Time to let her die in peace.

[Hurn]

how about transferring the money to a Harrier or Tornado project ?

[das]

put the money into getting the canberra pr9 flying on the display circuit...

[Hurn]

You can't just go taking publicly donated money from a registered charity and hand it over to a private company.

It's just not as simple as that.

[TankBuster]

Blue touch paper lit...

Its lovely to see her fly, but I agree that 558 does cost a horrendous amount of money to operate, and in many peoples eyes its like throwing sacks full of £50 notes into the wind!

I agree that the general public dont really give a monkeys, and to many people it is just another aeroplane no different to any other. When it comes to asking the general public about aeroplanes... They know about... Spitfire, Concorde, The Red Arrows & I think there's a lot to be said for that!


TankBuster

[MarkL]

VTST are the team making the call. It's their project which they manage so it's their choice. I have huge admiration for any group that has a vision, takes on the challenge and makes it happen. You must agree there has been fewer challenges bigger than this and they have delivered.

Our society is full of people who 'know best' and it gets tiring. I trust VTST to make the decision when to call it a day, not an uninformed member of the public. Whether you agree or not with their project is your call BUT I have infinitely more respect for people who put their beliefs on the line and work their nuts off to deliver than the usual doubters who just love to bash a dream.

Salute VTST and all other teams who give their all to deliver wonderful aircraft to the airshow circuit

[Unknown74]

When and if XH558 ceases flying operations she should be allowed to remain in some sort of museum or Visitors Centre so that we can all enjoy her in her own purpose built hangar/ centre etc. It will be a great shame if she was denied to us.

[GVLCN]

Am I the only one who will be disappointed to not see her on the airshow circuit next year? Seems most people haven't got anything better to do than moan. With ever decreasing airshow participation form all corners of the globe, with a star like the vulcan gone next year it will just another nail in the coffin for uk airshows and it'll be the same people moaning about how XH558 Won't be flying and how another one bites the dust.

Nice to see such an intelligent thread started on fighter control,,, NOT

[nigelblake]

Am I the only one who will be disappointed to not see her on the airshow circuit next year? Seems most people haven't got anything better to do than moan. With ever decreasing airshow participation form all corners of the globe, with a star like the vulcan gone next year it will just another nail in the coffin for uk airshows and it'll be the same people moaning about how XH558 Won't be flying and how another one bites the dust.

Nice to see such an intelligent thread started on fighter control,,, NOT

I agree, she costs a lot but its worth it every time she roars into the sky, I'd love to see lots of other aircraft back in the air too, but in these times of a poor economy it isn't going to happen. While we have a flyable Vulcan we should cherish it!

[RJ79]

I can see both schools of thought on this, yes it will be extremely sad to see the old girl finally go but I won't miss the weekly e-mail saying we haven't hit this or that target (not too far removed from begging).

What would be nice, if this is the last year, would be to really push her to the limits that were last seen around 1993 (whether that would be allowed is another thing). It's a shame that the Yanks are not seemingly going to be about this year as a fly past with a B-52 would have been a lovely sight to bring the curtain down on her flying life.

[Hurn]

Am I the only one who will be disappointed to not see her on the airshow circuit next year?

No you're not. I'm sure many of us will be sorry to see the end of the Vulcan displays.

Nice to see such an intelligent thread started on fighter control,,, NOT

The problem with threads like this is that people seem to think it's simply a matter of channelling funding from the Vulcan to another project. Even one as daft as a Harrier or Tornado.

I can see both schools of thought on this, yes it will be extremely sad to see the old girl finally go but I won't miss the weekly e-mail saying we haven't hit this or that target (not too far removed from begging).

Well yes it's begging and it's frowned upon by some, but VttS do what they have to do to get the money in, and ultimately have given us a flying Vulcan for the last five years which is pretty amazing.

What would be nice, if this is the last year, would be to really push her to the limits that were last seen around 1993 (whether that would be allowed is another thing0.

I think there's stricter limits on the aircraft today, but I'd definitely like more noise from the display. If there's one criticism I've had over the past few years it's that we've never had that earth shattering roar we know it's capable of and for me the display needs revamping.

If it is to be the final year I'd like my memories of it to be of going out with a dynamic display and mighty roar rather than just gliding about quietly in a figure of eight as much of the previous few years have been.

[simon]

Unless I'm wrong the money being raised isn't being taken at gunpoint?? Whilst Joe Public and commercial enterprises are happy to keep funding her let the Vulcan keep flying. We all have a choice as to where we place our donations. Having grown up with the Vulcan long may she continue to grace our skies.

[Hurn]

Are you Dan O'Hagan?

Ooh Burrrn!

[350biker]

Fully agree with the original sentiment. Time to put our money into getting Just Jane airborne. Now two Lancasters together will be worth going a long way to see.

[Hurn]

You're free to put your own money where you like, just as I'm free to give to the Vulcan.

Personally I wouldn't give to Just Jane as I feel that we've already got a perfectly good airworthy Lancaster so we need another, but I'll not knock anyone who wanted to give money to that particular project.

If I were giving to another aircraft however, it would be to get a unique type back in the air like the Shackleton.

[andygolfer]

XH-558 has been on its last legs for years but now is the time to let her go. It costs more to run than a small principality and lets face it, the public don't give a monkey's. Time to think smaller so how about transferring the money to a Harrier or Tornado project ?

did you really need to use such large bold writing?


I think it is very fair to say that if the public hadn't and didn't give a monkeys then public donations would not have kept her flying for the last 6 years, £2 million a year is a lot but somehow the trust always manage to pull the required sum in (sometimes the tone of the appeals isn't perfect - but it apparently works). It appreas that they are just about on track again this year so 2013 should see her in the air again.

Now beyond 2013 is a different matter, expensive mods with only 2 spare engines (if they all survive this year) I dont personally think makes good sense, if an engine blows on day 1 of the season they are in a very tricky situation. Although I'm a keen fan and long time supporter in time and money, I think this should be the last year and then retire her to somewhere where she can be carefully looked after by volunteers as the post flying donations dwindle - you can gather from that I don't think VE3 is viable!
I dont think keeping her at a commercial airport is a good idea in case the owners arent supportive and unlike many preserved jets you cant stick her on the back of a trailer to move her somewhere else if they give you marching orders. For me the logical solution is to make her final flight to Bruntingthorpe at the end of this season where there is a good team of volunteers to help keep her looked after (they did it before) and where she can still fast taxi as that is a necessity to ensure at least some donations keep coming in.

[thorny1a]

I respectfully disagree with the original post in the strongest terms. To say that the public "don't give a monkeys" is utterly ludicrous. Without the generosity of the public, thousands of whom have put their hand in their pockets time & again for this angel of the skies, she would not have got off the ground in the first place!!

We should in my opinion continue to try & keep XH558 in the air for as long as possible. Once she's gone there is no turning back!!

Vulcan howl forever!

Matt

[POL]

Once she's gone there is no turning back!!

They said that last time.

[Hurn]

Once she's gone there is no turning back!!

They said that last time.

Without the wing mod being done at the end of this season to extend it's fatigue life it really WILL be the end as far as flying goes.

Even if that was deferred for a year or so, to have any hope of bringing it back in future you'd have to mothball it and have regular anti det checks, all of which would cost a lot of money for no return.

[mhm]

I respectfully disagree with the original post in the strongest terms. To say that the public "don't give a monkeys" is utterly ludicrous. Without the generosity of the public, thousands of whom have put their hand in their pockets time & again for this angel of the skies, she would not have got off the ground in the first place!!

We should in my opinion continue to try & keep XH558 in the air for as long as possible. Once she's gone there is no turning back!!

Vulcan howl forever!

Matt

To costly to run. Put it in a museum now, and use outstanding funds to build a hangar for it. Manchester has shown the way with Concorde hangar.

[andygolfer]

To costly to run. Put it in a museum now, and use outstanding funds to build a hangar for it. Manchester has shown the way with Concorde hangar.

It is costly to run and the main problem with your suggestion is that there are no immediate funds, as the funds come in they are being spent on the service ready for this season and if they stopped now there would be 2 issues:
1: no money for a permanent hangar and
2: she would be stranded at doncaster forever or until the airport owners decide the don't want her there and she had to be disposed of in one way or another (possibly a much worse option)
I broadly agree with your sentiments and I stated my preferred way forward on page 1 of one last season and retiring to Bruntingthiorpe where if all else fails there are plenty of volunteers who could / would look after her as they did before the restoration.

Meanwhile the latest e-mailing says they need £83k in 12 days to keep on track