Pontius Navigator

What TEEJ's photos do show is the old lady needs a few more bits and bobs.

Surely someone must have an L-band aerial in a loft somewhere that they don't want.

A TFR pimple on the nose would look spot on too.

Less easy, anyone got a set of 3 Avro Septuple carriers and 6 HASUs? Decorate the bomb bay properly.

Somph

Having never seen Vulcans in their heyday, I was pleased to see XH-558 at Loostof' on Friday, but was VERY surprised at how quiet she was. Is this because she was in flight rather than taking off? btw - grand job to all involved!

Pontius Navigator

At light weights and lowish speeds, say 250 kts, it would need only 40% on 2 and 60% power on the other 2. Oddly this was a major weakness for low level operations.

For best efficiency the engines would be run at 98% power but this could only be achieved within the airframe limits at height. At low level its power settings were uneconomically low. However it did give it plenty of excess power for fighter evasion in a turning or climbing evasion.

Cypherus

Truth maybe that the TVOC have realised that the 'Vulcan Howl' is a tangible item that can now be sold at airshows, as such possibly two tarrifs are now in operation, Low, No howl, High and you get the beans,

G4136

Howl is caused by intake, rather than exhaust. 558's engines are lifed on number of full cycles idle/full/idle, so current display needs to be less throttle-happy than previously. Also, handling more gentle now for conservation......... and a front spar mod scheduled for the Winter, so no wing waving or the like.

Still a beautiful sight & sound though, and howling magnificently at take-off & in power-climb.

mustpost

Oohh you cynic you - (Thatcher,Major,Blair,Brown,Clinton,Bush - can't go on - they've had an effect on you) Beware - TVOC are viewing - you seem to be a good prospect as a business development manager - we live in materialistic times.

At the risk of drawing ire from BEagle onwards, one of my significant memories of the Vulcan are as follows (and I'm sure for every UK airshow from here to kingdom etc....)
Turnhouse Aerodrome (EDI) always had a very respectable display during the 50's/60's, and the Vulcan gag (which one got used to, even aged 6) was the commentator saying (at a lull in the proceedings) "and if you look over to the south of the airfield (Kirknewton direction) you will see the Edinburgh UAS performing their formation drill" (or something to that effect). They were of course miles away, and hard to spot even with binocs. I discovered that a 180 turn on my part revealed said Avro coming from the North - right over the flight line and crowd - in silent mode and then standing on its tail.
Bairns cried, grannies fainted - the first time I was very,very scared. I was 5.
The intake howl was then very evident.

Added - AGL on these displays today would mean they would instantly go to jail..unless of course it was 23.07.08 somewhere in England in some sort of private display.........

forget

It seems that yet another display has been canned because of, yet another, 'Comms fault'. Anyone in the know who could expand on this.

nacluv

Forget - some expansion in the "Vulcan/Solent" thread in the Mil forum.

PN - Sorry - it really was not intended as a baiting exercise, although I have to admit to a little mirth on reading your post . B(I)8 is quite right in pointing out that it was merely a sarky comment regarding the image reversing which some publishers seem to think is necessary. Why bother - it's not like there are thousands upon thousands of images of Vulcans in all manner of poses, positions and angles, is it?

Doh - I've done it again.

Finally, I suppose it only goes to prove that I am a sad anorak because I notice something which is trivial beyond measure to 99.9% of the general population, but which to me is blindingly obvious!

What's that? Taxi for Nacluv???

vickyv

Forget,

The GPU tripped during start up. If the GPU was reapplied to the aircraft whilst 200vac systems are still running down or the contactors are still closed, then the result would be alot of blown fuses and red faces. If this was the case then I think the ground crew may be a little trigger happy. There are lots and lots of fuses on a Vulcan and to be certain the aircraft is serviceable they ALL need checking.
To change the subject slightly, the news flash on the TVOC's website is utter s**t, it treats any readers as if they are idiots, but then reading the name at the bottom of the entry I'm suprised it's as accurate as it is. The Pilot and Crew probably didn't have any confidence that the aircraft had been repaired properly ! Better luck next time lads, maybe afew more fuses in the flyaway kit !

BEagle

vickyv, very true. It was always drummed into us that if you lost 200v during pre-start, under no circumstances must the AEO reinstate 200v until the after landing and shut downs checks have been completed and all 200v rotary loads have been isloated. In fact it was a deliberate part of Ex 1 on the Vulcan OCU - loss of 200v during start.

If the external 200v is re-connected prematurely, there'll then be a major fuse changing and checking process. In particular, 3-phase systems must be very carefully checked.

Surely the groundcrew and AEO know this?

Cypherus

I(nteresting 'News Flash' but not wishing to jump too quickly too the defence of TVOC as in the main a lot of whats happening over there is due too there own attitude problems towards 'Outsiders', one should remember that no group has operated a Vulcan in service for sometime now and such mistakes are bound to crop up as they relearn what a lot of people so obviously knew all about by experience, lets all hope they don,t set fire to the thing before they get it together.

daddy flm

Well just to confirm a couple of things

Vicky v is correct the only thing i cant understand is if barry did not carry out the shut down checks then oops mistake i dont think he would make such an error.

If a ground engineer did it then yes had these people been on the training weekend they would of had this proceedure drilled in to them by mr thomas and masefield.

As taff was on holiday the groundcrew would of been lacking in knowledge maybe and if taff was not there then who changed the fuses on what authority,and indeed what paperwork was raised to cover this.

I know this will of been in good faith and to the best work practices but proceedures etc need to be stuck to.

Maybe Biker boy can enlighten us all TO THE CORRECT EVENTS INSTEAD OF THE RUMOR CONTROL.

TEEEJ

Sadly XH558 has gone tech (port undercarriage problem) at RAF Brize Norton and won't be appearing at Dunsfold/Sywell/Broadlands on Sunday.

A few images from RAF Waddington - 22nd Aug 08.









TJ

oct2pus

Hi. Apologies if the formatting goes awry, but i'm posting from a mobile phone! Does anyone know if the vulcan will be servicable and appearing at the RAFA air show at Shoreham this weekend as planned? My understanding was it was due to display one of the two days, any idea which one, if at all? Also, just a reminder there will be a commemorative ceremony on Saturday for the hurricane pilot who died during last year's display.

Sniff

According to their flight operations page, yes!

Synthetic

Anyone know if she is likely to make Shoreham this weekend?

ALTSEL

Make no mistake folks - what the team have done in south Leicestershire over these years is nothing short of fantastic. You will not see such an achievement in Europe or the USA. Enjoy this aeroplane while you can.

hurn

The display hasn't officially been canx yet, so fingers crossed it makes either Sat or Sun.

Its due to display at Bournemouth on Saturday (maybe Sunday if things aren't fixed in time), so I would assume it would also display at Shoreham on the same day, meaning just one round trip for both shows from Brize.

If I get a definitive answer in the next couple of days, I'll post it here.

Biker Boy

Only just read this thread, been a little busy trying to keep a Vulcan flying. As usual vickyv shows the ill-informed views and inaccurracy for which she?/ he is so well known.

If the incident referred to was the failed Cowes sortie, I was on "the long lead" that very hectic day and I can confirm that there were plenty of spare fuses, all properly GRN numbered, the fault was correctly diagnosed and rectified and all procedures were followed meticulously.

It was not caused by incorrect groundcrew practice or inexperience as inferred by vicky v and daddyflm. The FRC and AP procedures were fully adherred to.

Here's the real gen'

During pre-start up the GPU went off line as a result of an internal failure of the GPU itself. The aircraft was reset as per FRC's by the crew before attempting a GPU reconnection. This failed, the GPU would not engage and to save time in waiting for a replacement GPU, the AAPP was started by the AEO as per FRC's. It started well, but would not go on line as it had no apparent output. The fault was traced quickly, by myself and Kev Penfold (both Vulcan Electrical Course graduates), to the triple feeder system of 3 Blue phase fuses connecting the AAPP alternator o/p to the Synchbus. When these were replaced the AAPP went on line with no problems. However, time was tight and the Captain decided to abort the sortie, as is his right.

I strongly resent any inferrence that myself or Kev were in any way to blame for the lose of the flight and the Captain has assurred me that he has no such beliefs or concern. Both Kev and myself have since successfully despatched 558 to flight whilst undergoing Crew Chief training under Taff Stone's supervision and I would say that we have more operating experience now than any other available technician, including those from MA, who have not kept current as they have not worked on the aircraft for nearly a year.

To vickyv I would offer some advice, as you have never been where we are and have no idea what is involved at the workface, don't try to tell those in the trenches how to fight the battle.

Instead of spreading inaccurracies and rumour ask those of us who are actually doing the job and have some actual formal knowledge and experience to draw on.

p.s All work was recorded on the aircraft F700 and signed off by a Marshall Aerospace approved technician.

PPRuNe Pop

Thank you for that BB.

It is a fact of life that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing." That is why we get some who seem to think they are more aware than the experts. Until they are named and shamed.

Fortunately, we have some real experts in addition to those of you at the coalface, who have spent many years of their lives living and breathing the Vulcan. Aways totally invaluable inputs from them

Perhaps you would be good enough to keep us up to speed.

PPP