Potentially controversial - Is the Vulcan REALLY that noisy?
Discussion
Something I've been wondering for some time. I'll make it clear now I'm a massive fan of the Vulcan - I love the presence, the sound, the looks (I actually think it's better looking in the sky than Concorde) and the history.
But....I've seen it a few times now, the most recent being Bournemouth today. I've seen it in the air and on the ground, taxiing and taking off. And the thing I keep going back to in my mind is how people always bang on (no pun intended) about how noisy it is, when unless I'm missing something, I'm not sure it really is compared with other aircraft. Sounds good? Yes, the noise is to die for - the Vulcan howl is something everybody should experience! But today at Bournemouth, the Tornados were shaking the ground a lot more. Miss Demeanour (Hunter) seemed on a par with it too, though they were really throwing that around!
I regularly attend the CWJ day at Brunters too. I was lucky enough to attend last year when XH558 made a surprise appearance, and took off at the end. Truth be told, I felt the Nimrod and Lightning absolutely blew the Vulcan away for sheer volume. The Victor was on a par too.
So I thought it'd be nice to see what others genuinely thought. Like I say, I'm a massive fan (and financial supporter of XH558) and what they've done is fantastic. A round of applause came over when it passed overhead today - and I don't think that's over the top.
But....is it REALLY that loud? On one hand I want people to tell me I just haven't stood at the right angle on the right day and I've yet to be educated, but on the other hand if they do say that then how many chances will I have left!
So far for me, the Lightning wins for volume, and the Nimrod for ground/organ shaking ability! What do you think?
But....I've seen it a few times now, the most recent being Bournemouth today. I've seen it in the air and on the ground, taxiing and taking off. And the thing I keep going back to in my mind is how people always bang on (no pun intended) about how noisy it is, when unless I'm missing something, I'm not sure it really is compared with other aircraft. Sounds good? Yes, the noise is to die for - the Vulcan howl is something everybody should experience! But today at Bournemouth, the Tornados were shaking the ground a lot more. Miss Demeanour (Hunter) seemed on a par with it too, though they were really throwing that around!
I regularly attend the CWJ day at Brunters too. I was lucky enough to attend last year when XH558 made a surprise appearance, and took off at the end. Truth be told, I felt the Nimrod and Lightning absolutely blew the Vulcan away for sheer volume. The Victor was on a par too.
So I thought it'd be nice to see what others genuinely thought. Like I say, I'm a massive fan (and financial supporter of XH558) and what they've done is fantastic. A round of applause came over when it passed overhead today - and I don't think that's over the top.
But....is it REALLY that loud? On one hand I want people to tell me I just haven't stood at the right angle on the right day and I've yet to be educated, but on the other hand if they do say that then how many chances will I have left!
So far for me, the Lightning wins for volume, and the Nimrod for ground/organ shaking ability! What do you think?
Dunno - last time one flew over me I was 3 years old: apparently I slept right through it whereas my dad (despite being pretty familiar with the Olympus engines as he worked for RR) absolutely shat himself! 
(Hoping to get the chance to see it, along with a VC10 before they disappear forever...)
(Hoping to get the chance to see it, along with a VC10 before they disappear forever...)
Ultuous said:
Dunno - last time one flew over me I was 3 years old: apparently I slept right through it whereas my dad (despite being pretty familiar with the Olympus engines as he worked for RR) absolutely shat himself!
(Hoping to get the chance to see it, along with a VC10 before they disappear forever...)
I DESPERATELY want to see a VC10 fly before they ground them all. I should really get my arse into gear and head to.....?(Hoping to get the chance to see it, along with a VC10 before they disappear forever...)
The Vulcan is pretty loud with full-power selected. Problem is, with a nod to engine life it almost never does. I'd imagine take-offs are derated. I remember Vulcan displays when the type was still in service. 90 degrees angle-of-bank wingovers and max-power in the climbs. Loads of racket.
In several decades of flying and watching aeroplanes, the loudest jet I've ever seen is the B1-B with reheat x4. It's Earth-shatteringly noisy, and is always followed by a car park full of alarms. Pretty much any reheated jet is loud (shearing forces caused by the jet efflux decelerating and mixing in the air causes the noise. Reheat = much higher gas velocity at the nozzle compared to dry power). The SR-71 was pretty loud when I saw it fly at Mildenhall in the 80s.
In several decades of flying and watching aeroplanes, the loudest jet I've ever seen is the B1-B with reheat x4. It's Earth-shatteringly noisy, and is always followed by a car park full of alarms. Pretty much any reheated jet is loud (shearing forces caused by the jet efflux decelerating and mixing in the air causes the noise. Reheat = much higher gas velocity at the nozzle compared to dry power). The SR-71 was pretty loud when I saw it fly at Mildenhall in the 80s.
speedtwelve said:
The Vulcan is pretty loud with full-power selected. Problem is, with a nod to engine life it almost never does. I'd imagine take-offs are derated. I remember Vulcan displays when the type was still in service. 90 degrees angle-of-bank wingovers and max-power in the climbs. Loads of racket.
See this is the sort of thing I was wondering. I WANT the Vulcan to be the noisest, howliest, biggest b
dest aeroplane of them all - genuine! Just gutted it's probably not somethign I'll see at its peak.What are XM655's fast taxis like? Never been to see it - 301 spares easier to come by, perhaps they take a few more 'risks'!
Kitchski said:
What are XM655's fast taxis like? Never been to see it - 301 spares easier to come by, perhaps they take a few more 'risks'!
I went to a "fast taxi" at Wellesbourne a few years ago.They are impressiive but TBQH the noise is dying as she gets alongside the crowd line, because they run her up to hot at the start of the runway then as she gets close to "quick-enough" they cut the throttles and lift her nose as she spools down. Which means she runs past the crowd with her nose where it should be. UP!
Thus, however avoiding the risk of a "Victor moment" with power on.
I was standing there saying "go on go on, you know you want to"!
And she could have, (even if she fell apart in the sky), for me... Then!
But now for a few more times we have 558.
rejoice a bit more.
The Vulcan dropped in at the end of the White Waltham Members' Day display today, and whilst they did briefly give it some beans, it was remarkably quiet and restrained - but given the absolute requirement for mechanical sympathy towards the engines, entirely understandable. I don't think they even managed to generate a noise complaint from one of the local move-next-to-an-airfield-and-start-to-complain-about-aircraft-noise brigade.
A few years ago we'd had a Members' Day which for some reason had a small contingent of the usual suspects up in arms, phoning the Ops room every five minutes to complain about the gaggle of Cubs, Cherokees, a few Yaks, Pitts and Extras and other local aircraft gently carousing in the overhead in what is an annual equivalent of an aviation village fete. Then the Tornado that the RAF had kindly sent to add a bit of rock and roll turned up, comprehensively beat the place up and finished with a rather splendid run down the display line with the burners plugged in, running out to the north straight over noise-complaint central. The phone stopped ringing. I think they were worried that we might bring it back: all apart from one chap who phoned up - actually a very elderly WLAC member, who was very much on-side about the activity at the airfield, was very sorry he wasn't there but he wasn't feeling up to coming over that day, but would we mind telling the Tornado crew that his dog had reacted to the departure-with-gusto over his house by running in from the garden, jumping on the sofa, and crapping itself.
A few years ago we'd had a Members' Day which for some reason had a small contingent of the usual suspects up in arms, phoning the Ops room every five minutes to complain about the gaggle of Cubs, Cherokees, a few Yaks, Pitts and Extras and other local aircraft gently carousing in the overhead in what is an annual equivalent of an aviation village fete. Then the Tornado that the RAF had kindly sent to add a bit of rock and roll turned up, comprehensively beat the place up and finished with a rather splendid run down the display line with the burners plugged in, running out to the north straight over noise-complaint central. The phone stopped ringing. I think they were worried that we might bring it back: all apart from one chap who phoned up - actually a very elderly WLAC member, who was very much on-side about the activity at the airfield, was very sorry he wasn't there but he wasn't feeling up to coming over that day, but would we mind telling the Tornado crew that his dog had reacted to the departure-with-gusto over his house by running in from the garden, jumping on the sofa, and crapping itself.
Edited by eharding on Saturday 1st September 22:26
I saw the Vulcan display at Finingley along with the Lightning. The Vulcan was spectacular and was really thrown arround using a lot of power. My old man was Eng Wg Cdr at the time so I even got the unofficial, up the ladder in the cockpit tour, when the Vulcs were at the base on standby. I think the lightning was louder tho' when that was on base we always kept the critall frame windows cracked open to avoid the glass cracking!
eharding said:
The Vulcan dropped in at the end of the White Waltham Members' Day display today, and whilst they did briefly give it some beans, it was remarkably quiet and restrained - but given the absolute requirement for mechanical sympathy towards the engines, entirely understandable. I don't think they even managed to generate a noise complaint from one of the local move-next-to-an-airfield-and-start-to-complain-about-aircraft-noise brigade.
A few years ago we'd had a Members' Day which for some reason had a small contingent of the usual suspects up in arms, phoning the Ops room every five minutes to complain about the gaggle of Cubs, Cherokees, a few Yaks, Pitts and Extras and other local aircraft gently carousing in the overhead in what is an annual equivalent of an aviation village fete. Then the Tornado that the RAF had kindly sent to add a bit of rock and roll turned up, comprehensively beat the place up and finished with a rather splendid run down the display line with the burners plugged in, running out to the north straight over noise-complaint central. The phone stopped ringing. I think they were worried that we might bring it back: all apart from one chap who phoned up - actually a very elderly WLAC member, who was very much on-side about the activity at the airfield, was very sorry he wasn't there but he wasn't feeling up to coming over that day, but would we mind telling the Tornado crew that his dog had reacted to the departure-with-gusto over his house by running in from the garden, jumping on the sofa, and crapping itself.
Agree entirely with the Vulcan comments. Cheers for the Torando story too!A few years ago we'd had a Members' Day which for some reason had a small contingent of the usual suspects up in arms, phoning the Ops room every five minutes to complain about the gaggle of Cubs, Cherokees, a few Yaks, Pitts and Extras and other local aircraft gently carousing in the overhead in what is an annual equivalent of an aviation village fete. Then the Tornado that the RAF had kindly sent to add a bit of rock and roll turned up, comprehensively beat the place up and finished with a rather splendid run down the display line with the burners plugged in, running out to the north straight over noise-complaint central. The phone stopped ringing. I think they were worried that we might bring it back: all apart from one chap who phoned up - actually a very elderly WLAC member, who was very much on-side about the activity at the airfield, was very sorry he wasn't there but he wasn't feeling up to coming over that day, but would we mind telling the Tornado crew that his dog had reacted to the departure-with-gusto over his house by running in from the garden, jumping on the sofa, and crapping itself.
Edited by eharding on Saturday 1st September 22:26
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