An evening with Dr. 'Vulcan' Pleming

[Nige321]

Just spent a jolly couple of hours at Cosford receiving a lecture by Dr P on the progress with the Vulcan. A few intersting snippets...

Progress on engineering is on schedule with flight expected by end March 07

8 Zero time engines in stock along with 800 tons of spares... and Woodford have just found a few more tons

Little corrosion found - a bit on one spar was ground out to a depth of 0.5mm or so. BAe have modelled the spars and told them they could knock 20% out if they wanted...

Woodford have the entire design record on Microfiche - the only type to have the whole lot - 145,000 sheets.

The Heritage Lottery Fund
One of the many conditions of receiving the bunce is that the aircraft has to be kept taxiable at the end of its flying career, at 'A National Musem, with a runway' ie Duxford or Cosford, although a hint was dropped that Farnborough was a possibility...

They have also insisted on insurance... Not just 3rd party at £35k/year, but hull insurance to the value of the grant, ie around £2.4m - This will cost an extra £90k/ year. So if the aircraft is written off, HLF get the bunce back...

For the first year or so the aircraft will operate from Brunty, but plans appear to be being made to move the operation elsewhere after that. With the high hangarage rent (£150k+ / year) and the difficulty of fitting in with Brunties car meetings and testing contracts, and also problems with noise and the locals, a move is on the cards. I got the impression he could hardly wait...

Funding has improved especially with the £0.5m from Union Jack Haywood. Still a way to go, but the publicity a few weeks back opened a few more doors. (He is meeting up with James Dyson about the engineering education for kids aspect - I can imagine that Dyson will be a few quid lighter too after the meeting...)

All in all I came away with the impression that there is still work to do but now the funding has improved then things will be OK. Dr P seems genuine and enthusiastic - He isn't a marketing guru - he's an engineer, which may be why the funding issue has been an issue, but with a bit of luck we'll all be reaching for the ear defenders next summer...

Nige

[movadinkampa747]

Yes I noticed he greatfully recieved a standing ovation for his work........

Although the tacky stuff he was selling was a bit expensive I thought........

[GOLF_BRAVO_ZULU]

Originally Posted by Nige321

8 Zero time engines in stock along with 800 tons of spares... and Woodford have just found a few more tons Nige

The Woodford contribution will be a windfall from the British (I'd rather build ships) Aerospace Systems decision to reduce XM603 "to produce".

Originally Posted by Nige321

Woodford have the entire design record on Microfiche - the only type to have the whole lot - 145,000 sheets. Nige

Sadly, there was a very significant fire at Messrs A V Roe and Company's Chadderton factory in October, 1959. Much of the design records and drawings of earlier AVRO Types were destroyed.

[Mike51]

Originally Posted by Nige321

One of the many conditions of receiving the bunce is that the aircraft has to be kept taxiable at the end of its flying career, at 'A National Musem, with a runway' ie Duxford or Cosford, although a hint was dropped that Farnborough was a possibility...

I've still yet to hear a satisfactory explanation (or indeed any sort of explanation at all) as to why on earth either Duxford or Cosford should want another Vulcan, unrepresentative of a Service example after its conversion for operation on the civil register, as both museums are in the process of building new multi-million £ facilities to house their present Vulcans.

[iank]

Originally Posted by Mike51

I've still yet to hear a satisfactory explanation (or indeed any sort of explanation at all)

...but didn't you answer that yourself - XH558 will be in taxiable condition, the other examples at the museums will be locked away silently in exhibition halls?

The airframe will be as close to 'original service' condition as possible, those units removed now as unnecessary for civilian ops will be stored and returned to the airframe at end of flying life!

[RileyDove]

Cannot for one minute imagine either Cosford or indeed Duxford allowing a Vulcan to taxy around! As for the kit - how will they replace the miles of cable looms removed for her civil life? There is no way all the kit deleted will go back in!

[dakkg651]

Taxi runs at Cosford?

Wow that will be impressive. She might be able to get up to all of 40kts before slamming the brakes on. As for the peri track. It may be wide enough for a Grob but the last time they tried to tow a Vulcan around it the aircraft was bogged down for two days!

[iank]

Originally Posted by RileyDove

Cannot for one minute imagine either Cosford or indeed Duxford allowing a Vulcan to taxy around! As for the kit - how will they replace the miles of cable looms removed for her civil life? There is no way all the kit deleted will go back in!

Presumably the HLF checked with Cosford and Duxford before they wrote that into the contract - also "as close to 'original service' condition as possible" meant just that, Joe Public will just want to see the dials and gauges 'in situ' but presumably the HLF's intention was... Why would cable looms marked 'mine laying' be put back when no one expected to find them?

Perhaps at the end of its flying life it should just be scrapped - or which other 'National Museum' should it go to?