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

GeeRam 19th Aug 2022 17:24


Originally Posted by DHfan (Post 11281011)
And quite apart from the eye-watering cost to get it there, who's going to pay the rent?

By all accounts VTTS haven't been paying the rent at DSA either....

GeeRam 19th Aug 2022 17:32


Originally Posted by mark25787 (Post 11281353)
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.

But, its not hindsight. Many people pointed out back in 2015, that landing at DSA for the last time would likely mean it would end up in a skip within a decade or so.
Peel Airports sold DSA back to parent Peel Group back in 2012, 3 years before that last flight, and it was well known that DSA was a financially unviable airport before they landed it back for the last time. This situation as a very real possibility was pointed out by many 7 years ago.....but VTTS stuck they hands of their ears and sung "La-la-la-can't-hear-you" loudly.....
The fanboys have been looking to Covid and all sorts of things to blame for this, but the blame lands squarely on VTTS alone.

Sad if it does get the chop, just as if Navy Wings can't find a suitable home for Sea Vixen, G-CVIX, XP924 that may well end it going the same way, despite that having been the last airworthy example of its type.


treadigraph 19th Aug 2022 17:39

Sad that the last time I saw both the Sea Vixen and the Vulcan fly was solitary passes at some altitude over Shoreham...

meleagertoo 19th Aug 2022 20:33

I think people need to wake up and smell the reality.
There are plenty of preserved Vulcans out there.
We just don't need another. And never did.

Pity all those £millions weren't spent on restoring something unique as a lasting historic project instead of a silly superfluous, one-time media-led vanity project.
If only that money had gone to a Beaufigter, a Walrus or a Tempest/Typhoon...We'd still have the legacy today.

Pypard 19th Aug 2022 23:00

XH558 was a totally worthwhile project and a credit to those who kept her flying for so long. It also allowed countless people of the younger generation to experience the awesomeness of seeing a Vulcan flying. Maybe even inspired a few to get into aviation. So let's not get into some kind of retrospective imagined scorn-fest. i don't recall anyone saying it was unnecessary at the time - certainly after its final "maiden flight". What I do recall is folks by the thousand flocking to see XH558 at numerous shows and flypasts. Even more for the farewell tour.

But what we shouldn't forget is the widely-held view at that time, that retiring '558 to Doncaster would not be a good idea. Also that its proposed use as a training tool was tenuous at best; naive at worst. Sadly that has proven to be entirely justified.

And there may be 'plenty' of preserved Vulcans out there (actually 18 I think), but few have been hangared in recent years as '558 has/had been. Therefore its overall condition alone justifies it being placed somewhere safe, and under cover (but pointless if not).

So I think we need to consider XH558 as the unfortunate victim of selfish motives rather than an object to be derided. Then hope that a responsible and realistic custodian can be found.

DHfan 20th Aug 2022 00:50


Originally Posted by meleagertoo (Post 11281603)
Pity all those £millions weren't spent on restoring something unique as a lasting historic project instead of a silly superfluous, one-time media-led vanity project.
If only that money had gone to a Beaufigter, a Walrus or a Tempest/Typhoon...We'd still have the legacy today.

Don't start that rubbish, yet again. The naysayers were going on, and on, and on, and on... all the time the project was underway.

Rightly or wrongly, the money was donated directly to VTTS, solely to return XH558 to flight.
Other than that, "those £millions" didn't exist so couldn't have been spent on anything.

207592 20th Aug 2022 06:58

The Trustees responsible for the Doncaster Vulcan are examining alternative sites and talking to the CAA about a ferry flight. Yet another option would be for the airfield owners (Peel Holdings) to donate one of the existing RAF hangers, or all three, to permit a museum.Yet another is for the Sheffield City Region to take ownership of the airfield and make it a going concern. Finningley is ideally suited with new road links and a railway station planned, and a great reputation for service. It could take traffic from Humberside, Leeds-Bradford and Manchester.

If the fate of this Vulcan depends on a short ferry flight, the Doubting Thomases may be confounded.

jumpseater 20th Aug 2022 08:40


Originally Posted by 207592 (Post 11281766)
Yet another option would be for the airfield owners (Peel Holdings) to donate one of the existing RAF hangers, or all three, to permit a museum.
.

Do you write political manifesto’s and policies as well?

P.S. There’s five hangars at DSA

GeeRam 20th Aug 2022 08:50


Originally Posted by 207592 (Post 11281766)
The Trustees responsible for the Doncaster Vulcan are examining alternative sites and talking to the CAA about a ferry flight. Yet another option would be for the airfield owners (Peel Holdings) to donate one of the existing RAF hangers, or all three, to permit a museum.Yet another is for the Sheffield City Region to take ownership of the airfield and make it a going concern. Finningley is ideally suited with new road links and a railway station planned, and a great reputation for service. It could take traffic from Humberside, Leeds-Bradford and Manchester.

If the fate of this Vulcan depends on a short ferry flight, the Doubting Thomases may be confounded.

After what has gone on before, it wouldn't surprise me if VTTS have not actually dared contact the CAA at all, knowing what the answer will be from them and in particular RR/Marshalls etc........
Of course they are going to say they are exploring that possibility to do the usual stirring up of their fanboys, as we can see........
I can just imagine how that call went, if it ever happened........"Hello CAA, VTTS here, just a call to ask about ferry flying the Vulcan to another location, as we're in a bit of a pickle...." <click>......."err, hello, hello..........err......"

As for your other notions regarding the future use of DSA and its ownership, especially the council trying to acquire and run the airport as a going concern.......that's the stuff of pure fantasy!


Krystal n chips 20th Aug 2022 09:22

" and a railway station planned, "

Unfortunately, the initial work for a railway station was commenced some 10 years ago....and the land earmarked has subsequently been built on further.........unlike the proposed railway station .

As for the future, welcome to "Dominie Drive," "Vulcan Avenue" , and whatever other types operated from the Station (see BAe Woodford for similar nostalgic memories)

Donating a hangar to house the aircraft sounds very charitable....until you get the bit about maintaining the hangar and paying for the utilities / insurance and everything associated with infrastructure maintenance

GeeRam 20th Aug 2022 11:40


Originally Posted by Krystal n chips (Post 11281827)
Donating a hangar to house the aircraft sounds very charitable....until you get the bit about maintaining the hangar and paying for the utilities / insurance and everything associated with infrastructure maintenance

And who is going to donate it.......because its certainly not going to be the people that currently own them!




common toad 20th Aug 2022 16:49

I found the (part) statement below on an aviation forum discussion regarding the XH558.

A few months ago, VC10 K3 ZA150, at Dunsfold, was placed on the US Civil Register as N150ZA initially for the purpose of a ferry flight to another UK location for restoration to flight.

Rose tinted glasses thinking hopefulness at its best? If nothing else, a good laugh.

DHfan 20th Aug 2022 17:35

Roy Jacobsen tried that with either XM655 or XL426, or possibly both, in the 80s.
Admittedly that was planned for more than just a single ferry flight but as it didn't work then, although XH558 did fly as a civil aircraft, I can't see much chance of it working now.

PANews 20th Aug 2022 18:04

Until 2017 the Vulcan had a home in one of the 'five' preserved hangars.

Commercial considerations resulted in the Vulcan charity being told to leave their existing home in favour of 2Excel who were needing the space and paying a commercial rent. The charity had a short term under cover before the Vulcan and the Canberra were pulled over to outside storage.

Meanwhile 2Excel continue to pay their rent and rates and DSA still needs more to be viable. Whether the charity pays rent or not is a crucial element of the survival of DSA.


DaveReidUK 20th Aug 2022 19:06


Originally Posted by common toad (Post 11282040)
I found the (part) statement below on an aviation forum discussion regarding the XH558.

A few months ago, VC10 K3 ZA150, at Dunsfold, was placed on the US Civil Register as N150ZA initially for the purpose of a ferry flight to another UK location for restoration to flight.

Rose tinted glasses thinking hopefulness at its best? If nothing else, a good laugh.

Last flew nearly 9 years ago. Hmmmm.

GeeRam 20th Aug 2022 20:12


Originally Posted by DaveReidUK (Post 11282107)
Last flew nearly 9 years ago. Hmmmm.

The Dunsfold Vicky Ten was allocated a US registration way more than a few months ago, it was more like 2 years ago, when Kepler Aerospace bought it off the Brooklands Museum Trust (along with the Brunty example as a spares source)
The chances of ZA150 ever flying out of Dunsfold is pretty much the same as XH558 ever flying out of DSA.


25F 23rd Aug 2022 00:49


Originally Posted by Pypard (Post 11281656)
What I do recall is folks by the thousand flocking to see XH558 at numerous shows and flypasts. Even more for the farewell tour.

And IME then leaving immediately after the aircraft had done its bit.
First time I saw 558 we went to a conveniently located pub garden near Dunsfold. Post 558's display we saw a stream of vehicles heading home - didn't even wait for the Reds! Next / last time found another pub garden near Old Warden (tickets had sold out).

DaveReidUK 23rd Aug 2022 06:34


Originally Posted by GeeRam (Post 11282128)
The Dunsfold Vicky Ten was allocated a US registration way more than a few months ago, it was more like 2 years ago, when Kepler Aerospace bought it off the Brooklands Museum Trust (along with the Brunty example as a spares source)
The chances of ZA150 ever flying out of Dunsfold is pretty much the same as XH558 ever flying out of DSA.

It appeared on the US register around August/September 2021.

Liffy 1M 23rd Aug 2022 13:21


Originally Posted by DaveReidUK (Post 11283464)
It appeared on the US register around August/September 2021.

For N150ZA the entry from a search using the online US Register Inquiry page states (US date format, of course):Certificate Issue Date 01/28/2022

Expiration Date 01/31/2025

DaveReidUK 23rd Aug 2022 16:03


Originally Posted by Liffy 1M (Post 11283710)
For N150ZA the entry from a search using the online US Register Inquiry page states (US date format, of course):Certificate Issue Date 01/28/2022

Expiration Date 01/31/2025

Yes, I've dug up the details from the FAA download:

VC10 K3 msn 885 first registered as N150ZA on 20 September 2021, but with no owner details.

Updated registry entry on 28 January 2022 to owner AEROVISION LLC, WEST PALM BEACH, FL.


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