Final thought prior to possibly final flight

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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Spitfire » Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:20 pm

Let's not split hairs or spoil the moment ... DT was there in the cockpit ;) :p

Then the aircrew arrived; David Thomas, Al McDicken, and Barry Masefield all looking extremely professional, focussed and demonstrating an air of calmness personified; at least on the outside!


Amidst almost unbearable tension and anticipation Al McDicken and David Thomas moved the throttles forward and applied the power necessary to propel the aircraft forward.


She touched down safely with a perfect landing by Al and David, with Barry who had played a vital role from the AEO seat, and there was an audible and tangible sense of relief that she had arrived home safely.


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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Mayfly » Sun Oct 25, 2015 7:08 am

To put the record straight yes Al was captain at David's request.

The CAA were quite happy for DT to be captain but DT felt it was important to show the world, as there were still at that time a lot of people who felt that a 4 engined bomber should not be flown in civil hands, that the whole TVOC Trust set up was professional and serious and having Al [who went to test pilot school] do that flight would be more appropriate.

DT held authority to complete test flights at that time for any a/c as long as they did not carry passengers. The 1st test flight was the only one Al did, DT went on to complete the other 6 as captain.
Last edited by Mayfly on Sun Oct 25, 2015 10:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Clarifying the organisation.
In memory of a very dear friend - Mike Pearson

Very fond memories of Robbie Gilvary - DTs 1st Vulcan Captain who taught DT all he knew.
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Spitfire » Sun Oct 25, 2015 9:45 am

From the horses mouth then :)) Thanks MF for putting the record entirely straight ;) :p

I still stand by what I said though - for all we know Al asked DT to give the rudder a little flick as he was saving his legs for the main flight ahead =)) =)) =)) =)) And I like to think it was DT when I see it ...so there :ymdevil:

And as we say in Cornwall - 'Madder do it' B-)
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Vulcan Bomber » Sun Oct 25, 2015 11:52 am

Mayfly wrote:To put the record straight yes Al was captain at David's request.

The CAA were quite happy for DT to be captain but DT felt it was important to show the world, as there were still at that time a lot of people who felt that a 4 engined bomber should not be flown in civil hands, that the whole TVOC Trust set up was professional and serious and having Al [who went to test pilot school] do that flight would be more appropriate.

DT held authority to complete test flights at that time for any a/c as long as they did not carry passengers. The 1st test flight was the only one Al did, DT went on to complete the other 6 as captain.



With Martin Withers assistance?
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Mayfly » Sun Oct 25, 2015 9:11 pm

Yes, but I can't remember how many, a CAA test pilot may have done one. I know the Marshalls TP sat in one flight but I think he was down the back.
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Ray C » Mon Oct 26, 2015 10:52 pm

Spitfire wrote:
Mayfly wrote: but only for a Vulcan.


Funny you should say that .... there is now talk that Pleming wants to maintain his entourage (and therefore his large salary) and is rumoured to be sourcing another 'historic plane' to restore to flight ;) :p

Stand by for 'Please donate quickly or we'll lose the chance to ....' ~x(


Could it be another Avro "Big Bird"..... ;)
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Sploosher » Tue Oct 27, 2015 8:07 am

Ray C wrote:
Spitfire wrote:
Mayfly wrote: but only for a Vulcan.


Funny you should say that .... there is now talk that Pleming wants to maintain his entourage (and therefore his large salary) and is rumoured to be sourcing another 'historic plane' to restore to flight ;) :p

Stand by for 'Please donate quickly or we'll lose the chance to ....' ~x(


Could it be another Avro "Big Bird"..... ;)


WR963 at Coventry?

I really do hope not, simply for the reason I think there will be too much secrecy as there was with 558..........which considering 558 was `the peoples` aircraft, was wrong on many occasions....
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Spitfire » Tue Oct 27, 2015 9:27 am

I hope that they have the decency to keep their fingers off and noses out of existing, successfully run, projects such as WR963 and NX611 ;)
If its got to be something it should be a lost and no hope project that actually needs helping so as not to swamp and overshadow the work of a current well organised and hard working group :p

Personally I think they should disband and close down any salaried organisation - and if they continue in support of XH558 as a 'live' aircraft they should become a wholly volunteer organisation as are all the Brunty boys and many other plane groups around the country. :D
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Old Rigger » Tue Oct 27, 2015 7:49 pm

well the final flight has been announced, 15 minutes at a currently undisclosed time and day, basically it would appear that it will be a take off and land with no display, wonder how much the 'Final Flight' video and stills will cost.

As for taking on another project I cannot think that the donators who donated to see XH558 will remain loyal to the 'team' as there is no other aircraft that they could look at that I believe would keep people donating to them, like others I hope they stay away from the projects listed by others.
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Ray C » Tue Oct 27, 2015 8:03 pm

Old Rigger wrote:well the final flight has been announced, 15 minutes at a currently undisclosed time and day, basically it would appear that it will be a take off and land with no display, wonder how much the 'Final Flight' video and stills will cost.

As for taking on another project I cannot think that the donators who donated to see XH558 will remain loyal to the 'team' as there is no other aircraft that they could look at that I believe would keep people donating to them, like others I hope they stay away from the projects listed by others.


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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Mayfly » Tue Oct 27, 2015 9:19 pm

Well in fairness they can hardly walk in and take over any existing project without the agreement of that organisation or the owner[s].

I don't understand the point of doing a 15 minute flight, not worth the time it takes to the BF! They have obviously known for a while they only have 15 mins left so why make a big fuss about doing another flight garnering lots of criticism about not giving a warning people so they could take off work.
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Spitfire » Wed Oct 28, 2015 12:19 am

Mayfly wrote:I don't understand the point of doing a 15 minute flight, not worth the time it takes to the BF! They have obviously known for a while they only have 15 mins left so why make a big fuss about doing another flight garnering lots of criticism about not giving a warning people so they could take off work.


Because - quite simply - they can video it (officially) and take loads of stills (officially) then SELL the videos and stills for LOADSA MONEY :ymdevil: :ymdevil:

So sorry you couldn't all be there - but we're sure you'll understand - so now you can buy the goodies and make more money for the pot ... X(

And this lame excuse for the final flight - because of Doncaster's requirements - does not bode well for future taxi runs ... how will Doncaster cope with those ;)

SHE SHOULD BE AT BRUNTINGTHORPE - END OF ~x( ~x(
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Mayfly » Wed Oct 28, 2015 5:02 pm

So thats it then all over - and you tube crashed so much for seeing it live... X( many unhappy people but nothing new there then - :p
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Old Rigger » Wed Oct 28, 2015 5:14 pm

Well at least the video was free, even if I only got to see it about 20 minutes ago, I thought that after all what has been achieved and the fact that it was definitely, definitely its last flight that it was a bit lack lustre and an anti climax even with the weather I was expecting a bit more, but hey ho at least we can all relax and keep our own memories from the past, without the angst of will she/won't she fly/turn up/display/fly past and at least won't get the old email accounts clogged with pay up or it won't fly again/go overseas.

Spitfire it was the fuss over security that made me start the thread as I cannot see them all of a sudden changing that tack and letting XH558 trundle up and down the runway, which of course would need more money, oh bum that means the emails will start again.
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Mayfly » Thu Oct 29, 2015 9:39 am

Interestingly today is the day BA Systems are opening an £5m Aeronautical Engineering Academy at Humberside airport - only 40 miles down the road to Finningley.
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Old Rigger » Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:33 am

Hi Mayfly, that is the one that replaced the one at Robin Hood where the apprentices were trained and meetings held in the same hangar as XH558 is currently in, one of the times I was on a break from a meeting I went to take a picture of XH558 from the balcony window when someone pointed out the big notice next to me that said no photos are permitted. Not sure the move had anything to do with the plans for the new centre at Robin Hood for XH558 going forward, but it is highly unlikely.
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Spitfire » Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:58 am

From the VTST website....
XH558 will be maintained to a high standard and will regularly thrill audiences with her famous Vulcan howl as she accelerates along the runway.

So how on earth are they going to manage the crowds that will inevitably turn up to those events - if Doncaster was so heavy handed and prescriptive about the final flight and so worried about disrupting their 'busy' international airport (there are 5 scheduled arrivals and corresponding departures today ..... 5! ~x( )

The crux of it all seems to be
Based in a purpose-built, multi-million pound building at Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield,
.... and who paid for that then ;) :p

Another thing that riles me is the holier than thou supporters who smack down any attempt to decry the last flight debacle by saying we should all be grateful for the 8 years etc etc ... but we are all entitled to opinions and don't expect to be squashed down by the 'party line' - it reminds me of Thatcher ... 'Just rejoice at that news' ... don't dare argue with us ~x(
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Old Rigger » Thu Oct 29, 2015 11:09 am

It was those very people that drove me away from supporting the project, which included the management and some of the engineers (who believed they were the only people who knew anything about Vulcan maintenance and engineering).
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Mayfly » Thu Oct 29, 2015 12:31 pm

Old Rigger wrote:Hi Mayfly, that is the one that replaced the one at Robin Hood where the apprentices were trained and meetings held in the same hangar as XH558 is currently in, one of the times I was on a break from a meeting I went to take a picture of XH558 from the balcony window when someone pointed out the big notice next to me that said no photos are permitted. Not sure the move had anything to do with the plans for the new centre at Robin Hood for XH558 going forward, but it is highly unlikely.



No I don't expect any plans for 558 had the slightest influence over BAS - I just thought 2 academies so close together and one with a £5m operating centre would not be the most helpful competition.
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Old Rigger » Thu Oct 29, 2015 1:57 pm

I think only time will tell if this will impact our Academy, but it is unlikely as I don't think the one planned for Robin Hood is doing apprenticeships, although don't quote me on that currently the blurb from the VTST is:

Vulcan to the Sky Trust and Aviation Skills Partnership launch Vulcan Aviation Academy and Heritage Centre - New state of the art facility will provide a centre of excellence to the aviation industry for education and skills training, delivered in partnership with the region’s education groups and local authorities.

Not sure whether 'education and skills training' equates to apprenticeships.
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Sooty655 » Thu Oct 29, 2015 2:08 pm

Old Rigger wrote:I think only time will tell if this will impact our Academy, but it is unlikely as I don't think the one planned for Robin Hood is doing apprenticeships, although don't quote me on that currently the blurb from the VTST is:

Vulcan to the Sky Trust and Aviation Skills Partnership launch Vulcan Aviation Academy and Heritage Centre - New state of the art facility will provide a centre of excellence to the aviation industry for education and skills training, delivered in partnership with the region’s education groups and local authorities.

Not sure whether 'education and skills training' equates to apprenticeships.

I think you'll find it equates to continuation of gravy train operations.
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Old Rigger » Thu Oct 29, 2015 4:07 pm

Sooty655, couldn't possibly comment on that, however whatever they now do, or wherever they do it, I think that gravy train has probably stopped as of yesterday, even the most devout followers and subscribers I cannot believe will carry on donating on request to a not flying Vulcan that may or may not trundle up and down the runway, there are more deserving projects that have been doing that and deserve that support now.
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Sploosher » Thu Oct 29, 2015 10:57 pm

a good friend of mine, and some of her friends, have stopped all standing orders for 558 seeing as though it is no longer VTTS, but VTTH....................

she has also taken all the stickers off her car too...............
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Spitfire » Thu Oct 29, 2015 11:09 pm

But I bet the party faithful will carry on their STOs in the time honoured holier than thou tradition ;) :p

But I suppose they can rest in the knowledge it will all help to pay the 'legitimate' expenses that will no doubt continue to accrue :D :p
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Re: Final thought prior to possibly final flight

Postby Old Rigger » Fri Oct 30, 2015 6:50 am

I just had a thought (I know at my age that could be dangerous :D ), but I wonder if these security restrictions and complaints from the police, Health & Safety (the coverall for all excuses for not doing something) & Airport authority against people going to Finningley to see XH558, the timing being quite convenient, is just preparing the excuses for being able to run away and not have to bother with arranging money etc to trundle her up and down the runway, they can just blame those listed for not being able to do it.
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