I'm reminded of John Cunningham's first test flight in the DH Comet in 1949. The press had been hanging around Hatfield for most of the day, when word filtered out that the flight was postponed. As soon as the press had dispersed, JC promptly took off !
So your idea of British style is deliberate lying to deprive the tax payer (in the case of the Comet) and future generations, the opportunity to simply see photographs of where their cash has gone. Interesting. As I suspected, we are on a different water supply.
Location: Quite near 'An aerodrome somewhere in England'
Posts: 15,739
For once, Barry, I agree with you.
The press who need to know have been informed, invited VIPs and a few lucky winners will also be there. Thousands of twitchers blocking the roads - hopefully not.
But it will be on TV, of that you can all rest assured.
Incidentally, by 'idiots' I meant step-ladder-man who will position himself in dangerous locations (such as the upwind boundary hedge) to get his thrilll.
But for such folk, I can reveal something they'd REALLY like to know:
' forget' does seem indeed to be on a thankfully different water supply.
The existence and first flying of the Comet was not exactly a secret akin to the F-117...quite a few 'first flights' have been carried out in either 'unexpected' or quiet situations when the press hanging around would have been a pain and indeed an unwanted extra pressure - any last minute snag would be presented as a disaster to the programme.
I was a photographer for BAe at Dunsfold, & covered the first flights of the Hawk 200 & Harrier GR5 among others.
We had the photo's processed & going around the world ( 600+ prints by wet film & printing, pre-electronic days ) before the aircraft landed.
Having dealt with the newspaper press during other events there, I can say wholeheartedly the press really are the objectionable sharks they're made out to be, elbowing each other in a scrum for a picture everyone's going to get anyway.
Much better kept away from 1st flights, I don't doubt nowadays some idiot would get past the barriers & on or near the runway for a scoop...possibly not the one he had in mind, straight into an intake !
You can go right off some folk, even relative neighbours in terms of our respective locations.
Perhaps I might comment - "Better a has been than a never wazzer....!!!"
Cheers,
Trapper 69
PS - Having looked at your company website I wish you every possible success in what would be a significant safety innovation for large aircraft. Are you close to getting the system adopted in the UK and abroad?
I have always been an advocate for visual distance to go markers at general aviation airfields as a means of reducing the large number of over-run accidents on takeoff or landing.
Thought it might.................... and no............!!!!!!!!! Retirement suits me just fine even if the level of finance leaves a bit to be desired.
(the press are).....Much better kept away from 1st flights, I don't doubt nowadays some idiot would get past the barriers & on or near the runway for a scoop...
Couldn't disagree more, Double Zero. On a couple of grounds.
First of all, XH-558 is as near as you can get to public property, and the public deserves to know all about the important stages in her new life. And what could be more important than her ‘maiden’ flight. I agree that it will be very difficult to make this into a satisfactory public occasion - probably impossible, for all the reasons already discussed. But I believe the media in all its grubby glory should be there, particularly the broadcast media. Their presence can be satisfactorily controlled.
That leads me onto my second ground. I was extremely privileged to be present at the maiden flight of the Airbus A-380 at Toulouse - and it was an absolute (and well deserved) PR triumph for Airbus. There were about 1500 of us reptiles from all over the world there - but Airbus had laid on absolutely everything we could need, and the overall feeling, even amogst the most hard-bitten cynics (what, cynics amongst HM meeja, I hear you cry - shurely not) - the overall feeling was one of friendly disposition towards Airbus on what was perhaps their biggest day ever. The massive coverage reflected that. And I have to tell you that when those 22 wheels lifted off the Toulouse runway right in front of us, the applause (from journos, remember) drowned out the engine noise. It was a genuinely teary moment, and I was immensely glad to be there.
It will be similar when XH-558’s eighteen wheels lift off - though I doubt if any amount of applause will drown out the Olympuses. And the impact on us, the Vulcan-owning public, through tv coverage, will be immense.
Of course, there is a problem, because it’s almost impossible to give any reasonable notice of when it will actually happen. But the way Airbus got round that was to give about a month’s notice of a 4 or 5 day period when it was most likely, then, if I remember rightly, about 48 hrs’ notice of a much firmer date, which turned out to be right.
Fingers remain crossed....
airsound
Edited to correct airsound's lack of progress in wheel-counting
Last edited by airsound : 27th July 2007 at 12:32.
Well, I'm saddened that the majority on here feel that the aircrafts first flight should be kept as secret as possible, infact I'm quite annoyed by it.
As someone who has, over the years, donated generously to this cause, I feel somewhat betrayed that you will try to actively keep me and a great many other supporters from witnessing what we have all been striving to achieve. It is shameful to be frank.
I hope that there is now sufficient money left in the pot to finish this off, because I regret that I will think twice the next time they come round with the begging bowl (again!)
The Winco
ps, G-KEST, can you confirm that this air test will be regarded by the CAA as an 'air display' please? Thank you.
So let me get this right: it will be ok for all the gash 'hangers on' to be there, but not the enthusiasts or joe public eh?
No-doubt the invites will go out to a load of ex Vulcan people, probably ex RAF Airships who once 'saw a Vulcan in the 50's', maybe even get the CAS to say a few nice words when it lands. A handful of VIPs and of course local dignatries, the BBC and ITV will all be invited. Lets not forget SKY TV of course and any other media group - Key Publishing will undoubdebly be there as will Ian Allan group etc. I should think that the friends and family of all the aircrew and groundcrew will be there, together with the 'support staff' not to mention representatives from BAe, Marshalls et al.
Now, have I forgotten anyone? Oh yes I have, the great British public. The very people who have stumped up the vast majority of the money for this project. But they're not invited or even 'allowed' to be there are they? Is that right? Assuming that is the case, you should be ashamed Brunters.
This aircraft now belongs to us all - you, me and every other Brit. It dosn't belong to Plemming, Walton or anyone else, it belongs to the nation and you would do well to remember that when you try to exclude us from enjoying what we have paid for!
The excuse that this first test flight will be an 'air display' and is therefore not allowed by the CAA is utter nonesence. It smacks of being a convenient 'excuse' for a chosen few in this 'club' to say that they were at the first flight of '558, and the rest of us were not! Shameful.
Brakes! Let’s look at where this discussion started.
Dr Pleming et al would very much like to host a private little party to launch ‘their’ aircraft.
His wacky attempt to exclude the great unwashed from the event went thus –
VTS club members and friends (over 22,000 individual records) who would wish to attend would render the first test flight impossible, because it would legally become a display.
Putting aside the notion that the benefactor of millions of £ of public money obviously views his contributors as exceedingly dim, just how does Dr Pleming intend to keep this event secret? It’s not possible.
The unwashed will most definitely turn up, invited or not, but don't expect canapes and a brolly. In reality, I don’t think anything has changed at all. Apart, perhaps, from the benefactors feeling a little peeved.
I'd love to see the Vulcan fly again and it will. BUT i think the money raised to get it flying could have been spent on other more worthwhile things such as cancer research, so on and so on.
I would also like to ask how much a year its going to need to keep her flying.
looking at aircraft like Sally B and other wartime aircraft that struggle to get funds enough to run all year round. Which is peanuts compared to what the Vulcan is going to cost.
and before you all jump on me for my grammer Don't i know its crap no need to remind me.
It could be you have a point Matt, but 558 represents something once great and our stance in the Cold war, and the men and women who watched out for us. I agree that cancer research funding should be higher, but lets scrape that extra from elsewhere.
What a bunch of posers. 
at the risk
Linear Mode
