XH558...

Author
Discussion

aeropilot

34,879 posts

228 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
RoverP6B said:
And no, I do not expect '558 to fly again under her current ownership. This will prove to be one deceit too far for VTTS. It's time that aeroplane was removed from their control.
How's is removing it from their control going to make any difference to whether it flies again in the next couple of days laugh


Riley Blue

21,078 posts

227 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
I'm wondering what the 2000+ final flight sponsors who paid between £60 - £558 each for a package of goodies that includes their name being flown on the last flight make of all this 'has it, hasn't it' - 'will it, won't it'?

RoverP6B

4,338 posts

129 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
Well, I'd hand it over to the BBMF, personally, they might manage to squeeze in at least a quick 500ft dash from Finningley to Coningsby in that time...

aeropilot

34,879 posts

228 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
RoverP6B said:
Well, I'd hand it over to the BBMF, personally, they might manage to squeeze in at least a quick 500ft dash from Finningley to Coningsby in that time...
rofl

HoHoHo

15,007 posts

251 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
Just in:

Following the positive negotiations with the airport that we announced on Friday, a final flight has been confirmed but with substantial restrictions. To absolutely guarantee that there is no disruption to their operations from the crowds that are expected, their primary requirement is that the flight takes place at very short notice.

We have agreed to this with regret because we believe it is important to have a symbolic end to flying, which is professionally recorded and made available to you as video and stills, but understanding the disappointment that it will rightly bring to all those who have generously supported XH558 and would like to see the final touch-down.

As discussed previously, any delays to commercial flights due to congestion around the airport will be extremely expensive for them and they will have no choice but to pass those costs on to the Trust, which would have a dramatic impact on the future of XH558. It is for this reason that our original plans for an event around the final flight had to be cancelled with apologies to all those who deserve to be there. Thank you again for understanding this difficult position.

We have used almost all the available flying hours taking her to you, across the UK this year, flying more than 50% longer than in any previous year, with many thanks to Marshall Aerospace, the Civil Aviation Authority, and K M Dastur, our aviation insurance brokers, for agreeing this extension.

After such a fabulous year, we have only a handful of minutes left, so the final flight will be around 15 minutes with no display, simply saying Farewell to the Skies.

We are still negotiating exactly how much notice can be provided, requesting a reasonable relaxation of the original very strict requirement. Do please keep a close eye on our social media – Facebook Vulcan XH558 and Twitter @XH558 (repeated on our website) – for updates and for details of how to see the flight live, online.


RoverP6B

4,338 posts

129 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
They couldn't do any worse a job than VTTS have of managing the bloody thing!

As for the new press release - what a load of patronising bks. Really makes me bloody angry, that does. There's no valid reason why either (a) it couldn't have flown in the last few days and (b) it couldn't fly on for several more years. VTTS have cocked the whole thing up beautifully - and it's going to come and bite them on the arse!

The airport management take no credit either. There's sod all goes on at Finningley. Usually about one a/c movement an hour, from the reports I've heard. There's ample time to fit in a display, and spectators around the airfield would not present any threat to operations.

Edited by RoverP6B on Tuesday 27th October 17:42

Hooli

32,278 posts

201 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
RoverP6B said:
The airport management take no credit either. There's sod all goes on at Finningley. Usually about one a/c movement an hour, from the reports I've heard. There's ample time to fit in a display, and spectators around the airfield would not present any threat to operations.
Exactly. Nothing happens there, it's the biggest waste of an airport I can think of.

sa_20v

4,108 posts

232 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
RoverP6B said:
They couldn't do any worse a job than VTTS have of managing the bloody thing!
It is starting to feel like that. I've looked into this, far more than I probably should, and a Vulcan could fly on beyond 2015 under different arrangements. TBH there's little reason why Concorde couldn't do the same - the biggest issue, above all, is who owns these aircraft and their egotistical small mindedness.

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

262 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
sa_20v said:
It is starting to feel like that. I've looked into this, far more than I probably should, and a Vulcan could fly on beyond 2015 under different arrangements. TBH there's little reason why Concorde couldn't do the same - the biggest issue, above all, is who owns these aircraft and their egotistical small mindedness.
What arrangements would they be?

marksx

5,060 posts

191 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
HoHoHo said:
Just in:

Following the positive negotiations with the airport that we announced on Friday, a final flight has been confirmed but with substantial restrictions. To absolutely guarantee that there is no disruption to their operations from the crowds that are expected, their primary requirement is that the flight takes place at very short notice.

We have agreed to this with regret because we believe it is important to have a symbolic end to flying, which is professionally recorded and made available to you as video and stills, but understanding the disappointment that it will rightly bring to all those who have generously supported XH558 and would like to see the final touch-down.

As discussed previously, any delays to commercial flights due to congestion around the airport will be extremely expensive for them and they will have no choice but to pass those costs on to the Trust, which would have a dramatic impact on the future of XH558. It is for this reason that our original plans for an event around the final flight had to be cancelled with apologies to all those who deserve to be there. Thank you again for understanding this difficult position.

We have used almost all the available flying hours taking her to you, across the UK this year, flying more than 50% longer than in any previous year, with many thanks to Marshall Aerospace, the Civil Aviation Authority, and K M Dastur, our aviation insurance brokers, for agreeing this extension.

After such a fabulous year, we have only a handful of minutes left, so the final flight will be around 15 minutes with no display, simply saying Farewell to the Skies.

We are still negotiating exactly how much notice can be provided, requesting a reasonable relaxation of the original very strict requirement. Do please keep a close eye on our social media – Facebook Vulcan XH558 and Twitter @XH558 (repeated on our website) – for updates and for details of how to see the flight live, online.
Well, that's piss poor, frankly.

We know you all want to see her final flight, but we aren't going to tell you when. We'll drop you a post about 10 minutes before the engines spool up if you want to catch it on your phone while you are at work. Thank you for your support (money).

And, disrupting Robin Hood Airport? You could re lay the runway between flights without causing a fuss. There is more content to a Hollyoaks script than the arrivals/departures list of that place.

CharlieCrocodile

1,204 posts

154 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
Hooli said:
Exactly. Nothing happens there, it's the biggest waste of an airport I can think of.
Never been to Norwich then! smile

moribund

4,034 posts

215 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
A big shame, but it was always looking like being this way at Robin Hood.

Don't understand the abuse aimed at VTTS on this topic though, don't you think they rather like flying the thing and would like to continue?

Yes they've had plenty of money (quite a bit of mine) but at the same time I've got quite a bit out of it over the years. It's a bit late to be upset at missing it in the air when it's been flying for so long with such a well telegraphed end, sad though it is.

I will stand up and say that Ronin Hood isn't where it should end it's days, Bruntingthorpe would be my choice but far too late for that.

darren9

986 posts

196 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
What an awful way for this to end. If there's no will from the airport managers to let xh558 to make a decent farewell to the skies/supporters/public then what's the likelihood of them allowing the planned fast taxis and allowing the public access for them?

I can it's going to rot there.

It's been an amazing story and a marvellous achievement but the ending leaves a sour taste.

Edited by darren9 on Tuesday 27th October 20:20

Richjam

318 posts

189 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
I see the CAA are investigating if it performed an illegal roll manoeuvre over grantham the other week.....

Its on the Gratham journal website if anyone wants to know more.

Pesty

42,655 posts

257 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
fk sake there is no congestion that I terfears with the airport.

There is a lane that is a dead end that runs parallel and that gets very busy because it's narrow however only people wanting to watch the Vulcan go down it, I.e the only people who get disrupted are people doing the disruption there is no noticable traffic anywhere else around the airport. No disruption to the airport itself nobody goes neR the main entrance they go around the back and there is only fields and Forrest there.

marksx

5,060 posts

191 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
Richjam said:
I see the CAA are investigating if it performed an illegal roll manoeuvre over grantham the other week.....

Its on the Gratham journal website if anyone wants to know more.
Caught on camera but no footage, anywhere? Righto.

WelshChris

1,179 posts

255 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
moribund said:
Don't understand the abuse aimed at VTTS on this topic though, don't you think they rather like flying the thing and would like to continue?
Simple - VTTS are getting abuse because they've shafted their supporters. It's a combination of bad management and shockingly bad PR that's left a sour taste, which is very unfortunate because what they've achieved has been magnificent. Of course they enjoy flying the thing, but the whole operation has clearly grown far larger than they can handle.

Today's newsletter says "We are still negotiating exactly how much notice can be provided" - if you believe that you'll believe anything - this (non) event is already set in stone. It's my guess that they've known for a long while that XH558 would have to go out with a whimper because of their inability to negotiate a meaningful final flight with Doncaster Airport. I suspect they knew this prior to the two day tour (which itself was a shocking exercise in bad PR - ask the people of Wales), but still kept building up expectations of a final flight in a pathetic attempt to pacify the supporters. Naive in the extreme - with car crash PR like this it was inevitable that many people would be left feeling short changed.

I truly fear for the future of the airframe if it's marooned at Doncaster. Don't even want to think about the possible outcome.

Very sad.



Richjam

318 posts

189 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
marksx said:
Richjam said:
I see the CAA are investigating if it performed an illegal roll manoeuvre over grantham the other week.....

Its on the Gratham journal website if anyone wants to know more.
Caught on camera but no footage, anywhere? Righto.
There were some pictures on facebook and youtube but they were hastily removed cant imagine why....

darren9

986 posts

196 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
It seems like Finningley isn't the right place for xh558 now. I can't remember why it ended up there? Can anyone shed any light on this?

Tootles the Taxi

495 posts

188 months

Tuesday 27th October 2015
quotequote all
So this is how it ends. With a whimper rather than a bloody great barrel roll over the centre of London.

What is the point in CAA beginning an investigation into the badly photographed "roll" over Grantham now?

They talk about having "just a few minutes" of airtime left, but spent over two hours stooging around Northamptonshire flying in formation with some nondescript light aircraft the other week.

XH558 should be celebrated into retirement, with a proper send-off, not one man and his whippet at the end of the runway at a sad, regional airport.

I just hope they don't use any of the fuel I've paid for when they do the last pathetic circuit of Doncaster Rubber Band Airport.