‘IED alley’ when the fatal blast . occurred.
James Hassell, 36, was trusted to teach the death of his former instructor James Hassell . in a . collision with a truck in Faringdon,