Damien,
Ok, using parts from other static Vulcan’s. Ye, I can go along with that. Of course they will all be checked for serviceability bla bla bla before they are used. I was just trying to highlight that fact the MOST of the Vulcan’s in this country are in a poor state of repair, and examples like 558, 655 and 426 should remain in this country, in working order pleasing the British public.
However, going back to funding the project. I firmly believe that Mr Walton, is trying to hold the British public to some form of ransom. If you give us money for the project, it might fly again… If you don’t, it will be sold to the highest bidder (which we all know would be the Americans). I just think it’s very wrong. You say it costs him money in lost revenue, but he must have known that when he bought her. And again, it’s his aircraft, and while I don’t object to people giving donations, they really shouldn’t have to. His toy… he pays for it… My toy… I’ll pay for it!
As for contacting TVOC. Ok, it was mainly by e-mail, BUT that’s not the point. I made the effort to do what they said. Contact us with queries, questions and suggestions… Nothing, no one has ever got back to me, and that’s a BAD thing. Even if I was just a spotter (which I’m not!), they need to have that contact with the outside world. Maybe if you see Mr Walton, you can put forward my suggestion of arranging for major airshow organisers to donate £1 from every ticket sold to go to the Vulcan in return for a reduced rate display. Or how about getting someone like ‘flypast’, or ‘today’s pilot’ to arrange a major fly in to Bruntingthorpe. £10 landing fees will go a long way if you get enough people. It would have to be a major event, but there’s no reason why it can’t happen. I think this is all about marketing…. It will take a lot more that asking readers of the aviation press to donate £1.