I must admit I’ve always likd the idea of building a flying reproduction of the Airspeed AS4 Ferry.

Why?

Because being a British inter-war airliner, it would go someway towards plugging a major gap in the preserveation of our aviation heritage. Failing that a Vikers Vimy commercial might be viable – we already have a flying
Vimy replica; or even the commercial version of the DH4.

Steve

So according to the TVOC front page recent efforts have raised £1450 + £600 = £2050; or to put that into perspective that is about the same as the girlfriend and I spend on our annual holiday, and some £47950 less than what is required to keep her safely on the ground for a month………

Steve

Thanks Mr Boyle, I’ve often wondered what the film was called as the only time I’ve seen it I missed the ‘first reel.’

Steve

Actually it probably does; a friend of mine works in the motor sport, and she reckons that whilst companies within the motor industry are still willing to get the cheque book out, many other sponsors are increasingly nervous. Whether due to nurturing their ‘green credentials’ or general ecconomics, she does not know. But she certainly believes that motor sport is and will find it increasingly hard to find sponsors due to enviromental considerations.

Steve

Tillerman, that is brilliant thinking!

It has long struck me that the problem here is ownership and the owners fear that he will be ripped off again, as per the Spit.

Therefore the answer is to find a way of conserving/restoring the aircraft whilst permitting him to retain legal title to her. It strikes me that this could be done in several ways, two example of which are:

1. Set up a ‘Swift Support Team,’ with the aim of conserving/restoring her where she is. The owner retaining title to her, and continuing to display her outside his premises.

2. Forge an agreement where the owner is loaned a Jag/Harrier/Phantom or whatever for use as a sign whilst at no cost to him the aircraft is taken of site and restored free of charge, before being returned when complete.

Both options would ensure she survives, to hopefully be eventaully taken into a reputable collection.

Also regular contact with ordinary dedicated enthusiasts would show the owner that there are no ulterior profit motives in play here, and eventually the Swifts future could then be secured.

Steve

I couldn’t agree more kev.

And whilst no one would take away the achievement of the return to flight. One does have to ask 1. has it been worth it? and 2. how viable is the operation of the Vulcan?

In answer to the first question; £6m+ for one twenty minute flight is not value for money, so at this stage it has not been a worthwhile exercise, it will only become worthwhile only after she gives her first display. From then on with every airshow appearance the project becomes more so.

This of course leads to the second question of viability. For her to be viable she is going to need vast somes of money on an ongoing basis. A base figure of £50k per month just to keep her on the ground has been frequently mentioned. This is equivalent to 5000 enthusiasts giving £10 per month each. Is this viable? Probabaly not, and this leads to the other option sponsorship. Will they get sponsors? Again probabaly not, as Moggy said earlier the airshow demographic just isn’t appealing to sponsors, and to the general public the Vulcan is an irrelevance. Which dosen’t make her an attractive proposition especially as painting her in sponsors colours would be a real no, no. The answer would appear therefore that her operation is not a viable proposition.

Personnally I think the best we can hope for would be appearances at a couple of large displays this year, say Waddington an RIAT, and even this seems optimistic in the extreme.

Ultimately the Vulcan debate comes down to a joust between two schools of thought ‘the realists’ who see and understandd the obstacles clearly and ‘the enthusiasts’ who as someone observered earlier can’t understand why everyone is not as besotted as they are with the Vulcan. Both sides have now become deeply entrenched and only time will tell to what extent either was correct.

Steve.

Two points – firstly the people whom you accuse of negativity are on the whole just being realistic.

With regards the lottery cash of course you should ‘give a stuff.’ If the tin triangle isn’t at Waddington & RIAT and the other major displays this year, the popular press willl have a field day, and this ill do huge damage not only to TVOC but the rest of the preservation movement as well.

Steve

I think it’s tiime for a reality check …………..

Put bluntly to the vast majority of the public, who DO NOT not attend airshows, the Vulcan falls into the same category as the proverbial ‘Black, lesbian, one legged, dance troupe’ ie. a complete waste of money.

Unlike the BBMF which comemorates the fallen of a war that directly affected everyone alive in this country at the time, the Vulcan is a reminder (Falklands aside) of the Cold War – a war that never happened. Yes it dominated international politics for half a century, but the average person just got on with life, paying their mortgage, raising their kids, socialising with friends – their biggest worries were things like redundancy or sickness – not armagedon. So to most people it is an irrelevance, as it does not encapsulate their memories of the period.

For this reason it will never be attractive to sponsors. Who is going to spend £1m or so per annum to reach a small number of ‘anoraks,’ when the same money would secure several prime advertisement hoardings a key sporting events, which unlike airshows will draw television coverage?

The Vulcan will cost more to opperate than the enthusiast community can support, and the general public don’t care, so to be honest I think the best we can hope for is that it completes it test flying and manages to appear at several key airshows.

Lets hope that we all get to see her fly, but to be honest I have my doubts, Steve.