Bruce Dickinson and Vulcan XL426

[Batchy]

Bruce Dickinson, better known as the lead singer with Heavy metal giants 'Iron Maiden' was on hand at Southend airport today as the Vulcan Restoration trust held its annual open day. Bruce took the co pilots seat as 426 blasted down Southends busy runway despite less than favourable conditions.

A big thankyou must go to all the volunteers who worked so tirelessly throughout the day with a special mention going to the engineering team who rectified a brake problem just in time for the taxi.

Here is an initial selection.

Septic.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/svulc062.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/svulc061.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/svulc063.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/svulc068jpg.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/svulc064.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/svulc069jpg.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/svulc065jpg.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/svulc066jpg.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/svulc067jpg.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/svulc0610jpg.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/svulc0611jpg.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/svulc0612jpg.jpg

[You want it when?]

Great photos, thanks for sharing. Not sure that window would pass a pressure test these days! :ok:

[REF]

Batchy - Great pictures.

My slelection of photos from the day can be found here; Avro 698 Vulcan B2 (XL426 / G-VJET) Taxi run (http://www.richardflagg.fotopic.net/c1050658_1.html)

Rick

[The Shore Crab]

Bruce is an enthusiastic and knowledgable aviation presenter,radio show presenter, lead singer in a heavy metal band, so how does he have the time to be a First Officer on a commercial 757 ?????:confused:

[Batchy]

Thanks Guys,

Bruce also finds time to write books as well!

Batchy.

[Jamie-Southend]

How many runs did she do on Saturday ?

[Batchy]

Just the one run, which was shame but I guess its down to costs and borrowing the runway.

Batchy

[India Four Two]

I noticed that the crew-access door was opened while taxiing. Is this a normal Vulcan procedure or was there some special reason for it on this occasion?

[REF]

I'd noticed that too but it is only towards the end when it parked up and shut the engines down.

[Scoggy]

Great pics guys. Even think there is one of me too.
A very enjoyable afternoon, despite the weather, it was the closest Scoggys ever been to a living, breathing Vulcan. Sadly, I didn't win the raffle for a ride in one of the back seats & didn't have the £350 spare for the auction for the other spare seat, but did get a lovely Olympus blow-dry, so that made up for the dissapointment.
Glad the brake problems were sorted out, just a shame the wet runway & crosswind didn't allow for a more sporty performance, but I suppose Tesco wouldn't have appreciated a delta-winged addition to their refurbished store.
Good to see so many people there, hope that enough money was raised to cover the run at least. Saw a few Iron Maiden t-shirts, so Bruce bought a few fans along who otherwise might have not stood in the rain for a few hours, sure their money was appreciated. He seemed to enjoy himself too.

(Ed hit head four spleling)

[VulcanNews]

I noticed that the crew-access door was opened while taxiing. Is this a normal Vulcan procedure or was there some special reason for it on this occasion?

We don't normally have the door open but it does help the pilot keep the nosewheel on the centreline on the extremely narrow taxiways at Southend!

[India Four Two]

We don't normally have the door open but it does help the pilot keep the nosewheel on the centreline on the extremely narrow taxiways at Southend!

Amazing. I was thinking of all sorts of mundane possibilities - fresh air required after a bumpy taxi sortie, fumes in the cockpit, but it never occurred to me that they were following the centre line :)

Although after seeing Batchy's picture of the flight deck and reading Beagle's description of taxiing semi-detached houses while looking through the lavatory window, it doesn't surprise me.

So can the captain see through the hatch directly or does he have a spotter? I was in a Vulcan once, but it is so long ago, I don't remember anything about the interior, other than that the bomb bay was very BIG.

[surely not]

Never mind pointing out the Iron Maiden, who was the dark haired maiden in the crew?

[Jamie-Southend]

Raffle Ticket Winner so rumour has it.

Her names Martina Lee, sorry mate don`t have her mobile number. :}

[possel]

So can the captain see through the hatch directly or does he have a spotter? I was in a Vulcan once, but it is so long ago, I don't remember anything about the interior, other than that the bomb bay was very BIG.

The Vulcan's crew door is hinged forward and the nose leg is right behind it. I guess the captain could see the nose wheel and the centreline behind it if he twisted his neck 180 deg with his harness undone, so I would imagine that someone was calling directions out for him.

[BEagle]

It is actually quite easy to see the taxiway centre line by peering over your shoulder and through the door...

[REF]

I had a look inside the Vulcan at Norwich yesterday cause I wanted to see how easily the Captain could look out of the door to see where he is going. Bearing in mind I wasn't dressed in full flying gear, I found it easy to look over my shoulder and through the door. With flying gear on I wouldn't know how easy it is to do bearing in mind the limited amount of space in the cockpit.

[India Four Two]

It is actually quite easy to see the taxiway centre line by peering over your shoulder and through the door...

So, the Vulcan has a Head Down Display? :O

[BigPhil]

:D

Here's some of my shots of the day:

http://www.ukar.co.uk/cgi-bin/ukarboard/ikonboard.cgi?;act=ST;f=10;t=20260