Vulcan bomber engines to roar

Please tell me that you can achieve the impossible?

David,

Although, I clearly cannot speak for the entire TVOC team, I can achieve the impossible. 😀

Seriously though, I think that the truth falls between the two. Having experienced both the TVOC and RAF methods of operation, I can see both sides of the argument. Sad Sam is completely correct in all of his statements, and you are correct in many of yours. He rafers to the entire team of Airframe engineers working the Vulcan. To appreciate this, you must understand that the “Fuselage Team” and the “Mainplane Team” and the “Fuel Tank Team” etc…etc… were spread over many Vulcans, however, over 15 personnel constituted each team, and were available to each aircraft. I agree that not 150 people were working on each single aircraft as it passed through, however, if you read the threads thst this related to, you would see that this was not what was implied.

There is an ENORMOUS amount of work going on behind the scenes, far beyond the 200 or so people being referred to in this thread, however, as usual, you are way behind the drag curve regarding the work that has been required on XH558. As I have stated many times, if ever you get the desire to authoritatively state ACTUAL FACTS, if you care to send me a PM, I will be more than happy to enlighten you as to the actual state of the aircraft.

Cheery bye,

Flipflopman

Gentlemen relax….

I think DB’s ‘miracle working’ comments are a bit harsh, but I can see both sides of the story.

An RAF Major team would consist of alot of people on the shop floor. Possibly upwards of 50? Mainly due to the fact that the RAF over do everything. For example, on SAR we had three shifts of 10 guys. The civvie crews are able to do the same job with 3 guys….

Components would be sent away during a major , thus involving even more people, as has happened at TVOC. Even the Lanc major this year – there was 6 of us on the shop floor, and maybe upwards of 50 or 60 at various 3rd line stations (CFS Aeroproducts etc.)

I think what has happened here is a simple mix up. TVOC may only have 20 people in the hangar, but there are many more behind the scenes!

I’ll get me coat

The facts are that a Major team at St Athan didn’t have 150 people on a team . There would be MU staff involved in any major rectification outside of the standard Major items and any number of other personnel depnding on the level of Mods required . The impression given by Cypherus is one of 150 people decending on the aircraft in one go which certainly didn’t happen.
Regards the level of your work going beyond a Major – certainly it has as the aircraft was effectively out of commission for 10 years plus . This wouldn’t be the situation of an aircraft joining the Major line at St Athan.
Similarily by removing miles of wiring and carrying out the removal of equipment which would be considered as her ‘fit’ your rebuild is beyond the remit of a ‘Major’ .
The impression given is one of a team of miracle workers i.e 20 people achieving the same as a daily workforce of 150 – surely you don’t pretend that it’s humanly possible ?

Please tell me that you can achieve the impossible?

David Burke,

With respect mate, total rubbish.

Almost the entire TVOC team have at some stage served in the RAF, with many of us having been employed 2nd or 3rd line, with engineers actually coming from Vulcan and Victor servicing. What Cypherus refers to, is a conversation between myself and others, including an ex-Vulcan Major team member. Cypherus and the gentleman in question are quite correct in the team make up for Major services, and we can testify to this, having actually had experience of the St Athan Major team set up. It is a moot point in reality, with the smaller team at TVOC having taken much longer to turn the aircraft out, not withstanding the fact that we have carried out FAR more work on XH558 than was ever included in the Major schedule, but still facts are facts, and we have operated to a far deeper level than any St Athan team, with an incredibly small team in comparison.

If you would like a complete breakdown of what has been done, and by whom, can I suggest that you PM me, and I can set you straight, before peddling even more rubbish as 100% fact on an internet forum.

Flipflopman

Cypherus – How the RAF carried it out i.e a Major is that the aircraft would be stripped of all required parts and then structural repairs carried out along side all the other trades requirements. The removed parts would go for bay servicing . There wouldn’t be 150 people working on her at the same time. The bays would run batches of parts through for all the aircraft being serviced. Usually a Major team would be somewhere in the order of fifteen or so people of the airframe trade working on her at one time . Other specialists would work on systems installation as required in the Major pack.
The reason that a large number of people were employed at various stages was because they needed to turn aircraft round at a reasonable pace.

According too the websites ‘Engineering update’, a component failure in the hydraulics system has led too a short delay in preperations until a replacement can be tested and delivered.

One interesting thing that did come too light from a forum member and former RAF ground engineer was the total number of bods employed by the RAF to accomplish what is now taking shape in Brunty, estimated at around 150 for the overhaul alone plus sundry other erk’s sooties and the like after which the A/C was towed away for another crew of around 30-40 to complete functionals.

Not bad for a group averaging around twenty is it.

All gleaned from the TVOC website before anyone ask’s

Depends if it works properly or not.

There not expecting anything major, but I think with the complexity of this aircraft, I would be amazed if there were no little hiccups to be ironed out…

Depends if it works properly or not.

A somewhat stupid question but is there a minimum amount of time the Vulcan must be ground run for prior to being able to fly ?.

re

He said: “Engine testing is an exciting stage for us, but for those people who do not share our enthusiasm for the Vulcan, I can assure them that the engines will not be turned on in the early morning, and tests will be limited to those that are essential, and of the shortest duration practicable.”

I cant believe idiots who live near air fields and complain about noise.

Its like when the RAf paid for everyone to have double glazing then announced it was axing lots of bases.

Not going to happen this week

Something cropped up that delays initial engine runs. She is also still on sticks and minus canopy.

Go to the TVOC forums – not this week!

Bruce