Just spent a jolly couple of hours at Cosford receiving a lecture by Dr P on the progress with the Vulcan. A few intersting snippets...
Progress on engineering is on schedule with flight expected by end March 07
8 Zero time engines in stock along with 800 tons of spares... and Woodford have just found a few more tons
Little corrosion found - a bit on one spar was ground out to a depth of 0.5mm or so. BAe have modelled the spars and told them they could knock 20% out if they wanted...
Woodford have the entire design record on Microfiche - the only type to have the whole lot - 145,000 sheets.
The Heritage Lottery Fund
One of the many conditions of receiving the bunce is that the aircraft has to be kept taxiable at the end of its flying career, at 'A National Musem, with a runway' ie Duxford or Cosford, although a hint was dropped that Farnborough was a possibility...
They have also insisted on insurance... Not just 3rd party at £35k/year, but hull insurance to the value of the grant, ie around £2.4m - This will cost an extra £90k/ year. So if the aircraft is written off, HLF get the bunce back...
For the first year or so the aircraft will operate from Brunty, but plans appear to be being made to move the operation elsewhere after that. With the high hangarage rent (£150k+ / year) and the difficulty of fitting in with Brunties car meetings and testing contracts, and also problems with noise and the locals, a move is on the cards. I got the impression he could hardly wait...
Funding has improved especially with the £0.5m from Union Jack Haywood. Still a way to go, but the publicity a few weeks back opened a few more doors. (He is meeting up with James Dyson about the engineering education for kids aspect - I can imagine that Dyson will be a few quid lighter too after the meeting...)
All in all I came away with the impression that there is still work to do but now the funding has improved then things will be OK. Dr P seems genuine and enthusiastic - He isn't a marketing guru - he's an engineer, which may be why the funding issue has been an issue, but with a bit of luck we'll all be reaching for the ear defenders next summer...
Nige