Latest VTST Update from Dr P

[Cluny]

Next we'll be told that there is a FUNDING CRISIS and if we DON'T DIG DEEP she'll be GROUNDED!

Maybe that is what is due out of the pipeline at the end of the year , beginning of next year

No no no no no , we'll be told that on Oct 11th [the day after the last airshow , was last year and the year before etc etc etc]

[Xplumberlives]

I think the point about the Land Rover Discos is very relevant.

I know that they are sponsored, and only cost TVOC the same as a small hire car, BUT the general public wouldn't be aware of that, and the sponsor's logo is very small compared to the TVOC one.

Another case of lack of commercial/PR savvy leading to unforeseen results.

Too TRUE!

[PhantomAviator]

In my experience there is no such thing as a
'Non Profit Making Organisation'.

Thinks Where have I seen and heard that phrase, Non Profit Making Organisation', before?

Ah Yes! The NAAFI.

Whether a company, charity or any other organisation is run by a monitary means it must make a profit in one way, shape or form. This is Business economics. Otherwise they would not run at all.

Charities do it from donations, every donation is a profit. (Though viewed differently through the Tax mans eyes).

The NAAFI used to claim it was a 'Non Profit Making Organisation', they always had the big notices behind the bar.
But if that had been the case and today I understand they admit they are a Profit Making Organisation, then they would not have been able to pay the staff or any other costs for that matter.


Now the line that interests me the most and causes me concern in RP's announcement is the one that has been used every year and every year so far has ended and begun the same in my eyes.
Is...

We are seeking ways of urgently gaining the attention of the national media before we get to the edge of the cash precipice, for it seems clear that “crying wolf” will now more than likely receive the response “not again”!

I think he has included this because he knows that is the response they are going to get regardless.

I can forsee that the only way they will be able to continue next season is if they get the Big Donation again.

Sorry to sound so pessimistic but reality dawns at the coming of the light.

As previously posted the truth (or as close to it as they dare) will only be announced at the end of the flying season.

The next major announcement will be the one that we have seen and heard for the past several years also.
If funds are not forthcoming by Xdate then the staff will be given redundancy notices.

I sincerely hope that this does not happen again. (But I will not hold my breath).
The engineers and others have done so much this season and to have that thought in the back of their minds all the time must be a drainer on them. Both mentaly and physically.

[Xplumberlives]

Waiting to see, but NOT holding my breath!

[Spitfire]

Is the Pope a Catholic? - Does a bear crap in the woods? - Do I put on 1 stone in weight at the merest smell or sight of a chip?.... all these statements can only be followed by ..... Will there be another XH558 funding crisis soon?

The total donation income raised in this Appeal was £401,000 from approximately 4,600 donations - an average of £87 per donation – against the target of £800,000. (This excludes one-off gifts and bequests amounting to £609,
000, and also Standing Order donations, Vulcan to the Sky Club donations, the 558 Flying Fund perpetual lottery and Gift Aid.)

For comparison, the Appeal over the same period in 2009 raised £795,000 from about 10,000 donations, over twice as many donations as this year. (A picture developing perhaps)

One of the two major goals of our funding campaign this year has been to increase the number of people donating, reversing the trend we have seen of reducing numbers of donations. Our Annual Appeal, which started on 1st July, has the goal of reaching £1million in the year, from both one-off and Standing Order donations. (see conclusion of previous paragraph - half as many as previous year!!)

Last month, I mentioned the advertising, marketing and PR activities undertaken over the last few months to attract new supporters to the project. For reasons that we can currently only speculate about, the hoped-for increase in numbers donating has not yet materialised. (Surprise Surprise)

And as for.............

The Vulcan, personified by XH558, marches exactly to the drum beat of Her Majesty the Queen’s illustrious reign

Pass the bucket

[Xplumberlives]

The Vulcan, personified by XH558, marches exactly to the drum beat of Her Majesty the Queen’s illustrious reign

Nice to see BOLLOCKSPEAK is still around then!

[Old Rigger]

I'll be quite honest I have continued to give money each month and part of my annual bonus, plus previous years my time on various stands and I have done this not for 558, and certainly not for the trust, but the likes of Jane & Malcom and the others on the VV/Stands and for the likes of Taff and co/aircrew, I will continue to give money right up until they state that we need x by y or else and then that will be it for me, I am not going through all that again. I have now got other interests so have slowly decided that my time is now better suited to my family, especially with our first grandchild on the way.

Do I feel like I am letting the side down, yes, did it bother me, yes, does it now no, I m just tired of the ups and downs, unfulfilled promises or to little to late and allthough I really did believe that this year would be the year the trust woke up, unfortunately I have not seen it yet, especially when it is wait until 558 it back on the ground hidden away for the winter service and then we will start fundraising, as has been said over the last three years that is to late it needs to be done while it is displaying.

What has gone wrong I think possibly a lot of people have possibly started feeling like i do, or like others have said there has allways been the feeling that we have had the day saved again so the Trust have got enough money and as they have gone all quiet with regards to initiatives they must have enough so why give more.

Sorry for the long post but I think I have finally lost the plot, but I felt the need to vent, so feel free to highlight any glaring mis-perceptions or glaring errors in my post as I am unlikely to add anything else on the subject later.

[Xplumberlives]

Mick, you are not alone, I am glad you have given both time and money in the past.

[Howslo]

I think there are plenty of us feeling the same way. Personally, I keep up my club membership and I've got a few numbers in the Flying Fund Draw. I know it's a fraction of what others do, or have done in the past, but that's all I can afford or justify. I still love to see the old girl at air shows, and I hope we get a few more years out of her yet. And I really do feel for the predicament the paid staff seem to find themselves in year on year. Especially after reading Barry Masefield's article in the magazine regarding the financial sacrifices many of them have made to be available to fly 558.

But I'm afraid I do get a feeling that all is not well, and it's only a matter of time before it all starts again. I'm not losing any sleep over it though. I've got more important things to worry about. And even if this did turn out to be the last season (although I do hope it's not), the way I see it we've had three 'bonus' years of Vulcan displays, which is a huge achievement by any stretch of the imagination. Living not too far away from Bruntingthorpe, I was fortunate enough to see her on several of the test flights, and have seen her display a few times, so I'm not short on photos or memories.

In the mean time, I shall carry on helping in my very small way and see what happens. Hopefully, there will be an update from Dr P telling us all is going to be fine...Not holding my breath.

[Mayfly]

I though Barrys' article was excellent - I'm pleased he took the opportunity to make it known. There was a lot of talk last year about how the aircrew shouldn't get any remuneration, they should do it for the honour of flying her. They didn't know half the back ground to it all.

[P.eames]

If some of you don't know what a non profit organisation is then how on earth can you comment on the operational side of 558? A non profit organisations does not make a profit, all money earned by said organisation after overheads is ploughed back into the organisation, you do not pay wages etc out of profit, profits are what you have left over after you have paid wages etc.

And you say TVOC/VTTS have no idea.

[PhantomAviator]

If some of you don't know what a non profit organisation is then how on earth can you comment on the operational side of 558? A non profit organisations does not make a profit, all money earned by said organisation after overheads is ploughed back into the organisation, you do not pay wages etc out of profit, profits are what you have left over after you have paid wages etc.

And you say TVOC/VTTS have no idea.

Average cost accounts for all costs including profits. That is, average costs account for rent, wage, interest and normal profit payments. In this context the normal profits are defined as that level of profit which is sufficient to keep the company in their current activity.
Normal profit is treated as the minimum return which companies will accept the risks which they have taken.Normal profit is treated as costs because, just as wages have to be paid if production (in XH558's case, serviceability and displays), is to take place, so normal profit has to be earned if the company is to continue.



May I also point out from RPs Update of the 28th August 2010.

These are his words not mine.

Not only were we forced to let our fans down, but our cashflow suffered from the lack of the anticipated airshow appearance fees – to the extent of nearly £50,000 in lost profit.

Yes £50,000 in LOST PROFIT.

The full report is here.

Dear Supporters,



One thing that none of us have any control over is the weather, but the weather certainly has control over what XH558 is able to do!

As you know, legally XH558 is restricted to flying under “Visual Flight Rules”, in simple terms good visibility and a cloud base no lower than two thousand feet. Last weekend at Bournemouth, its airport and at Shoreham, the weather was so bad we had no opportunity to fly, let alone display.

“Gutted” is an appropriate word to describe the feeling of missing the opportunity to fly for nearly three-quarters of a million expectant people at the six air displays where XH558 was supposed to display last weekend – a fifth of our planned displays this season.

Not only were we forced to let our fans down, but our cashflow suffered from the lack of the anticipated airshow appearance fees – to the extent of nearly £50,000 in lost profit.

The Weather Gods of course had the last laugh too, because the flying conditions at the sixth and last display venue, Sywell in Northamptonshire on Sunday, were reported as being perfect.

Now that we are within a few weeks of the end of our 2010 display season, we are looking to the future, and as ever, the need to keep XH558 flying for the benefit of the public and her knowledgeable and enthusiastic supporters.

The No.1 Goal above everything else is to make sure that XH558 is flying in 2012 for the 60th – Diamond – Anniversary of the first flight of the Vulcan type. We must make sure that we achieve this, to the sacrifice of almost everything else, because so to do will be such an important testament to the excellence of British engineering, to the memory of all those who served during the Cold War, to the still vital strategic policy of deterrence, and to the huge support from the British public that the Vulcan retains. Our plans going forward will be geared to guaranteeing that this goal of flying in 2012 is achieved, but I know now that there will be significant funding challenges ahead.

On a much more positive note, I am delighted to report that well over 10,000 people have now signed XH558’s 50th Birthday Card on our website. Please take the opportunity to read some of the hugely affectionate comments – they are ample evidence of exactly why we need to keep XH558 flying.

We will of course continue our unstinting efforts to gain a secure future for XH558, but in the meantime please join the rest of the Vulcan team in keeping fingers crossed for good flying weather for the rest of the season.

As ever, many thanks for your continuing support and enthusiasm.

Robert Pleming

Vulcan to the Sky Trust

[Mayfly]

It is that term 'Lost Profit' that kicked off this thread!

[10680]

Not wishing for anything confidential but what happens on payments for airshows? (For any display aircraft?)

XH558 flew to Bournemouth. Various costs incurred.
Bournemouth had loads of visitors booked into hotels and spending in shops and restaurants. Do Bournemouth just get lots of money for no (lower) outlay? Did they collect from their sponsors?

Similarly Shoreham sold loads of tickets and on the Sunday we saw 3? displays. RAFA get their income but no expenditure ( and yes I know it's all in a good cause).

[Mayfly]

If an a/c doesn't make a venue through no fault of the venue, I would assume they would get nothing.

However in the case of bad weather when an a/c has deployed like 558 at Bournemouth & Shoreham it will depend on what was agreed in the contract. It is possible the venue[s] will meet the fuel costs or a % percentage of the expenses.

I have no insider knowledge only know what has happened in the past with DT when he has [or hasn't] pitched up at displays.

[Gaz]

I thought the record was changing, right up until the point they received that massive bequest. Since then it seemed the push for funding died off and things had gone back to the way we all know and love: "Keep em' in the dark and feed em' shit!"

I feared, at the time, that bequest would be a double edged sword. I, in my own oppinion, have been proven correct!

[Spitfire]

Our plans going forward will be geared to guaranteeing that this goal of flying in 2012 is achieved, but I know now that there will be significant funding challenges ahead.

OH NO ..... modern bollox speak strikes again ....

We go to meetings and have competitions amongst ourselves as to how often we'll hear 'Going forward' in any given presentation..... best yet is 26 in one 30 minute talk

He'll be 'touching base' next ... then we're all doomed

And as for the bit in red - what can one say - 'failing to plan is planning to fail' - perhaps

[Xplumberlives]

The RISE of ALAN PARTRIDGE BOLLOCK SPEAK continues!

[Sooty655]

Our plans going forward will be geared to guaranteeing that this goal of flying in 2012 is achieved, but I know now that there will be significant funding challenges ahead

Come on, you miserable lot, don't be so bloody negative.

Look on the bright side, it has taken six years to learn, but at least he knows NOW.

[Spitfire]

Our plans going forward will be geared to guaranteeing that this goal of flying in 2012 is achieved, but I know now that there will be significant funding challenges ahead

Come on, you miserable lot, don't be so bloody negative.

Look on the bright side, it has taken six years to learn, but at least he knows NOW.

[Xplumberlives]

But how long until it is all forgotten again?

[Dee]

I really hoped we wouldn't be back in this position again, i guess ive been living in cloud cuckoo land! thats me about done i think

[Wedgy]

*hugs Dee*

[Mayfly]

Yeah what he said ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^





This was a report from Jersey

http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_jerseynews/displayarticle.asp?id=490775

[Spitfire]

O... M ....G

Exactly as predicted - and right on cue

She was built to combat the growing menace of the Soviet Union during the Cold War and is the last of 136 Vulcans still flying today. But now she's fighting to stay in the air. The money that funds her is about to run out.

Sean Maffett from Vulcan to the Sky, said: "She is actually formally going to run out of funds in about three weeks in which case the permanent staff which look after her. The engineering and logistics staff will have to be given four weeks notice. We hope that something will be pulled out of the hat in time."

After 13 years of being grounded, the Avro Vulcan was brought back to life in 2007 thanks to a £7 million restoration campaign. Affectionally nicknamed "The Tin Triangle" she needs at least £1 million per year to remain fit to fly.

Sean added: "We would really love them to get in touch with our website which is http://www.vulcantothesky.org and by doing that they could become members of the club or they could just contribute. But please get in touch. We would really love to hear from you."

The message is clear. With a bit of help from her fans, it's hoped this Vulcan can live long and prosper.

Too little - Too Late

When WILL they learn - you can't keep calling on 'the fans'

Its a bloody shambles and a disgraceto the engineers and aircrew who have worked so hard to provide such a good season on which to build a funding base