Looking on your website there are numerous statements claiming ‘she will fly again’ Is this a realistic aim and if so what is happening and what is required to make this a reality?

I think the chance’s of that are pretty remote.

Although if somebody was looking for an airframe to ship abroad for a return to flight she and perhaps the one at Gatwick would be the only 2 realistic candidate’s.

Just thought i would post a few snaps i got on the day

Any update ?

I for one think to your attitude is very aprupt rude and confrontational and really think you owe 320 an apology and quite frankly it doesn’t surprise me that you are short on manpower. Maybe it’s time to address the way you speak to people and your attitude ?:

I apologise unreservedly to anyone who has interpreted my comments as rude, I certainly don’t mean them to be so. Anyone who knows Dave or myself knows we are very genuine, honest people even if we do call a spade a spade!
I felt that it was important for people to know the truth surrounding XR770 and our collection.:confused:
I know it may seem ungrateful but you see we didn’t contact 5 Sqn to ask them to house her, they contacted us with lots of promises of manpower and funding etc which have not come to fruition. We are ultimately having to do most of the work ourselves and help to raise all the funds with only a little help. From our point of view as it stands right now we may as well have kept her with our collection and done the work on our own. However this is not the case and we have to make the best from the situation and so we shall!! We dearly hope that we can have her ready for Airshow weekend but it is 50/50 at the moment due to lack of manpower. We are there sanding until gone ten oclock every night and fully intend to de there from dawn till dusk all over this weekend so if anyone feels like lending a hand please feel free to contact me….the more the merrier!:D
The painter assures us that if she is totally sanded by the end of the weekend she will be finished so it all rests on that really.
Please, anyone who would like to look around her if she is ready for the Airshow, feel free to come and have a chat with us we are very friendly really:o

Bit cheeky I know but the Squadron need to raise £5000 over the Airshow weekend for the refurb so any donations would be extremely gratefully received, thank you. : )

So would i be right in thinking that ZF579 is really the only lightning in the u.k that could be potentially returned to flight ?

I have been following the restoration and it seem’s that with the low hour airframe and new engines and numerous other new “lifed parts ” that if she was say sold to thunder city there isn’t any reason that she couldn’t be returned to flight.

Thanks for the update mjr

Re the engines what sort of order are they in and if you don’t mind me asking where were they sourced from. I’m just interested as i know servicable lightning engines are as rare as hens teeth.

Keep up the good work

Does anybody know if Orient Thai are still operating these ancient 747’s

Only 257 hours on the airframe too, she’s not even broken in yet!!!.

John.

Really John as few hour’s as that !! WOW

She does appear to be in very good order !!!