BBC Regions reporting tonight that the project is on hold, but not for technical reasons.

Anyone?

I don't know about tomorrow, but the engines were running today. The aircraft looks wonderful and sounded likewise. It surely can't be long now . . .

http://www.shawnsanders.info/xh558_1.jpg
http://www.shawnsanders.info/xh558_2.jpg

http://www.shawnsanders.info/xh558_3.jpg

Sure looks purty - as our trans Atlantic cousins would say.

Just a thought. Why not paint the Vulcan day-glo yellow and then the horde of onlookers could wear camouflage clothing? After all better visibility increases the potential to avoid.

My bike is at the door..........................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers,

Trapper 69
:D

Nice to see them finally doing flight tests just as the airshow season is finishing :E:{

Actually old chap, it is indeed nice to see 'them' doing flight tests as the airshow season is finishing.

It's pretty bl00dy nice to see them doing flight tests, full stop, after 14 years. :ok:


Flipflopman

XL319, you deserve a slap across the face with the soggy end of Tombstone's rose after he's done his performance with it inserted where the sun doesn't shine......

Good news concerning the engine runs - my spies tell me that things are now going extremely well. Which is terrific news - for everyone except Tombstone....:eek:

I will consider myself well and truly slapped :suspect:

There was a little sarcasim in my comment, nothing malicious :} The point I was making was that I am actually gutted that I won't be seeing them display this year :{

Another provisional NOTAM
 

Navw: Q)egtt/qrtca/iv/bo/w/000/030/5229n00108w003
From 07/08/20 09:00 To 07/09/07 15:00 J3816/07
D)aug 20-24, 28-31, Sep 03-07 0900-1500
E)restricted Area (temporary) For Tombstone Rose Powered Engine Run. No Restriction Of Flying Regulations Made But No Acft Is To Fly Downwind Centred At 522913n 0010750w Except Acft Flying With Permission Of Pprune Or In The Service Of The Kew Gardens.
F)sfc G)sfc Amsl


:E

Poor old Tombstone. I am assured KY Jelly eases the passage but check for any thorns left on the stem.

Seriously though, I really wonder just how many airshow organisers are going to book the Vulcan if it is charged out at an economic rate? Once the initial novelty is over reality must set in. This despite the valiant efforts of the VTTS team, professional and volunteer.

As an airshow performer charging a modest sum to cover my legitimate costs it has been hard to get bookings for a couple of years. This possibly because my aerobatic displays are tame in comparison with some on the circuit but also because there are those for whom displays are an ego trip and can afford to do them for next to nothing.

Display organisers are finding it very hard to get sponsorship and costs are escalating at an exponential rate. The UK airshow industry is in a difficult position. But there, it always was and my involvement goes back over 50 years.

Comments appreciated, however if it is suggested that I pack up airshow flying after some 53 years then that is simply not acceptable. I enjoy it too much.

Cheers,

Trapper 69
:confused:

G-KEST

Be interesting to see how the economics work out. I suspect they are banking on the fact that any airshow in the UK will not be complete without the Vulcan doing a display. Even though I do have some fears over the long term sustainment of the project for ££ reasons, I actually suspect they are bang on - no airshow worth its salt will want to be without the vulcan; the punters will be dissappointed without it.

I wonder if it will be able to display in Europe?

There is an article in "The Vulcan Story" which was written by SL David Thomas, last and future display pilot of XH558, in which he writes:

"It's interesting to note that towards the end of the Vulcan's display career, one show organizer simply stated that they would pay whatever the necessary asking price was, because they just had to have the Vulcan at their show. It's an incredible display aircraft, as it's a unique design, and XH558 is the only one of its kind. It flies very slowly, it's very manoeurvrable, it's big, it's noisy, quite unmistakeable."

Hopefully airshow audiences attitudes won't have changed that much, and the Vulcan will still be in great demand for airshows.

I well remember Dave's fabulous displays and I am glad I will see them again.

I agree with DT that organisers will bust the bank to ensure that the Vulcan is on the list. And I wouldn't like to accept a bet that it won't be at F'boro next year either.

Does anyone know if there will be limitations imposed on XH558 for displays or will it be the full show that she used to do?

Is`nt it Apt, the UK Govt will probably compulsory purchase the A/C for a quid once its done its flight test in order to combat the Bears that have just been restored by russia, looks like it may be on standby duties back at waddo with Blue Steel......Not at airshows as we hope.

You wait , just when you thought you`d retired the RAF will call up some 75 year old to command it as they wont have the experience otherwise...lol:}

I would imagine it will be very expensive. Hate to think what the insurance bill would be, given the hike in prices since she last flew.

Like PPrune Pop I can't wait to see her "on display" again.

That may be true, but XH558 retired when the airshow business was at a zenith. Unfortunately, half the airshows that were in existence at that time have since gone to the wall and attendances at fee paying airshows are well down. Admittedly 800,000 people have just turned up for the Bournemouth freebie but that doesn't generate much in the way of direct revenue.

They're budgetted for 1.2 million a year don't forget, and given their history of budgetting shortfalls, we can't be sure they've got those sums right. Readers of "Aeroplane" will be aware of how tight the airshow business is getting - even across the Atlantic in the home of the CAF and Oshkosh.
.

From the Vulcams, it looks like she's outside again this afternoon....

Perhaps they should put a rose in a bowl of ky on the crew steps every time she is wheeled out for testing:\

Having heard nothing on the subject for a while now, I'm just wondering whether Tombstone has got the minerals to actually put his money where his Ahem... mouth is!! :E

He does indeed have the minerals, the banter from the F3 girls for a no show would be unbearable.

Two things will happen the day after the vulcan flies:

1. I will post the video on here, via youtube.

2. 'Tombstone' will die & I will have to come up with another name for Pprune. It's never a clever thing allowing your boss to know who you are on here & I think he might just work out who I am the day after (V+1) XH558 rotates!:ooh:

Dear Santa,

please may I have a multiple engine surge on XH558 (prior to V panic) as an early Xmas. Pretty please. If it helps swing the decision, you can marry my sister.:E

No offence intended to the aircrew of 558 however, big boys rules, you know how it is!

Sorry, Tombstone, but we demand independent evidence!

I will be quite happy to fly PrimeTime Joanna down to Marham to record the evidence for poster(ior)ity - perhaps as 'Bonus Material' on Vulcan Restoration DVD no.3?

To save your embarrassment, ask a rock ape or gym queen if you can borrow their gimp mask for the day!

Of course, if you were to hand over a cheque for £558 to the Vulcan to the Sky Fund, perhaps we could be persuaded to accept that as an alternative?

Would we, chaps/chapesses/chap-others?

Independant adjudication not required thankyou.
However......back to the original (pre anal flower) discussion....when can we expect to hear that the device has flown?

Would we, chaps/chapesses/chap-others?

I think not BEagle, passing over a cheque is not the gentleman's way out in this case.

The challenge was issued therefore the rose must fly, and be seen to fly. Surely nothing else is acceptable. (Although judicious use of duct tape may be in order.)





:E

Perhaps Tombstone's "display" ought to be the distance that 558 takes for it to become airborne on its first take off run? :} Marham's main should be long enough!

Can anybody confirm if the hangar currently housing XH558 at Bruntingthorpe is the big one near to where the Super Guppy is parked?

Also - When she does take off, will it be from Runway 28 or will it be trundled all the way to 08?

Having gently ribbed Tombstone on this since he first posted the fateful words here - that he is prepared to do it and to post evidence (or have it recorded) should satisfy us.

He has to date, taken it all in good humour and to suggest a cheque might be an alternative could only impugn his honour as one of Her Majesty's finest :rolleyes:

If memory serves (and to be honest it's late and I'm too lazy to go back through the postings) there was also an associated offer made to enhance the performance. If both were to occur - I would be happy to send a small donation to Children in Need or RAFBF as recognition of the event and of Tombstones promise.

Can we say any fairer than that I wonder?

I just hope first flight is in decent weather - :D;):ok:

give 'em a break!
 

poor old tombstone - has no-one thought that rose insertion will be impossible unless his head has been extracted first!

i have been gently simmering over the months with some of the plop that has been voiced on here, so now it's my turn!

suggest removing all 4 olymupussies from 558 and replacing with the new-fangled "Doom-and-Gloom-Powered-Propulsion-Units" then she'll be up up and away in no time!

it does beg the question: just how many doom and gloom merchants (you know who you are!) will beat a path to the first airshow with a displaying vulcan? i hope they all stay away least they spoil the display for everyone, dragging their huge grey clouds with them over their heads! i suggest that CAA should hastily introduce new legislation stating that anyone presenting themselves at an airshow with a rose-stem protruding from their nether-regions should have their eardrums pierced and eyes poked out to prevent them from seeing or hearing 558 perform!

as far as "558 is public property so we should all be encouragd to flock to brunty to see our money in the air" goes:
1) i'd love to see the innermost workings of a nuclear submarine - it's partly mine so i should be able to climb all over it whenever i like, but those whitehall spoilsports say that i can't - national security or some such rubish,:=

2) i fancy spending a night or two in 10 downing street - looks very comfy and, after all it's partly mine, so why not?:confused:

3) my tax-disk money helps to keep the M1 open, so why can't i have a picnic in the middle lane whenever i like?

4) obviously the police couldn't arrest me for my unusual picnicing behaviour because i pay their salaries - it's up to me what i can be arrested for isn't it?

any kind of pattern beginning to emerge here??????????????????

conclusion:
when 558 takes off for the first time, TVOC/CAA/police/fire brigade etc etc should concentrate 100% on the flight - not having to worry about an ar$ehole on a step ladder (trying to insert a rose no doubt) holding up the traffic!

imagine if the unthinkable happened and non-brunty emergency services were urgently required on-airfield and were held up by the throng of well-meaning 'part shareholders'

TVOC face the possibility of countless hitches as it is - NOBODY need add to risks

as regards whether it would be classed as an "advertised public display", and the constant is it/isn't it merchants on this thread, perhaps the CAA are scratching their heads as well - "the rules don't cover this sort of thing guv, what d'ya reckon we should do?":ugh:

great british public - stay away! let's get her up and about first; that's what we ALL want!

go for it TVOC/VTTS et al:D

sm

spleen vented - blood pressure returning to safe levels - clenched fists slowly relaxing!:mad:

Saracenman,

An excellent post that deserves framing and hanging up on the wall of the VTTS hangar. Thank you sir.

Cheers,

Trapper 69
:D

Saracen - I concur. Well said Sir... Let's just let the bird fly.

Fly this month
 

It was announced on the radio today that the Vulcan will fly in the next 3 weeks. The media will be given 48 hours notice. It will taxy at 1030 to take off at 1100.

It seems, as said before, that the public will not be pre-warned nor invited on health and safety grounds.

So it should fly some time between 10 Sep and the end of the month.

A good thing we have a warm dry spell at the moment with English roses in fine bloom.:}

From BBC news:

Vulcan bomber to fly within weeks

An engineer in charge of restoring a Cold War bomber says it will fly within the next three weeks.

The Vulcan bomber, one of a fleet that played a vital role in the Falklands Conflict defeat of Argentina, has been under restoration for eight years.

Project Engineering Manager, Andrew Edmundson, said the team had had a few glitches with the engines of the XH558, but these had now been fixed.

The plane is based at Bruntingthorpe airfield in Leicestershire.

Mr Edmunson, said: "It's the largest, most complex return to flight project that has ever been attempted.

"You're taking a very large aeroplane and putting it under the regulatory requirements of a complex category. The aeroplane is not complex in design but by size... so it means we have to treat this as if it was a 737.

"Even though we're not carrying the passengers, the work on the aeroplane has to be of that standard."

He said the bomber's engines were in very good shape and would be tested on Thursday.

The plane will have to undergo extensive checks before it can be cleared by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Vulcan CG Slide Rule
 

Can anyone help me? I would like to buy or borrow a Vulcan CG Slide Rule for a talk I am giving in LA to the Society of Experimental Test Pilots at the end of the month. replies to [email protected].

big red V opportunity
 

Hey ! did anyone approach mr B of the big red V ?
The big red V supporting the classic mil' big V, GOOD CONNECTION -
Go for it Richard, YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU

bes twishes to all working on 558, terrifc effort all round which deserves
some BIG support & back up.

Yes, I did ask Mr B and a Mr S, one did not acknowledge and the other replied through a secretary that he is not into that sort of thing.

CofG Slide Rule
 

Vulcan

There is one on ebay should it meet your requirements

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Avro-Vulcan-B2...QQcmdZViewItem

should that not work ust type 260157841526 in the Ebay search box.

sorry to hear no joy with those requests exrigger, would have been a good flying advert for them i'd have thought, onwards & upwards anyway, with or without them,

best wishes to all for the first flight

Do remember that 'MrB' is in the aviation business - and any negativity resulting from sponsorship of an aviation-related project would reflect adversely on his core business. Idiotic journos would have leaped on the bandwagon, should 558's return to flight have been unsuccessful - and 'MrB' could hardly have been expected to accept such a risk.

But when 558 flies in the next few weeks (and Tombstone + rose keep their promise), potential sponsors may view the whole project in a new light. Particularly next year when no airshow organiser will be able to run a show without 558's appearance!

As for ba, word is that anyone showing interest in anything connected with aeroplanes or history is viewed as a potential risk to the bean counters who run the airline these days. But even 1% of the fine imposed after the recent price rigging scandal would have been better spent on 558.

Tried Southend Air Museum for the slide rule? They kindly leant me the ODM.

I suspect that wind direction will have a part to play in that decision!

Agree with moggiee. however - erm - interesting runway that. Do you mean 10/28, or could it be 08/26?

On second thoughts, perhaps it's
06/24
http://worldaerodata.com/wad.cgi?id=...Bruntingthorpe

airsound