The CAA classifies ex-military aircraft into three categories:

a) Simple: single piston engine types.
b) Intermediate: multiple piston engine or turbine (single or multiple) engine types with simple mechanical flying controls or with powered controls having an independent back-up system that can enable continued safe flight following failure of the powered system.
c) Complex: all other types, including those having features that require specialised knowledge and/or equipment to maintain, aircraft without independent back-up systems for powered flying controls or having automatic stabilisation systems or electronic engine controls.

The first two categories are relatively easy to get onto a Permit to Fly, but the Complex category is the one which requires continued airworthiness design support from the manufacturer or an equivalent organisation. At this moment the Vulcan is the only Complex type which has managed to get over this hurdle. In this case they transferred this support from BAe to (IIRC) Marshall’s.

For the interested, have a read of chapter A8-20 (para 1.2.1.) and Supplement 1 and 2 to A8-20 in this document: http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP553.PDF

Great video again Jim, keep posting these wonderful images please!

Not much has changed since then. Just left of the centre there is a guy in a trenchcoat Twittering on his mobile about the event…. 😀

Hmm, you might be on to something there Pagen! I wouldn’t have guessed at that area as there are a lot of smaller buildings between the wing skin milling building (the one you pointed out) and the open area around the runway. But at the left end (on the photo you linked to) there is an area where the curved roofs can be seen and the building on the left of WZ367 would then be part of the aircraft servicing school or something in that area. The aerial view you linked to is taken from North of the flight sheds, looking South. I had another look at this map which is on my site:

And there appears to be a parking spot just at the ‘T’ of ‘Aircraft servicing school’ which would match up. Conclusion: it might just be Weybridge! The one thing that niggles is that from that parking spot, you’d be seeing part of the fuselage assembly building on the right of the Valiant, and that building has peaked roofs. Shift a bit to the left and the apprentice training school should be in view, and as that is in the old control tower it should stick up behind the aircraft I guess. I’m not 100% convinced yet I guess…

The images on that Flickr stream are indeed interesting, I’d seen them before though as I have that DVD myself. I’ll have to reacquaint myself with it I guess!

Thanks very much for this gentlemen! According to the info I was given WZ367 was flown into Weybridge late in 1964 (the photo at Wisley was from August 1964), she was modified but never flown and in the end she was parked outside and the main gears were pulled outwards to place it on the ground to make it easier for the breakers.

A second Valiant was kept at Wisley and also modified with strengthened spars but this one was in anti-flash white. This Valiant was flown for 20 hours with strain gauges on the modified spars to verify the repair but in the end was also scrapped. The site Pagen mentioned (http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/Valiant.html) shows that XD825 was:
*10/1964: Bailed back to Vickers for tests.
*6/10/1965: Struck off charge.
*6/1965: Salvaged at RAF Wisley.

So could this have been the second, modified and flown Valiant?

And a second question that popped into my head: any idea where this photo could have been taken? (it’s the one Pagen linked to earlier) I’m wondering if it is at Weybridge, seeing that some openings have been taped over it looks like it is stored:

As we’re still in the anniversary year for the VC10 I figure I should still be able to plug some interesting new stories on my site here:

http://www.vc10.net/Memories/Trialstribulations_2.html

This is the second part (third and final part also available through this page) of an ex-groundcrewmember who was involved in the tropical trials of the Standard and Super VC10 models, amongst other interesting occasions.

Another addition to the site is this page about the first production VC10, G-ARVA:
http://www.vc10.net/Photos/cn_804__garva.html

I am planning to build more pages like this one about the other VC10s and would welcome any photos that people could provide of VC10s, please get in touch!

To find out what happened here, click on the link above:

Great photos and what a wonderful experience!

As for Thunder City, there is a big change as they don’t operate commercially anymore. The Lightning report wasn’t very kind to them and because of that they don’t sell rides anymore. The Bucc is now operated as a private aircraft.

i would have just cut the tree down :diablo:

It didn’t have one of these attached to it…:D

Nice video!