If you'd been signed up to the weekly newsletter, at
http://www.vulcantothesky.org you'd have got this: (with pretty pics)
The Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTST), the charity that operates XH558, the World's last flying Vulcan, regret having to announce that due to a technical problem with one of her fuel tanks, XH558 will not be able to appear at the following airshows:
Thursday 18 August - Dawlish
Saturday 20 August - Bournemouth and Shoreham
Sunday 21 August - Bournemouth, Shoreham and Fly To The Past, Oxford
Andrew Edmondson, VTST Engineering Director said:
"Unfortunately, XH558 has developed a fuel leak from one of the large fuel tanks in her fuselage. This was discovered after the aircraft was refueled ready for this week's flights. The leak is now being investigated to establish the cause and extent of the problem, and the necessary repair will need to be carried out before she will be able to fly again. We have every confidence that the problem is temporary, and we are working with Fire Proof Tanks of Portsmouth, the manufacturer of the fuel tank, with the aim of completing the repair as soon as practically possible"
With a technical team of just six, VTST operates an aircraft which is over 50 years old to exacting safety standards. We have a 'safety first' policy. This means that we will only ever fly the Vulcan if she is fully serviceable, with no room whatsoever for any compromise on this.
It is a great shame that the Vulcan has to miss these upcoming airshows, and for this we are truly sorry, because we know how very popular XH558 is with the public and that many people will be disappointed by this news. We fully share their disappointment and our sympathy is with them and with the airshow organisers."
Edmondson says the charity can pay for the repairs from its contingency budget, but that the loss of revenue from the missed airshows may have to be made-up from fundraising. "It costs around £2 million a year to fly XH558 to the world's highest safety standards and we receive no funding from Government or the RAF," he says. "The income from these shows was an important part of our revenue and it will be missed."
Martin Withers, Chief Pilot of VTST commented;
"This current problem in no way means that the future of XH558 is in doubt. The aircraft is otherwise in very good condition, with an outstanding reliability record, and we are looking forward to flying her again as soon as we can. It is very unfortunate that this problem should occur just prio r to when the aircraft is due to undertake a series of displays over a relatively short period of time."
VTST further announces that the Vulcan Village will still be present on the seafront at the Bournemouth Air Festival this coming weekend, and the Trust staff and volunteers look forward to meeting as many supporters as possible.
Q: What exactly is the technical problem?
A: A fuel leak has been seen from the No.2 Starboard fuel tank on the Vulcan. There are fourteen fuel tanks on the Vulcan, four in the fuselage and five in each wing. The leaking tank is one of the two largest on the aircraft, and is situated in the fuselage between the front of the bomb-bay and the rear of the nose wheel bay. This fuel tank has a capacity of 4250litres (950 gallons), but the leak is actually quite small, more a drip than a gush.
Q: If the leak is that small, why can't XH558 keep flying?
A: Whilst kerosene is not as flammable as petrol, the obvious danger is one of fire, and there is no question of flying when there are signs of a fuel leakage such as the one which has been observed.
Q: Why can she not fly using her other tanks?
A: No.2 tanks (Port and Starboard) are parts of the essential systems that are vital to the aircraft's safety in case of any problems. Also, because of the need to maintain the aircraft's centre of gravity within a narrow range, fuel is fed from all of the tanks at once. So isolating one No.2 tank is not a safe mode of operation.
Q: How long will it take to fix the leak?
A: First, we have to find the cause of the leak. This involves draining the tank, removing the fuel pumps and contents gauges, venting the tank for a while so that a technician can enter the tank, and then removing the rubberized tank itself. We are making arrangements for the tank to be then taken to its original manufacturer, Fire Proof Tanks of Portsmouth, for inspection, repair and test. The tank will then be returned to Robin Hood Airport, where it will be reinstalled. This whole process could take 2-3 weeks at minimum.
Q: Have there been any other technical problems recently?
A: No, XH558 remains in very good condition and is otherwise completely serviceable
Q: Is anything else likely to go wrong?
A: This is a 51 year old aircraft, so there are no guarantees. But she is rigorously inspected after every flight and at the moment she is in excellent condition. The expertise of our technical team has ensured that her 'availability' since the return to flight has been at least as impressive as most military aircraft.
Q: How will this problem affect you financially?
A: It is not expected that the repair will be very expensive. The main effect to the Trust's finances will be on the merchandise sales and donations at the events at which she appears, which we expect to decrease temporarily. We will have to replace the lost revenue fairly quickly.
a gutted
airsound