Why should HLF bail out 558
I've already explained previously. Surely, having donated a hefty amount of cash to the project, it will be recognised as having been spent for nothing if the aircraft doesn't fly again (or doesn't fly for more than a few weeks). The HLF donation will be seen (quite rightly) as a waste of Lottery buyer's money.
Clearly, HLF have a golden opportunity to preserve the value of their original donation by giving a bit more cash - peanuts as far as their budgets are concerned, but it would be enough to ensure that the money they have already spent has been worthwhile. Anyone can see the logic of this argument?
It's easy to say that HLF have rules about one-off donations, rules about this or that, but it doesn't matter. The rules are meaningless as they're self-imposed and can be changed as quickly as they were implemented in the first place. Ultimately, HLF money is our money and we have a perfect right to see it spent as we see fit. If HLF have any objections to spending a bit more on 558 then let's hear what their reasons are. If the reasons aren't plausible (particularly if they use their own self-imposed rules to wriggle-out) then it's up to us to go to the Government ministers responsible, as they obviously have the power to dictate what HLF does or doesn't do. Simply rolling-over and taking no for an answer is precisely the sort of attitude that public bodies love.
However, the important point to remember is that (according to HLF's letter to Andrew) they haven't even been asked! So, while Pleming keeps whining about last chances, and begging school kids to dig into their pocket money (presumably to finance another laptop or two), he has failed to pursue the most obvious means of securing finance for the aircraft. It's absolutely ludicrous! What is his reason for not approaching HLF? Presumably he must either think that they would say no (but why didn't he at least ask and fight the decision - that's his job isn't it?), or he simply couldn't be bothered to find out. They can be the only possible reasons, unless he specifically doesn't want to have HLF involved again - why would that be? Because TVOC haven't met the terms of the original donation?
Sorry, but this saga is just completely ridiculous. We've listened to the garbage about no sponsors appearing (even though Pleming intimated that they were figuratively queueing-up to come forward) and how we're expected to dig into our pockets, as if having a "whip-round" is ever going to solve the problem. And yet, the one obvious source of reliable money for the aircraft hasn't even been pursued... and people wonder why I think TVOC's management are a joke?!