Vulcan To The Sky Trust Forum
Written by "saracenman"...
I quote (in case TVOC management pull it later):
(Posted in the ‘Engineering’ section of the forum due to this being an Engineering topic!)
I wanted to post this as a poll, but that function doesn’t appear to be available any longer. Even so, here are my intended poll choices:
quote:1. No management changes required
2. Dr. Pleming (CEO) should be replaced with immediate effect
3. Mr. Edmondson (Eng. Mngr) should be replaced with immediate effect
4. Both should be replaced with immediate effect
In the light of this weekend’s situation with respect to 558's lack of Permit to Fly renewal, I know many of us appreciate just how important this matter is for 558's immediate future.
Whilst we as VTS Club members have no actual power as a Public Limited Company's shareholders do, we remain VTS’s primary source of funding; as such, is it not appropriate for us to have a voice in exactly how our money is spent? Is it not just as important that our wishes be listened to by VTS Trust?
In addition to the poll above, I propose that the VTS Club convenes an Extraordinary meeting, as a matter of urgency, to address the ongoing issues with VTS Trust management. I propose that the VTS Club Committee consider withholding funding from the Trust until we the Club are 100% confident in the Trust management’s abilities to continue operating 558 as a display aeroplane. In short, the Club Committee should press for the removal of Mr. Edmondson from his position within VTS Trust.
Please add your comments!
Many of you may know that I’ve long been a critic of VTS Trust’s management ‘skills’ and that, after a ‘reshuffle’ of employees last autumn, I began to see a very promising change in attitudes ‘at the top’ – I made a point of voicing my POSITIVE opinions just as vehemently as my previous NEGATIVE opinions, although qualifying my comments with the point that further changes would still be required.
My thoughts in this respect have not changed and I firmly believe that all of us have now seen for ourselves just how much has changed over the past eight months or so. At long last, the Club has been able to prove just what an effective and dedicated team we are, particularly with respect to rescuing the project earlier this year with the successful Pledge Scheme, and the more recent marketing and merchandising incentives.
Sadly though, we have continually been let down by the Trust management – typically by the complete lack of timely information; this weekend has been yet another classic example of the apparent distain the Trust management have for the very people who raise the funds to pay their salaries!
Hopefully most of you know me well enough to appreciate that I don’t throw accusations around wildly, without having at least a modicum of information on the subject, much of which is given to me in strictest confidence. I DO know what has been going on, ‘behind the scenes’ and I would like to think that most will trust my opinion to be an informed and ‘educated’ one.
This weekend is by no means the first time that VTS Trust management have made errors, but usually the fact that they have been identified and rectified by outside parties or people goes unpublicised, resulting in VTS hailed as wonderful. This weekend is no exception and, in my own opinion, whether Marshall Aerospace were directly to blame, Andrew Edmondson’s role is to manage all engineering matters, including ensuring that engineering contractors do whatever it is that they are contracted to do. By default he is ultimately responsible for this current shambles. There is a distinct difference between being BLAMEWORTHY, and being RESPONSIBLE. All managers are paid to take responsibility for their department, whether they are directly to blame or not – ergo, Mr. Edmondson is RESPONSIBLE for this utter mess.
Sticking my head on the block even more, even IF the Permit to Fly renewal IS sorted out, my information is that there are other important engineering matters which cast a shadow of doubt over 558's display status within weeks. Please do not ask me for specifics, as I will not betray the confidence that others have placed upon me. Suffice to say that it is another 100% engineering matter for which Mr. Edmondson is wholly responsible.
Sadly, issues such as these reflect badly on ALL those who work tirelessly for 558’s benefit, and easily overshadow all the hard work done by so many. Thinking back to my own involvement in the Pledge Scheme ‘telethon’, most of the hundreds of Club members I spoke to asked the same thing, “Is this going to happen every year?” I proudly replied that I had every confidence in the ‘new team’ at the helm, and that I really thought that the project had gathered momentum. I now feel as if I have deceived all those who pledged money to keeping 558 flying, and that I swindled them out of their hard-earned cash.
I am personally sick and tired of the endless attitude of secrecy surrounding many 558 matters, and I KNOW to what degree we Club members are treated like ‘mushrooms’ (kept in the dark and fed on ‘manure’)
We have just experienced a prime example of this, in that 558 flew to Waddington AFTER the Permit to Fly issue was known about at the highest managerial level – and yet no official statement was issued until late morning on Saturday, the first day of display at Waddington. Elsewhere on the internet, it has been quoted that VTS Trust did not know about this until Friday – whatever anyone else wants you to believe, it is NONSENSE, because I knew about it on Thursday! In my opinion, this is TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!
For far too long now, VTS Trust management have enjoyed applause and praise for a job well done, when in truth, much of it has been ineptly mismanaged by those whose salaries WE work very hard to pay, whilst issues tend to get sorted out by others counting on the enormous goodwill and passion that exists for 558. This surely cannot continue indefinitely!
If the current and culpable VTS Trust management escape this time, just what WILL it take to PROVE what ineffective, inexperienced and inept management we have in charge of OUR aeroplane?
Please DO add your comments, whether you agree or disagree with me - 558 is OUR aeroplane and our opinions DO matter!
sm
There would appear to be a good deal of economy avec l'actualite in all this. Not really acceptable behaviour from an organisation like this that exists solely because of a combination of public money and continues to exist by dint of donations. I can think of almost nothing, except possibly some of the commercials surrounding any corporate sponsorship, that should be remotely secret. I think the guilty heads need to roll.