As Chief Executive, I wish to make clear the following:
•We recognise the Vulcan's importance to the UK and from the outset of their project we have assisted the laudable efforts of the VTTS team in many different ways.
We consider ourselves to be among its many supporters and as such, have funded its participation in every Air Tattoo since 558 took to the sky again.
•RIAT is and always will be an
international military air show. It relies almost entirely on the goodwill of overseas air forces taking part with aircraft from around the world and predominantly at their expense. This year we have been allocated a host of fantastic aircraft that, along with aircraft that are funded by important sponsors, have filled our flying display programmes on all three days.
•
We are genuinely sorry that our offer to pay for the Vulcan to attend as a static exhibit and to provide, without charge, valuable exhibition space for the Vulcan Village over three days, has been turned down by VTTS. This offer remains, even though it would be at considerable cost to our RAF Charitable Trust owned organisation.
•As the company has gone about promoting, planning and selling tickets for RIAT 2014, we have not suggested in any of our activities that the Vulcan will be a participant. Our website is updated each Thursday at midday with participating aircraft when they have been officially confirmed; it can be viewed
here.
I have highlighted in bold some of the text myself.
Cat, pigeons?