Vulcan XH558 Can you help?

It does surprise me how much easier Aviation attracts much larger sums of money, for maybe only the sight of it 10-12 times a year when compared to a steam locomotive which would operate much more and the investment lasts 10 years.

 

As much as I like seeing the old girl in the air I fear she is becoming a money pit that no one can fill

The yearly quest for hundreds of thousands of pounds is sad to see.

 

As is the ineptitude of the people running TVOC...

Regards,

Dan

 

Please can you enlighten us further?

 

Well, the whole business model was based around getting commercial sponsorship which has never really happened. Granted they couldn't foresee the recession, but it was a high risk strategy. You then had the debacle at Waddington earlier this year when the aircrfat flew in before the show and then the Permit to Fly expired because they hadn't managed to carry out comparative destructive tests on the airframe of another Vulcan earmarked for scrap. Result was it didn't fly and was grounded for the entire weekend.

Then you have the education programme that was a key part of the Lottery funding, which appears to have been much watered down to barely nothing. Plus there is the ongoing controversy over the salary of the project directors etc.

Don't get me wrong, I'd dearly love to see the Vulcan back in the air this year and have contributed to the appeal. But a long hard rethink of the strategy needs to be made if the project is to continue.

Regards,

Dan

 

I too was surprised that there were a lot of full time salaried staff.

 

Interesting. The last appeal was supposed to be the one that was going to ensure the Vulcan's future and negate the need for future appeals of that magnitude yet here we are again with an appeal for an even larger amount. Something the size of the Vulcan is always going to consume vast sums of money, far beyond what is likely to be gained from air show appearance money. It's such a shame that no headline sponsors have been found but I suppose that's not entirely surprising given the economic climate. Like many enthusiasts I've chipped in but it's never going to be enough I'm afraid. As you say, a rethink of strategy is required maybe.

 

Future now looking pretty grim


XH558 Survival Appeal Update

Dear Supporter,

XH558: the deadline has been set – the end of February.

Sadness and grim determination are the main emotions today: the Trust’s funds are such that the decision has now been taken to place all its employees on one month’s notice, as of 1st February.

We have so much to fight for, but with less than one month to avoid shutdown, the pressure is now really on.

On the few occasions when we have been in a similar position before, all XH558’s most loyal supporters have rallied to the cause, and somehow she has been saved. We are not assuming that the same will happen this time, which is why we are enlisting so many more people to help.

In 1941, Sir Winston Churchill said: “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never, in nothing, great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.” We are not giving in.

Mindful that we should not solicit donations whilst we are uncertain about XH558’s future, we are putting 100% of our efforts into the Survival Appeal Pledge Scheme.

We need to raise over £300,000 in new pledges by the end of February to justify a stay of execution, followed by a further £300,000 in March to reach our target of £800,000.

We are therefore launching a number of new activities to secure the immediate future:

· An attempt to set a WORLD RECORD for the number of signatures on a single birthday card for XH558.
· Re-design of the Appeal website to ensure visitors understand our urgent message, with a countdown timer to our deadline of 28th February..
· A sixty-second no-punches-pulled promotional VIDEO, spread via emails, with the goal of going “viral” with our message.
· A written notice and Pledge reply slip to all those on our databases.
· A SURVIVAL RAFFLE, launched by the Vulcan to the Sky Club, to create instant availability of working capital, once we are secured. (Prizes will be honoured by the Club if the worst happens).
· A PROMOTION PACK, distributed with the Club’s Winter magazine, to all club members.
· Targeted ADVERTISING in regional newspapers where affordable.
· Contact with national media and PR agencies to get XH558’s story in front of as many people as possible.
· And of course networking with all existing supporters, sponsors and industry leaders.

If we gather sufficient momentum over the next four weeks, we may well be able to start work on XH558 once again, but we will only do this if we are confident that the target will be met.

In the meantime, work continues at Marshall Aerospace on the detailed planning for the Winter Engineering Programme, whilst our own team are helping with the Appeal.

Assuming we are successful, with the new experienced gained over the past year, we will be building funds throughout the year in all ways possible to avoid the desperate measures we have had to take each winter to keep the dream alive.

Remember our ultimate goal: to be flying down the Mall on 4th June 2012 in celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s – and the Vulcan’s – Diamond Jubilee.

As we count down the days of February, all the thousands of our loyal supporters know full well what they will be missing if the worst comes to the worst for XH558. What is most galling, is that there are millions of people who really don’t know what they will have missed. But if they did, they could well decide to help save her.

XH558 is the “People’s Aircraft”. Can the people save her again?

 

If the worst comes to the worst will they be able to arrange one last ferry flight to Duxford, which I think is its long-term home when no longer flying, or could it be marooned where it is now?

 

Good point. Runway length is about 4800 ft, but I suspect that from the east, over the M11 there is a displaced threshold.

I suspect this might be marginal. They did land a Concorde there before the M11 was built, and they "practiced" on a longer runway with 5000ft markers. Was a heavy braking job though!

 

They got a B52 in as well. The landing was a bit on the heavy side but since it was destined to never fly again that didn't matter much.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSIGd6COFb8

 

The licenced runway at Duxford is now 1199 metres, 3937 feet, which I would think is unsuitable.

Makes you wonder if a return to Bruntingthorpe with its long runway for a "fast taxiing" future might not be a better idea.

..Alongside a certain Victor....

 

Do you mean this one per chance? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh2YSzBdWFg

 

Yep, the very one!

Not something you want to do as routine, a take-off, brief flight, and landing to a full stop with a big jet all within 10000ft of runway!

Bet he was relieved the brakes were in good order, mil. spec no doubt!..... If I remember correctly, the p1 was an ex-Victor man with many hours under his belt, good job too.

And it wasn't the pilot's fault by the way.

(A note for those who dont know, this incident has been fully investigated by the powers-that-be.)

 

Unlees £200,000.00 can be found by the end of Feb and another £300,000.00 by the end of March she will never fly again according to BBC local new tonight.

 

It's a shame that the media aren't too fussed about XH558 any more, she was saved first time and then she flew and now she's old news.

 

BBC News also stated that she is fifty years old this year.

 

We are nearly at £304,000 total raised.