Vulcan tooling about

[Jumping_Jack]

Lovely to see the Vulcan hoofing across Bicester today (PM). Low enough to get a good view, anyone know where it was off to? Mrs J_J was up to her usual spotting skills 'ooh look, is that Concord?' :rolleyes:

J_J

[vintage ATCO]

Departed Marham, displayed at Lowestoft, then landed back at Brize.

[Pontius Navigator]

Just curious, but what is the deal with the Vulcan using military airfields? Clearly 9000 feet of concrete specially built for the V-force is an ideal surface but who pays for such a heavy civilian jet to use military airfields?

Nelson?

[dunflying]

Just seen your entry from 2007. Jock is alive well & supplementing his CAA pension by lecturing about Concorde on cruise ships.

[Roadster280]

It's a sad day when it comes to beancounting with regard to this particular use of mil airfields. I did wonder the same myself, and thought "well, I would think the RAF are more than happy to have a Vulcan back on the station" and cut them some slack. Charge for the gas & oil, and that's it. I hope so!

[A2QFI]

I was discussing this at Marham on Thursday (Vulcan costs/funding). The consensus seemed to be that they weren't paid for displaying but got use of the facilities, including fuel, as a quid pro quo. Seems fair to me.

[Pontius Navigator]

A2QFI, thank you. I remember a long time ago :), we used to get free historics in exchange for a free tank of fuel. Of course accounting is a lot tighter in today's straightened times.

Roadster, I wasn't worrying, just curious. I remember once Binbrook sending us a bill for £800 T&S and the staish telling them to think again. :) The falling fools also told us that we would have to pay for their smokeetc but they never sent us the bill.

[BEagle]

Not at Marham, but elsewhere I understand that some miserable ministry bean counter decreed that 558 could no longer have fuel at the lower rate.....

"What benefit does it bring to the Service" was allegedly the comment.

How about it causes people to visit your airshow?

Cost of everything, value of nothing. Again. The MoD of today....

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Casting my mind back to my POL days, I recall that it's the humourless Excise buggers that get funny about fuel payment rates. There's, no doubt, a current DIN on the subject.

If 558 inspires just one lad/ladess to join up, she's probably paid for her visits.

[4mastacker]

I think the Customs people only got funny if the fuel was used in something other than an aeroplane. It was, if I recall correctly, delivered "duty free and unmarked(i.e. no dye colouring) for aircraft engine use only". We had to be careful how much was put into the road diesel to stop it from 'waxing' during very cold weather, otherwise the revenue boys were on our tail!

Refuelling civvy aicraft did have its drawbacks - MoD were chasing Jack Nicklaus for months for payment for the fuel he uplifted at Leuchars when he flew his private jet -N1JN- in for the 1978 Open at St Andrews. It wasn't as if he was short of a bob or two either - he won the event!

Everytime I see 558 , I say a quiet 'thank you' to those who stopped her from going for scrap.

[JEM60]

It sure liked my bungalow on Thursday!! East at about 1500 feet, and the other way yesterday at what looked about 1,000!!!!. Lovely. Senior management didn't deign to get out of her seat to look at it.
Aviation history lesson was in progress last night!!.

[Lower Hangar]

Cousin in the Southampton area ( near Marchwood) reports a Vulcan overflew his garden today - whats it been doing ???

[cornish-stormrider]

What does the Vulcan bring to an Airshow - only about 25 - 50% increase in the gate (minimum)

At some fishhead wafu base last year it was packed, even thought the weather was abysmal and it went U/S.

Still -what do the mod know?

[Lower Hangar]

Cousin in the Southampton area ( near Marchwood) reports a Vulcan overflew his garden today - whats it been doing ???

[beaufort1]

A Vulcan featured in the Jersey Airshow this afternoon.:)

[barnstormer1968]

I saw 558 today.

I was coming home from a meeting in London, and she flew nicely from left to right in front of my comrade and I.

I made lots of gooing and oooh noises, and said look at that, isn't that wonderful, and he asked if it was concorde?

I told him it was the Vulcan, and is a military plane, to which he replied....Do they use it to bomb Afghanistan?

Either way, It was really good to see it flying. :)

[Tankertrashnav]

Nothing would surprise me about MOD beancounters. When I helped organise the first V Force reunion in 2004 we tried to get an RAF to do a flypast to honour the 500+ ex V Force guys expected to attend. A Tornado squadron (ashamed to say I forget which one) was happy to do a few flybys with one aircraft, but at a late stage the beancounters got wind of it and vetoed it. One Tornado fgs! Fortunately BBMF were able to slightly divert the Lanc and the Dakota on their way back from other displays so we got our flypast after all.

[simflea404]

If there is one UK aircraft that can draw the crowds even now it must be the Vulcan...The only aircraft I know where the ground crew never got bored of seeing it off and seeing it in. An absolutely beautiful aircraft IMO...and a high pitched wing over (or was it really a stall turn) was a delight at every Air Show,

To me it is an Icon of the Cold war and should be regarded with the same esteem as the Memorial Flight...because it wasn't used rather than it was. Okay it was used once, but not quite as intended...

Maybe I am biased because I had to sweep snow off the little buggers every year at Waddington in the good old days...:)

[thorpey]

The Vulcan was displaying over Jersey yesterday, she looked fantastic, especially the flypast escorted by the Reds when she departed the bay. Thanks to all those who took part, and it is a reminder to us grateful civvies for the sacrifices made on our behalf.
thorpey.

[cornish-stormrider]

What was it that russion said when he saw one - only plane the RAF ever had that scared him.

We will reach Moscow - no sightseeing, will leave 1x present. its guaranteed to brighten up your day


(bad taste, its friday)

[fallmonk]

558 is displaying at Leuchars tomorrow 11.45,
Will be the highlight of the day for me just as it was last year.
Only hope weather behaves (predicted rain , rain and more rain)

[Shack37]

558 is displaying at Leuchars tomorrow 11.45,
Will be the highlight of the day for me just as it was last year.
Only hope weather behaves (predicted rain , rain and more rain)


A photo or two would be nice......if possible through the rain.

[BEagle]

Currently they're working on a brake leak snag at Brize. It seems that the 'can-do' Royal Navy generously flew the Taff the crew chief plus the brake bleeding kit down from Leuchars in a Jetstream....:ok:

"It's OK, chaps, the Navy's here!"

Tomorrow the plan is to fly to Leuchars, drop off Taff, then fly the display and land.

Fingers crossed that the weather plays ball.....:\

Anyone who can spare the odd few quid to help keep 558 flying, please see How To Help | Vulcan To The Sky (http://www.vulcantothesky.org/how-to-help.html) . And if you want to thank the RN, then perhaps a donation to The Fly Navy Heritage Trust - Donations (http://www.royalnavyhistoricflight.org.uk/fnht/donations/) would be in order?

[fallmonk]

Just wanted to say thanks to the crew and support staff off 558.
Another fantastic display and some great merchandise at there stands.

And just a general thanks to all involved with RAF Leuchars display was top notch. The show and set up was fantasic.
Like last year there was a few traffic foul ups BUT nothing to do with the organisers (red car park field flooded) so every one was moved to blue so the extra traffic caused some bad traffic issues. BUT like I sayed all out off the control off organisers. Well done to all involved was a great show .

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v510/fallmonk/c43a6330.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v510/fallmonk/e1a531aa.jpg

[NorthSouth]

I had the great fortune this afternoon to be landing on runway 24 at Edinburgh just as XH558 was making a low pass opposite direction down runway 06. What a sight! Well done everyone involved. Haven't seen a sight like that since 112 SU at Stornoway in 1981. Luckily the guy in the back of my aircraft got it on video.
NS

[engoal]

I sat in it today! :ok: Took me back 25 years to the HP V-Bomber!