matkat, thanks for your account. When we of the superior VC10 tanker squadron used to visit Leuchars, we had nothing but good things to say about Leuchars VASF. Many a time on operational air defence detachments Big George and the rest of his happy gang would provide us with truly excellent assistance.
The actions of that 'shiny' crew are perplexing, to say the least. If you were so worried as to have such clear concerns about the aircraft's safety, the captain should most certainly have taken your advice and had the tyre changed. Bloody daft not to have done so, in my opinion.
Next time (I hope that there won't be one, of course), Flash call the tower and tell them that the aircraft taxying out has been seen to have a badly damaged tyre - and get them to call OC Ops Wg (or whatever silly title he now has...). No-one will ever criticise caution.
Pressonitis, a tyre explosion and failure of 2 LP fuel cocks as a result. They were very, very lucky.....
A VC10K3 once landed with 2 engines stuck at idle in the early days of the VC10K - it seemed that the stub wing drainholes had been blocked since delivery and water had frozen at altitude, effectively jamming the throttle controls which couldn't be moved after a long descent. A good job that the same fault wasn't also present on the other side....
