funnily enough, despite respecting and agreeing with everything that the likes of DG and brunty558 have said, i still find it difficult to believe that there has been any milking/wastage/diversion of funding undertaken intentionally
whilst I'm not Dr. P's greatest fan, you can't ignore that it was he that got the ball rolling in the first place with nothing in the bank and very little else. similarly, the whole team certainly have put in the hours etc - some more than others - i don't question any of TVOC's employees' dedication, intentions or motives at all, just their managerial acumen!
what i personally think happened is that (probably when the HLF money came in) the whole project out-grew the abilities of those managers in place at the time. in the bear-pit that is business and commerce, failing to realise one's own limitations is a fundamental mistake - simply giving a position to someone who'd previously been doing it for free is not the way to employ the most efficient workforce. TVOC's employment decisions have looked somewhat nepotistic to say the least!
i also see TVOC as having tried very hard to be the truly modern and professional streamlined outfit that they realised that they needed to be to get 558 back in the air again; the trouble was that it was a very flimsy veneer of professionalism stretched thinly over a very amateur core. again, by the nature of the limited funds etc, no-one could expect TVOC to have hired the likes of Gerry Robinson - you can't lead a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget; but again that is precisely where limitations have to realised from day one.
sadly sponsors are rather good at seeing through such thin veneers. sure, the 'credit crunch' wasn't exactly helpful, but have we seen a lack of adverts on TV? is there suddenly a swathe of corporate sponsors tearing up their agreements with football clubs and such like? again, a very convenient hook upon which TVOC could hang their shortcomings without appreciating the core problems
unfortunately TVOC very evidently ignored and wasted so many 'human assets' that were at their disposal - a massive mistake in my opinion as there were so many skilled people who offered their services and never even got a reply. it's little wonder that a general attitude existed among supporters that TVOC saw 558 as their aeroplane - that is until the coffers ran dry, at which point the "peoples' aeroplane" line was again trotted out!
lastly, due to the passion for 558 of a vast number of people (OEMS, contractors, creditors, supporters etc) TVOC management bathed in the glory of so many unsung people and organisations, without whom 558 would still be a box of bits on a hangar floor. in short, they believed their own hype and genuinely couldn't understand why anyone could have anything bad to say about them; "we made the Vulcan fly therefore we are better than sliced bread"
thankfully, that is in the past - largely. certainly some of the old team remain, but I'm sure that the recent changes will either force those to 'step up to the plate' or they will simply be left behind. there are two or three employees at Brunty that have been very much in the background for a long time; they were always kept firmly under the iron fist that was Rusty, but i know that they always 'got it' even if she didn't. I'd put money on them now coming forward and being allowed to shine for the first time.
in a recent conversation with one of the management team (since the re-org at Brunty) i heard a very encouraging comment - "the problem has been that everyone wanted to be the one single person that saved 558; it can't work like that, it's a team effort" - hit the nail on the head there me thinks - at last, someone is capable of looking in the proverbial mirror without ignoring the warts and boils!
as I've said before, all good and encouraging noises which would've been nice to hear some months ago, but that was then and this is now - better late than never. skin of teeth maybe, but this is encouraging - stormy seas still, but no longer is the pilot-less ship adrift.
sm