I don’t understand why a group, who, if I’ve read the link correctly didn’t even own the aircraft, decided to turn it from a perfectly good Vulcan into several hundred boxes of bits without knowing whether they’d ever have the financial resources to put it back together.
And then getting people to repeatedly pledge money to the dream only to have the timeline extended seems irresponsible to me.
From the VTS website.
“Avro Vulcan XH558, now to be restored, belongs to the Nation – to you.”
In that case, can I, as a buyer of lottery tickets, sell my bit please?
“The way forward remains tortuous as has been the process of raising the funds, winning the HLF grant and continuing to raise the partnership funding and sponsorship to get XH558 airborne.”
So the money is not in place. I’m wondering whether enough money will ever be raised.
“Looks like they have raised the money to me but i am sure the fund raising will continue.
I would sooner think the glass is half full not half empty like some people.”
Your glass may be half full xh558tothesky, mine however, is emptying fast as enormous sums of money are being channelled into this project.
I have serious reservations about this aircraft flying ever again. As I’ve said previously, and God forbid it should ever happen, but what if it went down performing a routine or in transit? It would be the end of airshows.
“Heritage Lottery Fund regional manager for the East Midlands Sheila Stone said: “The Avro Vulcan has played an important role in the country’s aviation history and I am pleased that we have been able to support XH558’s acquisition and uniquely in this instance, restoration to full flying condition.”
Surely £2.7 million pounds could have found either a) a more worthy type to restore, b)gone toward housing far rarer airframes which are near extinct or c) gone towards an educational project to perpetuate the memories of those who served this Country in time of war and to recording their memories while we still have the chance.
XL391
“I would rather stay positive and would like to think that things are now go, as opposed to slagging it off.”
I’m not slagging it off, I just don’t agree with the project. I’m not convinced it is viable commercially, that it would be wise to operate such a complex airframe, and that there aren’t a thousand more deserving projects out there, grass roots individuals and restorers, who wouldn’t have benefitted more from a share of the £2.7 million pounds, some of which I am responsible for.
Regards,
kev35
Kev, interesting to see your thoughts on the matter but I would like to add to couple of your points if I may.
You state that the 2.7million could have been used on more worthy types, or cover for aircraft or an educational project. This is true (although its very subjective as to which type is more ‘worthy’ than another, of course) but there is nothing to stop any person or group trying to do any of those things if they wished. The Vulcan is in the position to achieve this amount because of it’s popularity and appeal and so to say the money could be used elsewhere is a little misleading as the money would not exist without the appeal of this singular type.
As for a crash resulting in the ending of airshows, this is a very negative stance to take. There have been several crashes by preserved aircraft and the airshows have weathered the negative press. The prospect of the Vulcan crashing and causing the deaths of any civillians could equally be applied to Sally B, PA474 or many other preserved aircraft.
Lastly, your alternative uses of the 2.7mill included, “””gone towards an educational project to perpetuate the memories of those who served this Country in time of war and to recording their memories while we still have the chance””””””
….fair enough Kev, a good idea and a worthy one at that. Whilst we can never truly repay the debt owed, I believe there are a lot of people out there who are and have done there bit whether through voluntary work or through writing books like yourself or even just quietly stopping at a local war memorial but should this mean we ignore another part of 20th century history…the Cold War. No, I think not.
Best Regards, steve
ps- I read the echo story at work tonight (Sainsburys is very quiet around 9 :)) and the poor quality of the journalism and the confusing messages coming from the vulcan team were well up to scratch. Still, it beat the headline about the local Morrisons store employing 40 people who are related to each other 🙂
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