True, but then I guess we should consider the wider picture. We have three Vulcans under cover and possibly another if Newark ever get another hangar funded. We have three Vulcans capable of fast taxy runs. One of these might be unable to perform longer term (if Wellesbourne is developed), therefore we may have only two. Perhaps it’s better to allow XH558 to be stored outside if it is taken to a location where it is able to make taxy runs that the public can easily access. Not an ideal outcome obviously, but surely it’s better than allowing the aircraft to be tucked-away in the new “academy” where it runs the risk of being scrapped in the longer term, for the reasons I’ve mentioned above. Thing is though, none of this matters because VTTS haven’t got the slightest interest in straying from the plan that they’ve already proposed 🙁

Semantics;) I suppose it comes-down to the definition of flight and whether it was intentional or not. One could argue that a tent flies if it gets whipped-up by the wind but it’s a question of what one regards as flight rather than “unintentional lift” caused by crosswinds. I agree that technically it was flight but I don’t imagine the RAF’s records will ever record anything other than that the last flight was into Shawbury! I guess it doesn’t matter, other than that these issues do concern the CAA of course 🙂

Are these just ill-informed sweeping statements

Almost as ill-informed as your seemingly naive view of VTTS, I would suggest. I don’t think anyone who has followed the progress of XH558’s return to flying condition would have anything but a distinctly cynical view of anything that is proposed or announced by them. I think it’s important to distinguish between the delight of seeing XH558 fly again and the deplorable way in which the whole project has been handled in terms of its relationship with the people who have paid for it. Likewise, if you have any knowledge of Peel’s history, you’d know that they are just as capable of making sweeping pronouncements about grand projects that turn-out to be complete nonsense.

Given the situation at Finningley, there’s no way that DSA would allow the public access to the runway to watch a fast taxy run. If that was in any way likely, they would have allowed spectators to watch the countless take-offs and landings that have been performed there by XH558. So far, there hasn’t even been any public access to watch the Vulcan move so much as one foot, therefore it’s highly unlikely that circumstances will miraculously change in the future. The airport struggles to survive and it is by no means impossible that the airport may simply be closed. It’s not as if Peel haven’t done this before. If it does close, we can be pretty sure that the site will be developed for more housing, meaning that the Vulcan will be stranded in the middle of a housing estate.

The “Academy” is a romantic project that may well prove to be something far less exciting than it sounds. It’s easy to create these proposals but it’s far less easy to establish their viability. But even if this “Academy” does get built, the concept of having XH558 as its centrepiece is laughable. What has a 1960-vintage strategic bomber got to do with 2015 aerospace engineering? Absolutely nothing of course. You have to get past all the hype that is spewed-out by VTTS and seriously ask why an engineering a technology facility would have any interest in a relic from the 1950s/1960s. Any serious establishment is far more likely to suggest that space should be allocated to things that are of use, not museum pieces. I suspect that this whole project has very little to do with the future of the Vulcan and much more to do with the personal interests of some people within VTTS who are looking at their own futures.

To simply say that some of us are “making up negatives” is typical of so many people who are “supporters” (fans) of XH558. One needs to take-off the rose-coloured (grey/green-coloured?) spectacles and look at reality. There’s no joy to be found in the prospect of XH558 being retired at Finningley. I could be completely selfish and enjoy the prospect of XH558 staying at my nearest airfield, but like many others I would rather see it go to a site where it can move freely and where the public can watch it freely. Likewise, I’d prefer it to go to a site where it is has a more secure long-term future, rather than being part of some ambitious scheme that may well fall far short of the claims that are being made. The disturbing aspect is that of the thousands of people who have paid for XH558’s survival, not one was consulted. I don’t have all the answers to every aspect of this story, but I do know that from all the possible options, retiring XH558 at Finningley is probably the worst outcome I could imagine.

As has been mentioned previously, once XH558 stops flying, all the florid tributes will end, all the “we love the delta lady” claptrap will fade into history, and XH558 will become just one of the dwindling number of surviving Vulcans. It will attract no interest at Finningley – why would it? Anyone who wants to see a Vulcan would be far more likely to go to an aviation Museum (Newark for example) where they can see a Vulcan that wears an operational paint scheme, and where they can see lots of other aircraft too. Who would want to drive to Doncaster to see just one aeroplane?

Yes, it’s a negative view but “enough with the negative vibes”? Nope, I think that if a few more people were prepared to say these things instead of simply following the crowd, we might occasionally avoid ghastly developments like these from occurring.

It is to stay at Finningley inside a new building for this new “academy” or whatever else it is. It will probably be quite sad and remarkable how quickly XH558 becomes “just another Vulcan” once it stops flying.

I certainly wasn’t suggesting that the Shackleton might fly next year (I wish!), I meant at some stage in the future. I seriously doubt if there will be anything much at next year’s RIAT to excite anyone other than kids and those who are new to the shiny world of aviation. We’re guessing that an F-35 might be there so that will doubtless satisfy some, whilst others (myself included) couldn’t care less. I guess the question is if there might be any “real” aeroplanes there, and I can’t think of any that would be a possibility… but wait, I haven’t heard of any progress with the Norwegian TF-104G. Hopefully it will finally fly sometime this year. Given that the CAA seemed happy to allow Sweden’s afterburning Viggen and Draken to visit us, one assumes the Starfighter could also make a return to Fairford. Now that’s something I would get out of bed for! 🙂

Shackleton would of course be great but not achievable I think.
I wouldn’t recommend saying that to the folks at Coventry:)

Not for everyone, there’s more to air shows than just classic world war 2 aircraft.
Indeed. Much as I’m delighted to see any aeroplanes back in the air, we’re not short of WWII-era machines. Although the Mosquito is an important and significant aeroplane, the talk of restoring an example to flying status is all very nice, but it’ll be of no interest to the kind of audience that has followed the Vulcan with such delight.

Well I don’t imagine every show staged at these venues was free, but most were, as were many others. But if this discussion is going to become a point-scoring exercise then I’ll leave you to it. I simply stated that most shows were once free and this is true.