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-   -   Vulcan XH558 to find new home (https://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/648346-vulcan-xh558-find-new-home.html)

DaveReidUK 16th Aug 2022 22:24


Originally Posted by uxb99 (Post 11279683)
How did they take apart and reassemble the Hendon Vulcan?

With great difficulty, by all accounts.

I didn't say it was impossible, just not straightforward. In other words - in answer to your original question - Avro didn't design in the ability to take it apart and reassemble it easily, as there was no reason to do so.

Jackjones1 17th Aug 2022 07:47

Well if it’s not Elvington surely the only other place would be a holiday on the coast at Newquay?

Krystal n chips 17th Aug 2022 07:55


Originally Posted by uxb99 (Post 11279684)
As an aside. In the event the Vulcan has to be chopped I wonder if it would make a good exploded view exhibit much like the Liverpool U-Boat?
We never really get to see inside these aircraft.

The Cosford Vulcan has the bomb bay open so you can at least get some idea of what it was intended for....and I accept, that, for anybody not familiar with the various systems / structure seeing such can be interesting, but really, to be honest, most people would prefer to view a complete aircraft .

Quite what will happen in the end obviously remains unknown, but, as others have said, the chances of a "one off " flight are zero unless, by some miracle, unlikely, various airworthiness authorities decide to grant a dispensation.

Pypard 17th Aug 2022 20:17

Airworthiness in this case relies upon a Design Authority taking responsibility for the aircraft, that being BAe for the airframe in the most recent past. As I recall it was BAe's withdrawal of that support which grounded it last time. It's hard to believe that a reverse of that decision would be made, and so any talk of a flight out of Doncaster would appear to be mere whimsy.

Pozidrive 17th Aug 2022 20:54


Originally Posted by Jackjones1 (Post 11279872)
Well if it’s not Elvington surely the only other place would be a holiday on the coast at Newquay?

Yes, all that lovely salty, sea air. That's already destroyed one Vulcan, and not done the Humberside Beverley any good either.
.

DHfan 17th Aug 2022 20:56

As I recall, all the previously designed airframe life updates had been installed, and BAe wouldn't fund the design of a further update scheme to possibly extend the fatigue life even further.
Add to that the two (?) engines they wrecked by not removing the silica gel intake packs before engine start, leaving no spares, and grounding was the only option.

DaveReidUK 17th Aug 2022 22:15


Originally Posted by DHfan (Post 11280336)
As I recall, all the previously designed airframe life updates had been installed, and BAe wouldn't fund the design of a further update scheme to possibly extend the fatigue life even further.

If remaining fatigue life was the only showstopper, they would probably be able to get a concession out of the CAA for a single flight.

But it isn't, and they won't.


Add to that the two (?) engines they wrecked by not removing the silica gel intake packs before engine start, leaving no spares, and grounding was the only option.
Are you saying they don't have 4 serviceable engines left, anyway?

DHfan 17th Aug 2022 22:54

The only 4 serviceable engines they had were installed in the aeroplane when it was last airworthy. Whether they're still officially or technically serviceable now or not, I've no idea.
Engine-wise there was no Plan B.

Anilv 18th Aug 2022 01:26

I'd bet Jeremy Clarkson would give it a home....

India Four Two 18th Aug 2022 03:08

Jeremy could tow it home with his Lamborghini tractor! ;)

DuncanDoenitz 18th Aug 2022 06:57

I understand that it is still taxiable so, taxi it to .... wherever. A quick scan of Google Street-Thingy suggest that there are no low bridges between DSA and the M18 and once you hit the motorway, well, the world is your lobster.

I firmly believe that endless hours of GTA5 has made me a better and more assertive driver in the real world. In my experience, vehicles can be driven through quite small gaps if approached with confidence. And momentum. Yeah, momentum.

The wedge shape will probably help.

DaveReidUK 18th Aug 2022 07:46


Originally Posted by DuncanDoenitz (Post 11280522)
I understand that it is still taxiable so, taxi it to .... wherever. A quick scan of Google Street-Thingy suggest that there are no low bridges between DSA and the M18 and once you hit the motorway, well, the world is your lobster.

Good thinking.

Conveniently, the Vulcan's wingspan is only a tad more than the width from the outside edge of one hard shoulder to the outside edge of the opposite one (on a 3-lane motorway).

What could possibly go wrong?

meleagertoo 18th Aug 2022 10:20


Originally Posted by DaveReidUK (Post 11280541)
What could possibly go wrong?

Wouldn't all that silica gel cause a skid hazard on the motorway?

Emma Royds 18th Aug 2022 19:20


Originally Posted by Jackjones1 (Post 11279327)
Move it to where?

Buenos Aires.

POBJOY 18th Aug 2022 21:08

Corrosion Heaven
 

Originally Posted by Jackjones1 (Post 11279872)
Well if it’s not Elvington surely the only other place would be a holiday on the coast at Newquay?

Well that would fix it well and truly, might as well pour acid over it.

DHfan 18th Aug 2022 23:09

And quite apart from the eye-watering cost to get it there, who's going to pay the rent?

Mike Collett baled out after a very short time partly as, IIRC, the rent on the hanger was £250,000 a year after the initial first year free or heavily discounted.

Krystal n chips 19th Aug 2022 06:13

Out of interest, what genuinely viable locations, two get alluded to in the news letter, would be available ?

Although to be blunt, the news letter also suggests these will not be realistic with the reference to " unsuccessful fundraising campaign " because, unlike the time when money was being raised for the restoration to flight, there isn't what you would call a surplus of cash in peoples pockets at the moment.

Yes, it's an iconic aircraft, but, there are still other examples around and intact. Assuming the airport closure is confirmed in Oct, then, unfortunately, " Mr Vulcan ?...this is Ms Husqvarna....you're both going to be intimately acquainted for a short while " would seem to be inevitable. Maybe they could save the nose or try and dispose of anything that could be used as spares for those remaining examples, but even then, this would depend on the current owners of such having the money available to buy them.

As for the "one off " flight, well apart from the signatures, and costs, for the (unrealistic) issuing of airworthiness paperwork, there's also the not so little matter of insurance and, as others have said, you can bet this alone will be eye watering.

dixi188 19th Aug 2022 11:29

They need a former Vulcan pilot with Terminal illness who doesn't give a toss. Take it out for a taxi test and, oops!, got airborne.

mark25787 19th Aug 2022 13:19

It is a huge shame than in hindsight, XH558 ended up being flown into what is effectively a cul-de-sac with very little option now for recovery. Granted that it gave a lot of pleasure when flying but as a now solely taxiable aircraft, is it so dissimilar to XL426 and XL455 that it merits the huge logistical efforts and costs to try and relocate it? Sadly, it looks like it may have to be parted for spares to be used by the other 2 aircraft and maybe a nice nose section display for a museum.
Financial support for the aircraft was waning when it ceased flying as evidenced by the failure to reach funding for the hangar at DSA, although it may be that Peel would not have wanted it there anyway given current plans.

BEagle 19th Aug 2022 14:26

Neither the cockpit nor rear crew area of XH558 are representative of an RAF Vulcan.


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