oh dear…

I, like many of you here have been great supporters of this project. No doubt about it, the single largest, most ambitious restoration/return to airworthiness EVER.

There always seems to be the shout for more funds.

Having looked at a recent posting on another site I delved a little deeper and came across a ‘CAA Airworthiness Note’ regarding XH558.

Engines:
section 5.2.4 “To address the potential calendar life issues raised, the following calendar limits are to be observed:
• A maximum storage period for each engine until 31 December 2008.
• A maximum installed life for each engine of 7 years. “

Was this just a temporary limit? Does this mean that the presently stored spares are no longer usable since 31/12/08 has well and truely passed?

The Fatigue index for ‘rear spar bottom boom’ is apparently at 4.36 remaining.
How does this actually translate to flying hours remaining?
(there appears to be further extensive work required once this is used-up)

Most importantly within section 7 is:

“7. Continued Airworthiness and Maintenance
This aircraft must be maintained by a company approved under BCAR A8-20 in the M5 category and rated for the aircraft type, and in association with an appropriate design approved company as required for an aircraft classified as complex. Such arrangements have been agreed with Marshall Aerospace (E4/M5, EASA DOA) with design information being made available by BAe Systems (the Original Equipment Manufacturer). Contract MANULC/06/NP1440111 ICVO1 and Contract Variation MANULC/06/NP14401 Issue 2 refer. Marshall Aerospace procedures cover design personnel involvement in the continuing airworthiness of the aircraft post-Permit issue, and the continued validity of the Permit depends on these arrangements being carried out (see item 6.1 above). Maintenance will be carried out in accordance with the Marshall Maintenance Programme, ERlVUL(1735)/07/0676, and this has been agreed by the CM.
Certain structural inspections could not be carried out on XH558 due to the degree of strip down being detrimental to the aircraft. In agreement with BAe, MA-VULC-155 refers, identical inspections on another aircraft XM603, with higher fatigue index, would be undertaken within 12 months of the Permit being issued, during the teardown of that aircraft. Marshall report ERNUL(1679)/05/0544 stated the respective inspections that were conditional on the teardown and drawing RD 41355 states the areas and type of inspections necessary.
To ensure that these tasks are not forgotten Marshalls intend to place an entry in the F700 accordingly to prevent flight after June 2009 unless RD 41355 is carried out. “

So, they get the money they need to start the ’09 season then what? Grounded come the end of June unless we cough-up more?

I sincerely hope I’m wrong.

Peppermint Jam, the house on the hill has been empty and unused for as long as I can remember(25yrs+). As far as I know it needs approx £300k spending on it just for repair to the foundations let alone anything else. I do know there was a local property ‘tycoon’ who was interested in turning it into a pub, however planning was denied. Will see what else I can findout.
The Mess’s, nice idea but I really don’t think they will have anything more done to them with the exception of meeting a bulldozer, the whole base is utterly trashed. There’s talk of 2000 houses going-up on the old admin/domestic site but that won’t happen until the waiting order has expired and planning has been cleared/requiste palms greased.
Personally I think I’d rather have the old HQ buildings by the gate.

Dustyone, It would be good to hear any stories you have from your time at RAF Upwood. Had a brief conversation with another chap during the Upwood 40s weekend whom also had his first flight from Upwood in a Lancaster, it wasn’t you was it?(on the Sunday, Lanc flypast but near the village rather than on the base)

http://www.rafupwood.co.uk is well worth a visit for anyone that wants to know more.

You need WinRar to open it, free program. A .rar file is just like the .zip’s you’re used to, they’re both archive file types.

go here: http://www.rarlab.com/

Tyler, I think you’ve got it a little confused. I think you’ll find that it was the old runway area/agricultural land was sold off in the 70’s, the fenced(admin and messes) area was retained and use by the USAF until 1991 although the ‘hospital’ is still in use by the USAF for those still at Alconbury.
Strawsons could not redevelop it due to planning issues and the ‘Waiting order’ that was imposed by the MOD(15yrs?), the MOD don’t own it.

Nene Valley Gliding Club have a lease on the old main runway(outside the fence), 25yrs I beleive.

Tom Vaughan/TMW group purchased the hangars from Strawsons, not the MOD.
Mr Vaughan has supported the 1940s weekends, I hope he continues to do so.
It was fantastic to see the Lancaster over this year(thanks in no small way to ‘Josie’)

Didn’t know anyone ever jumped round canopies any more. Except of course ejector seats (thought I would get that one in quickly).

There was a camera flyer at Eloy in Arizona who was filming a freestylist trainee and when he went above her to get a shot of her and the ground he saw where the ground was and pulled straight away and had a 10 second canopy ride and the freestylist just did lay over back loops straight into the ground. I wasn’t there when it happened as I had the day off for some sightseeing but reinforces the dytter arguement doesn’t it.

Ali

And backup dytter, I’ve often seen(in the past few years) camera jumpers with two dytters.

My jumps were quite a few years ago, all on 6 or 6.5m aerconicals, which as you says aren’t currently used. Got quite good at landing in the ‘pit’ even given their lack of directional control.
Currently recovering from badly broken arm from a flying accident. As soon as it’s fixed I will be jumping again, as will I be flying the (repaired) hang glider that nearly killed me back in June.

I have a video of someone arriving at the ground without their parachute and they are still trying to pull handles all the way down until impact. During the malfunctions that I have had on my main canopy I can still function despite my brain not wanting it to happen.

Ali

Thats what training does for you Ali. Worst it got for me was a couple of delayed openings, no real mals, just adds to the adrenaline. Must go jump again soon, just need to convert to these new-fangled square things!
There was a quite well known accident out in US somwhere with a cameraman, too preoccupied with his camera gear forget to put his rig on. Apparently he gets to opening height goes for the pull and nothing, realised what he hadnt done, rolls over onto his back and continues filming- the film ends.

I’ve experienced ‘sensory overload’ on my first parachute jump, it’s rather like a mini blackout, it happens sometimes when you do something with your body that your mind can’t quite deal with; lasts fraction of a second. It’s usually followed by a massive rush of adrenaline, thats the fun bit.