If it can’t pay its way, it can’t pay its way. End of.
It has had 4 Olympus engines from the beginning, the fuel burn of which must have been widely known. Yes it is more expensive to run but that really shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. So why does it always seem like it is?

Name another airshow act with 4 Bristol Olympus engines?

Name one with 5 or 6 Avons or or 4 Wright Cyclones or whatever.

Mantog, very few want to see the Vulcan grounded but occasionally reality butts in and ruins everything.

Why on earth isn’t every single person on this forum backing it to the hilt?

Amazing as might sound, not everyone is as fascinated by the Vulcan as you are. I was lucky enough to see proper Vulcan displays in the 1970s and 80s, not the sedate displays we see now. I drive past a Vulcan every working day of my life. I am no longer fascinated by it. I used to enjoy Phantom, Lightning, F-104 and Nimrod displays but they are gone now and in all likelihood will not return. I don’t have a problem with that at all. Things move on. The Vulcan project has been a great achievement but it is highly debatable whether it is sustainable in anything like the immediate short term.

There are many (me included) who would object to that sort of levy. Those that go to airshows year in year out, whether the Vulcan is there or not. Every other act pays its way, why can’t the Vulcan?

Cosford ’09 was packed – gates shut at 1230 iirc and that was unheard of. Everyone stood and shut up when the Vulcan was orbiting off in the distance awaiting its slot. QED I think.

It was also a gorgeous sunny day – that may have had something to do with the increased attendance as well. Cosford 2007 was rammed as well. I think that was before the Vulcan appeared.

As kev35 and I have said, why is it so difficult to to raise the funding if it so popular. Could it be that the Vulcan effect is exaggerated somewhat?

It was interesting that many of the displays at Waddington were privately owned but only one made a direct appeal for funding. I don’t deny that running the Vulcan is expensive but how much more than say Sally B or Team Viper?

As I said, how can they possibly know what the attendance might have been. Still if it helps bring in a few quid…

The effect must be true as I’m thinking of going to Southport on Sunday as it should be quieter, maybe even 40% quieter :). We’ll see won’t we?

Our mission is to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, designers and aviators.

From the TVOC site. I’m not sure how inspirational a 60 year old design is to the younger generation. It wasn’t the Hawker Fury or HP Heyford that inspired me to go into aerospace, it was the modern aircraft of my day, the F-15, the F-16, Concorde, Phantom, Tornado or whatever.
The Vulcan’s (and Lancaster and Anson and Shackleton’s) birthplace is being closed and turned into “housing units” – Not much inspiration to take up a technology career there:(

Government adviser Jo Moore said it on the 11th September 2001. There was no bad news to bury anyway. She apologized and few months later was fired.