Bristol Blenhiem

There are pictures of a Blenhiem in a diving book which is on sale on the island. Looks in quite good condition.

I’ve found a few pictures on the net however the book on Malta shows much more including the cockpit area complete with seat and pilots controls.

http://www.divernet.com/data/archive/wrecks/pics/408_med_aircraft_blenheim2.jpg

The link below shows a picture of a Bristol Beaufighter also located within Maltease waters.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_E_wqc37aSi4/Rnbb1ZUGs3I/AAAAAAAAAo0/_fboMePMmDM/IMG_1341_bw_usm_150_2-5.jpg

Red Arrow Incident

Thats not the only incident that has occured recently! a couple of weeks ago a red arrow swallowed a bird which actually passed through the right hand intake leaving a hole before being ingested into the engine. It made an emergency landing here at Wittering and has since been turned into a bit of a christmas tree, as they slowly progress with the airframe repair!

No Flying at Cottesmore

Cottesmore is an operational flying station! If you want to see aircraft fly go to an airshow! It is not there to serve the general interests of aviation enthusiasts! JFH pilots at the moment as well as the engineers are spending a considerable period of the year away on Op Herrick and when not there we are on other various deployments! If we are granted a standown then it has been well deserved and the bloke pinged for guard on that particular day will get a day in lieu!

And the best squadron at cott i’m afraid is 800NAS!!!!!!

Any one know what prevented the Vulcan from attending Cowes week?

Have they found a sponsor as they seem to have a fair few bookings?

TVOC salaries

I fully understand that an element of TVOC does need paid professional staff, especially the engineers but £120,000 a year salaries are just rediculous. There are so many executives, managers and directors within TVOC. I was afraid that this project has been done for some of the wrong reasons. I have been so generous donating money to see the Vulcan fly again and probably still will. I’m even going to take them up on their standing order scheme which may pay their wages! But I really am so dissapointed at the image of XH558 which so many have been so generous towards and has stuggled for years has been used for some to sit back and earn huge salaries! I wonder how many other of these staff are on rediculous salaries and if they are volunteers or working for a fair and reasonable salary I appologise.

Chief Executive Officer Robert Pleming £120,000

Commercial Manager Rusty Drewett

Engineering Director Andrew Edmondson

Logistics Manager Colin Marshall

Visitors Manager Denis Parker

Management Consultant Dave Wilson

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR MICHAEL TROTTER – SHOULD HAVE BEEN SACKED AGES AGO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The runway at EK

I visited EK a few weeks ago and spoke to one of the brothers in the shop. I asked him the question about flying Just Jane. He said that a decision will be made shortly but felt they had achieved all they could so the next step was to get her airworthy. He said the main spar had been inspected and was good but would fit four new engines and some corrosion on the rear fuselage needed treating and that they could be potentially airworthy within 18 months. He said the decision was all down to whether planning permission could be obtained to extend the runway by 1000 feet. All work would be carried out in house and all the funding would come from themselves. He said that if the lottery offered money he wouldn’t be interested and would turn it down. They’ve come this far on their own was his opinion. I also asked if any money from the making of the new Dambusters film could finance the restoration to flight and he further insisted that they will do it alone. Good luck to them.

We spoke to the B52 crew on why they didn’t display. They said it was because when the mainplane is fully fuelled, the tip gear comes into contact with the ground. Waddington didn’t want to refuel the aircraft as their hardstandings were too narrow to accomodate this on the grounds of ‘Logistical Health and Safety’.