Vulcan To The Sky Trust
The Vulcan Operating Company (TVOC)
Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire
June 9, 2008
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The Vulcan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Display Authorisation Flight
Over 15 years ago the Avro Vulcan performed its last display at Cranfield in 1992 and today the TVOC's Vulcan B2 (XH558/G-VLCN) is to about to display once again. After months of flight testing and years of care and maintenance finally this Vulcan is ready to run through its 2008 display routine in front of the CAA, in preparation to an application to the CAA for a Permit To Fly so that it can appear at public air shows. Two previous attempts to fly last week had been thwarted by a technical fuel flow problem and poor weather. Today conditions were perfect with 'wall to wall' blue sky and a light breeze.
Taking to the air at 12:30 the Vulcan headed North-East for one hour of final flight testing. Returning to Bruntingthorpe the display lasted for three minutes and was understandably gentle. Not lower than 500 feet she over flew the runway to return with the bomb bay doors open before turning downwind and lowering the undercarriage and a left turn onto the approach.
Whether you remember the breath-taking displays of the past, which appeared to be flown in slow motion, or you are seeing a Vulcan fly for the first time, I am sure you will love the 2008 Vulcan display with a passion. The Vulcan is unique in so many ways and represents the best of British aircraft design.
XH558 was the first Vulcan B.2 to enter service in 1960 and was the last to fly when it flew to Bruntingthorpe in 1993. The next time it took to the air was on October 18, 2007 following ten years of maintenance work costing £6 million of which £2.7 million came from the Herritage Lottery Fund. With over 20,000 people have donated money to the fund you can be sure that her first public flying display is eagerly awaited by its supporters.
The CAA granted the permit to fly on July 3, 2008, two hours later the Display Authority was issued to David Thomas at RAF Waddington. XH558 flew its first public display in 16 years at the Waddington show on July 5, fittingly at the former Vulcan air base. 50,000 pounds per month is still
needed to keep the Vulcan flying, to give donations please see the link at the top of this page. |
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| Lift-off, Vulcan B2 XH558 is in the air for her CAA Display Authorisation Flight. |
| Left to right: Groundcrew step back and Vulcan B2 XH558 taxis to the mid-point to backtrack down the runway. |
| Right to left: Rolling down the runway she soon takes to the air. |
| Left to right: Returning from a one hour test flight TVOC's XH558 starts her 2008 display with a 500 feet fly past. |
| The first flypast of the display |
| Left to right: Turning back to the centre-point the with the massive bomb-bay doors open. |
| Left to right: Completing the 360 degree turn these cropped images show the Vulcan's top-side before she turn down wind for landing. |
| Right to left: Final approach. |
| Right to left: Touchdown and air brakes deployed, the tyres barely touching the runway for 100s of yards for the softest of landings. |
Photography:
I am very grateful to the 'Vulcan to the Sky' team for allowing me to witness the flight of this wonderful old lady. If only the crops beside the runway were not quite so tall! Today was just to get her ready for the 2008 display season. The 'Vulcan to the Sky' team still need your donations. Please visit their website see link at the top of this page to find out more. |
