Victor at Bruntingthorpe

[Dr Jekyll]

I've heard a rumour at 2nd hand that an old Victor bomber at Bruntingthorpe almost crashed yesterday, apparently it got airborne after what was supposed to be a fast taxi run. All I can find on google are vague references to 'an incident' and hints of a cover up.

PH people normaly know about aircraft matters, do we have anyone who knows what really happened?

[FourWheelDrift]

Got a little carried away.

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/3...

Victor to the Sky...etc.

[Dr Jekyll]

FourWheelDrift said:

Got a little carried away.

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/3...

Victor to the Sky...etc.

[Mr_B]

Blimey !

[Shar2]

I know it's a bit of an OOOPS!, but that is so cool as well. It's taken years to get the Vulcan flying and the poor old Victor goes and does it accidentally. Bet the CAA won't see the funny side of it though.

[schuey]

Naughty, but nice to see it in the air,albeit in dodgy circumstances. I suspect the CAA will not be amused!!! I once did some fast taxi runs in a non airworthy Jet Provost,I was mighty tempted to have a little hop,but resisted the urge. (just).

[paintman]

Seems to be a LOT of fuss as to was it intended or not.
But it can happen. Check on here for the 'accidental Lightning pilot!'

Edited by paintman on Monday 4th May 20:46

[Bernie-the-bolt]

So what would happen if the 'pilot' thought st, I'm flying and tried to go around?

Would the aircraft make the turn or breakup in mid air due to old age and structural weakness?

[FourWheelDrift]

If it was structurally weak it would not be ground run, it flew into Brunters in 1993 so it wasn't a non-flying airframe. The systems for ground running and taxing are all working but the major worry would be flight control failure if they had decided to go around as they are things they haven't had to use for real since 1998.

[Bernie-the-bolt]

FourWheelDrift said:

If it was structurally weak it would not be ground run, it flew into Brunters in 1993 so it wasn't a non-flying airframe. The systems for ground running and taxing are all working but the major worry would be flight control failure if they had decided to go around as they are things they haven't had to use for real since 1998.

Bet the guy in the left hand seat absolutely st himself!

[FourWheelDrift]

Brown smoke on.

[anonymous-user]

The last Victors flew in late 1993, when the last ones were retired. Can't imagine the CAA being impressed at all.

[Eric Mc]

A major scary moment for all concerned. The PPrune comments are interesting (as always).

[Mojocvh]

So close to a disaster.......seems some find this "funny"

[Invisible man]

why were the flaps down, why didn't the co pilot chop the throttles, lots of questions and I bet the CAA stops that happening again PDQ

[Bernie-the-bolt]

That is definitely a 50p 5p moment

[Eric Mc]

I reckon they didn't do the V1/VR calculaytions correctly (or at all). This, coupled with an unexpected gust contributed to the Victor suddenly finding itself at take-off speed - and, being a Victor, it decided to do its own uncommanded take off.

[FourWheelDrift]

Look at the clouds, very flat based clouds in rows. I'm not a cloud expert but doesn't that formation suggest rising warm air, which causes the clouds to go through their cycle/saturation point faster and forming those shapes?

So more lift that day?

[john_p]

I doubt it a lot, I can't see even a 10kt upward thermal moving a 40 ton jet aircraft too easily. Even if it did, the pilot should have been on top of it.

Amazing pics though, hope they don't get hauled over the coals for it (although I suspect they will)

[jordy_pwns]

i think it was a good that it took it proves to the world that she is airworthy and is capable of flight or she would have just broken i do find it funny but it does seem that bruntingthorpe has came very close to a very big disaster viewed by many onlookers and what happened was (there were 2 factors) one was that a technical fault involving the throttle getting stuck open which forced her into a crazy takeoff speed and the air pressure created by the wind just made her take off simple