Twilight Static Reheat Run

Hi all,

Thanks for your kind words [:)]

Here’s a scan of the letter we are sending out to all postal ticket holders, Emails will be sent out to all on line tickets holders with the same info

Sorry once again [;)]

Please read if you have tickets

Hi all,

It is with great regret that we have, today, decided to postpone the twlight reheat run that should have take n place next Saturday – 23rd Feb 🙁

We have been up there today and the hyd leak that has developed over the last two weeks has got a lot worse, the leak is in the region of the tail hook and is directly in the bays underneath the No1 reheat pipe; this of course is a no go for running into reheat for very good reasons as the hyd oil has a lower flash point that the JPT. Basically we don’t want a fire.

All ticket holders will be notified asap and their ticket will be refunded if they wish, or can be used at the next available chance to run in twilight, probably in November 08 when the clocks go back so we can run before 5pm as this is a planning restriction we now have to adhere to.

We will all be around at the Q shed next Saturday if any of the ticket holders would like to join us for an inpromtu open cockpit day

At this time its impossible to say how long its going to take to fix 904 as we have to get the pipe out and fix the leaking chute actuation valve, aswe have no spares.

We are all as disapointed as you but we just can not afford to take any risks.

Truly sorry on behalf of all the LPG.

Just to give you an idea, this is the amount leaked out over a day, the bays are probably full of it….

You can see here the streaks of oil running between the skin joints

Thanks again for all your support and I hope you can understand why we have had to take this decision. As they say, “that’s Lightnings!!”

I will post a few other pics from todays run with 728 later

Cheers,
Andy

more to see!

For anyone coming along to this fantastic event, we will also be opening up some of the other Museum aircraft on the day, including the Super Guppy and if the weather is ok, the 2 seat Lightning cockpit. So please pop over to the main site before the twighlight run, and have a look around. We will be closing up just before the engine run, so that we can watch as well!

Andy

Who will be the jockey for the evening?, will there be any other notable guests.

Regards,

John.

John,

We are talking to Dennis,but he has not confirmed yet, so at the moment its gonna be me or my counter part Jim doing the runs, its only like an antidet run but with a crowd 😉

Cheers

In this day and age I would imagine that No.5 is probably close to being the most important constraint, compensation culture being what it is.

Mike,
Your spot on, and its getting worse 🙁

Just the way of the world we live Im affraid, it will put an end to it all one day

Andy

Who will be the jockey for the evening?, will there be any other notable guests.

Regards,

John.

In this day and age I would imagine that No.5 is probably close to being the most important constraint, compensation culture being what it is.

For give me if this question is totally inrelevand. But how come you don’t run both engines on reheat the same time?

Herman

Hi, yes there’s several reasons:

1. We dont have any spigoted chocks (big steel curved ramps that the main wheels are placed into with two large diamater steel pins on the underside that locate in holes in the concrete that you can just see in the photo above) we couldnt possibly drill four large holes in Dave Waltons runway to hold them in place.
If we were to run both burners the aircraft would either push our standard rubber chocks forward or simply jump them even with brakes on, Ive seen it happen on one engine at full power, when chocks let go they dont always go together and the aircraft tends to spin though 90 degree’s in about a quarter of a second, well before the jockey has time to pull the throttle back.

2. The book and experts say that reheat on both engines at the same time should be done with at an ‘amount’ of forward airspeed on the clock, basicly at full power there’s not enough air going down the front for both engines without the aid forward movement. It can be done but is not advised, remember our four Avons arent in their first flush of youth.

3. The chap in the seat has one hell of a job managing both engines at the same time staticly, as No1 tends to stave No2 of air, JPT’s (most important), RPM’s, nozzle indications,fire warnings,engine oil warnings and fuel consumption (7 gallons per second) have to be watched very very closely.

4. Noise, both in reheat staticly for 9 -10 seconds will really really really upset the locals late on a Saturday afternoon (we have planning restrictions on the noise we make) and any breech could spell the end of future events of any kind.Its a real ballancing act let me assure you.

5. The nose leg will be over stressed with both in reheat staticly for any length of time. We dont have any spares.

5. Lastly and most importantly, safety, both engines running at full tilt is a double risk for us and all around us and makes our insurers very very nervous.

Cheers

For give me if this question is totally inrelevand. But how come you don’t run both engines on reheat the same time?

Herman

Hi all,

Just a reminder that there are still penty of tickets left for the static twlight reheat run on the 23rd Feb 😉

We are laying on a tea/butty van as well to keep your insides warm 😉

For more info have a look here http://www.photo-restorations.co.uk/lightnings/

This famous picture comes from BAE Sytems and gives you an idea of what we are going to be doing, but not both burners together

See you all there 🙂

Andy,

Cheque was posted first thing this morning:D 😀 .

Regards,

John.

Best of Luck Andy

Hope it is a great day for you. Sadly I won’t be able to attend but there is a slim chance we maybe returning to Blighty for one last trip home!