I came across this in today's Times on-line & thought you may be interested in Jezza's comments. www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/drivin ... ltn=PNVFZA

I came across this in today's Times on-line & thought you may be interested in Jezza's comments. www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/drivin ... ltn=PNVFZA

And [url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/8134361.stmthis[/url, but I'm sure he's aware

Thanks for that, I can appreciate how he feels ...... the weirdo.



I am, as you say, aware having spent Thursday to Monday sat on said airfield (luckily it's only 12 miles from home) so no great hardship although everything else goes on hold for the duration.

As for TVOC's failure to renew 558's Permit To Fly there's a movie in there somewhere, a good old fashioned British farce.

I went on the Friday to find the Vulcan and Nimrod already there



Record turnout on the saturday apparently only for it not to fly!

We had a Nimrod R1 and MR2 in trail doing circuits for a time on Thursday afternoon after the Vulcan has landed. It were alreet.



It was due in at 14:54 on Thursday and arrived on time (unlike in 200icon_cool.gif displayed and landed. Friday (like last year) was a sceduled rest day but watching it being pushed into Alpha on Saturday morning was gutting.

She's still sat there while rumours of the next flight, anytime from today (that didn't happen) to sometime never, persist.

Next airshow is Yeovilton at the weekend but while the aircraft is good to go the CAA has the say. Over to TVOC, Marshalls and BAE to satisfy the CAA which in fairness to the CAA they've had four years notice.

err...what does TVOC stand for? (I mean the acronym not the person who posts under that name!)

Is the permit to fly or display?

obviously it got there!


What was the weekend show like? Seemed a poor line-up with F-16's, Tornados and Harriers only in static, and did I see an F-15 there?

Quote ="Highbury Rhino"err...what does TVOC stand for? (I mean the acronym not the person who posts under that name!)'" The Vulcan Operating Company Check out the website for more info: www.tvoc.co.uk

Quote ="Highbury Rhino"err...what does TVOC stand for? (I mean the acronym not the person who posts under that name!)'" The Vulcan Operating Company Check out the website for more info: www.tvoc.co.uk

Thanks...I take it you're a fan! (Of Vulcans - not a whirly propeller thing to blow air around with)

THe existing Permit To Fly expired on Thursday the 2nd July (the day 558 flew into Waddington.) Marshalls Aerospace (the Engineering Authority) only applied for the renewal on the 26th June. The earliest the CAA would issue the PTF (based on the application date) is the 14th July. TVOC flew 558 into Waddington knowing it would be refused permission to fly at the airshow but at least it was there on static. The first the airshow organisers knew of the problem was late on Friday apparently.

Quite apart from the lateness of the application submission TVOC/Marshalls/BAE have known since the start of the reconstruction in 2005 that certain tests and analysis needed to be carried out on a fleet aircraft (XM603 at Woodford was identified as an acceptable airframe for this task) as to do such tests on 558 would unreasonably damage her. Such tests have still to be concluded and Marshalls believed (wrongly in this case) that the CAA would agree to a further delay in the neccessary work.




It was pretty poor considering it is the RAF's major showcase event and by Waddington's own past history. Only one true fast jet (afterburning) display each day, surreal. Still enjoyed it but the loss of the RAF role demo from last year left a hole impossible to fill.

Departures on Monday reflected this also 4 Typhoons, 2 F16s, 2 F15s, a F3 a GR4 and a F4 being the total for the fast jet fraternity.



I've always been a fan of all things aviation, almost as long as following Leeds RL but not quite.

The Vulcan was always my favourite aircraft though and given it's disappearance for fifteen years with no reasonable possibility of a return I regard every flight as a bonus knowing that each one could be it's last..... again.

At £7million spent so far and £1.6million a year operating costs I have to ask the question - is it worth it just to keep an old, noisy, dirty relic flying ?

And then there is the aircraft itself...

Having raised and spent the £7 million it would be an awful waste of money, time and effort to let the project fail now.

The annual running costs are currently being realised through small sponsorship deals, generous OEM's (Original Equipment Manufacturers - often on a reduced to no cost basis), airshow fees (limited under the condition of the original Heritage lottery advance) and the rest through direct public charitable donations.

If the money fails to come in then it will be the end and last weekend's fiasco at Waddington will do nothing to delay that day.

However I remain optimistic that I'll see her leave Waddington sometime this week on her way to Yeovilton and beyond that see her display again this year at the RIAT at Fairford.

If it can't make Fairford (by far the biggest annual show) then this season's fundraising will be heavily compromised.

Why are all planes female?

Good question. Ships are female too aren't they?

Dunno, I've never looked underneath.

Because drivers/pilots/captains don't like to brag about their handling over other males.

I wonder how Flt Lt Kirsty Moore will refer to her mount when she joins the previously male exclusive club that is the Red Arrows for the next three seasons?

I bet she loves a bit of girl-on-girl action...

Not XH558 but must see footage of her former V bomber stablemate XM715 at Bruntingthorpe this year.

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3HaeYVlBw8&feature=channelAwesome Teasin Tina Lives[/url.

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRfDsSnLtE4Harrier low pass[/url

Tyre marks on the back of his shirt

[urlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S61zLcMFp1A&NR=1[/url

I bet that pilot touched cloth!!

IIRC, the legendary Ray Hanna flying his beloved Spitfire Mk IX MH434 at Duxford.

Now that's what I call a fast taxi run.

She never did that anytime I was there.

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh2YSzBdWFgFrom the opposite edge of the runway[/url - Turn the volume up.

It reminds me of Howard Hughes when he took the Spruce Goose up on a fast taxi (IIRC her only flight) and his co-pilot asked him 'did you mean to do that?' and Hughes replied 'well you'll never know.'