Vulcan XH558 50th Birthday Appeal

[alasdairduncan]

Happy birthday Vulcan. Thank you Mr Chadwick, for the Vulcan and the Lanc.

[littlenige]

Christ we've already lost Concorde - we sure as hell don't want to lose XH558! The fun police/people who prefer to hear the sound of dullness, are fast winning the battle on beautiful machinery like this. Keep it loud!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[raf4jack]

i dnt want to see it go out of service cus i only saw it fly last year at lowestoft air show :(

[Hanglands]

Whats the ratio of engineers:managers on this project? As much as I want to see the Vulc fly, Im kind of tired of endless appeals and stories about the CEOs pay rise.

[brainiac777]

I really hope I can see XH558 at RIAT this year. I have already donated £7.

[theghosthunter1983]

Does anyone know if this is flying at waddington this year???

[james426able1]

I saw that on the waddington airshow web that they have confirmed XH558 in the flying display this year

[06paull]

@james426able1 Well if 558 will be flying atall, it will be at Waddington, unless it has a technical fault, but i'd like to know too, i've never been to Waddington, & have always wanted to go, this year would be special if the Vulcan was there...

[falubaz09]

tnx qso gb0vul 7.123mhz vy 73 sp2pmw

[mustanglead]

I saw that the back to the sky fund got a mystery £400,000 donation last week.. That should help for a while. I love this plane but go ask the banks they got 18 trillion last year after we bailed them back to the sky.

[HSIDLEY1]

I've had an idea for your fund raising. Run a TV campaign, ADOPT A VULCAN! it will write to you every month to let you know how its doing and you will receive a cuddly vulcan along with a free Parker Pen when you signup.

Sell it to the Americans so they can turn it into a restaurant and dine while taxiing up and down the runway, thats got to be a winner. ONLY JOKING !

[HSIDLEY1]

I'm sure time will prove that the failure to fly at any of the future air shows, due to what ever excuse given, as happened to many times last year will have adverse effect on the support for such a project. While standing on the crowd line at several shows last year, I could hear many enthusiasts asking "why are we supporting this if they can't get it in the air despite all the money raised". Keep it as a monument in a Museum where it belongs

[ajlusted]

When the money stops coming in then yes, of course retire it to a museum. But whilst the support is clearly there to keep it flying, why ground it?

[ajlusted]

Why on earth would you put it in a museum, when there's clearly thousands of people happy to give up their precious time and money to keep it flying?

[HSIDLEY1]

Hi kirby240379

XH558 can be kept in a museum as working model. That would do away with all the expense of keeping her flying, (when she does fly), charge visitors on entry, adequate funds can be raised with little effort. If you open your eyes and look around you, you will see many old and modern British achievements of which you seem to be blind to. Thankfully, the world doesn't revolve around the Vulcan and neither do air shows, as they are always well supported even without the Vulcan.

[ajlusted]

Wonderful news, fantastic that it can keep flying!

To the detractors I say: If you don't want to help support the project, then don't; it's your choice. You should be much more worried about the STAGGERING amount of money the government's mis-management of this country has cost you. And that is something you have NO CHOICE about.

[kirby240379]

Well done every one and A big thank you to who ever donated the £458,00 we are all really happy we will see her in 2010 and beyond

[HSIDLEY1]

Hi robpeter1. You have stated that I'm an Idiot, perhaps you would like to qualify that statement. As you don't know me, that maybe a little difficult. If you think that its my OPINION that is idiotic, then thats fine, as you have the right to disagree with what I say and I will defend that right with my life.

[HSIDLEY1]

Everyone seems to be looking at this aircraft rather poetically and through rose tinted glasses. The statement by robpeter1 "sooner see her than any other plane", It would be a sad day when all we have at RIAT is a VULCAN and bunch of nervous organisers wondering if it will turn up or has it been grounded (AGAIN) due to machanical failure. Got nice picks of Red Arrows with XH558 last year at Dawlish. Great but costly and the nervousness on the face of the organiser, will it?, won't it ?, it did.

[robpeter1]

hsidley1 is an idiot. this is the most amazing thing to see in the air its so unreal. no video can ever capture how it looks sounds and feels to the eye ear and whole body, i saw her at wroughton when i was a chile in 1992 never forgot. so glad she flew again we cant let her go. sooner see her than any other plane.

[HSIDLEY1]

Hi Dazzo2k7. I read the reply you posted, why did you removed it. Have you doubts about your own convictions? or like me, it was a mistake. We can remember those involved in the cold war by many other aircraft. I believe, though I maybe wrong, the Sea Vixen was around in the time of the cold war, but rarely seen now its in new hands, and thats due to cost I'm sure. Why not use the money to keep that at air shows. We have the far more important BBMF & RNHF which are continuously under threat.

[HSIDLEY1]

Sorry, deleted first comments by mistake. I repeat, THE VULCAN SHOULD BE SCRAPPED OR MOTHBALLED. The cost to keep it flying is appalling for such an unreliable piece of kit, so many no flies at UK air shows last year. Spend funds on aviation eng. scholarships or reduce ticket price at shows like RIAT etc, so that all can attend even those less well off and/ or have 2 or 3 children or Put more up to date aircraft on the airshow circuit. Its a huge money pit. Scrap it!

[kirby240379]

I have 3 kids and go to RIAT kids go free there so there is no extra cost. the Vulcan is the only thin left in this country that the British can be proud of we cant design or build anything in this country any more. we lost Concorde we cant loose her XH558 forever

[HSIDLEY1]

Hi Dazzo2k7, You have removed comments made in reply to my opinion, there is obviously some self doubt about your own thoughts on the matter. The Public would be bankrupt as a notion if we kept an aircraft FLYING to remember every situation we have had in the world. We do, however, have the BBMF and RNHF, which covers most things and are continuously under threat. Will we be able or want to afford to donate to those when the time comes as well as the Vulcan. BBMF & RNHF FAR MORE IMPORTANT!

[nevets890]

please pledge what you can afford to save this great aircraft. Remember it's the only flying Vulcan left and took well over a decade to restore to flying status, It would be a waste to see it grounded after this effort.

[san4tam]

Would it not be a wonderful thing if we could have the 3 V bombers flying in formation?.

[roker1999]

we could build great things once.

before long we won't even have an air force.

why shouldn't we remember Nobody forces you to pay.

Maybe the world would not stop turning but it would be a little bit worse.

[chipschapman]

Will be donating, this plane is part of British history

please donate too

[j968]

Maybe the banking crises passed you by, Burning holes in the Sky and burning up money with your demonstration high speed simulated bombing runs which fatigue the airframe at a higher rate and bring about earlier and more costly aiframe overhaul and inspection at a time when the country is in economic crises and then start asking people for extra money so you can burn it up again at a time when people are counting every penny.

[j968]

And the young lad in the red t-shirt would have had the same look on his face if the red arrows had just gone by.

[planeboy737]

Just to make a point. The Vulcan is the peoples aircraft. And the UK's Favorite aircraft. I nickname it the Red Arrow Buster because it does exactly what it sayes.

[planeboy737]

'J968

You referring to the cosby show. The aircraft was not carrying any bombs. The whole thing was a pyrotecnitc display by the cosby team. I have no idea where you get that the airframe will get fatigue, because it was only doing a flypast .Not some silly loop the loop that you you lot find amazing. No high G's are allowed to  be pulled in the vulcan. If you have nothing good to say don't say it. Becasue your a load of lies.

[vulcanSupporter]

Of course this campaign is not on a par with Haiti or Cancer Research etc, but during the Cold War we relied upon these magnificent planes for our national security. It is also a spectacularly beautiful machine and a marvelous thing to watch. It is a marvel or BRITISH design and innovation. People like you and I have busted a gut to restore it and get it to where we are today. It would be an absolute tragedy to fail now. We have had enough heroic British failure - let's make this a success!!

[concorde1350mph]

the vulcan did so many things to our country

it was better than all the other cold war bombers better handelling in fact its classed as a fighter for its superb performance and it obviously dropped quite a few nuclear bombs etc etc

its body was used on other planes such as the delta wing copied by many other planes including the aerospatiale/bac Concorde and tested the olympus turbo jet for Concorde and is so beautiful to look at and is a British icon so dont tell me its not worth giving!!!

[coopersx19]

Give your money to cancer research and just fly the vulcan without all the red tape sh*te!

[coopersx19]

Health and safety....LOL....they know nothing...truly and totally....... nothing.

[coopersx19]

Just imagine how good life would be if we got rid of beaurocats.....no one way systems, no parking restrictions. Police dedicated to catching criminals rather than targeting innocent motorists. Ring fenced budgets so that there is total transparency.....god save us.....these people in givenrnment deserve the guilotine along with the bankers......just do it...what is stopping us?

[coopersx19]

Just fly it anyway. 427 and 655 could fly...just do it .......fly them. Dont bother about the government and the CAA, they dont know anyway they are wooden. Why does this country make everything so hard for itself??....... knock knock!!!!

[j968]

Why keep giving millions so these few people can have a sponsored toy....i would much rather see money go to worthy causes. As we advance in time through life and evolution of the world we cant keep paying to drag along the past with us. This was something great for the people of that era but for the newer generation of people its meaningless its just a plane.

[bigandbritish]

@j968 . Without aircraft like XH558 and the men that crewed them, you may now be living in a world where you would not be able to make a comment like that. It's not 'dragging along the past,' it's meaningful, relevant history. Part of

Stalins doctrine was to 'alter' history.

[j968]

@bigandbritish. The Avro Vulcan was built in 1952 so after any World Wars. Its purpose being a Super Sonic Bomber.

It was only used in a conventional bombing role ONCE during the Falklands conflict with Argentina and even then it did not have the Range or capacity to do a satisfactory job. So dont tell me this Aircraft is some important part of history like the Spitfire for example. This is an absurd waste of finite resources and money for a small group of fantasist anoraks.

[tomnryan]

@j968 Don't you realise that the Vulcan made up most of our country's V-bomber force during the height of the cold war, and were the main nuclear detterant that stopped the Soviets launching a nuclear attack? Surely that's an important part of our history?

[bigandbritish]

XH558 was built in 1960. I won't even lower myself to comment on your other points. Try an online Modern European History course, much more interesting than housework..........

[j968]

Yes your correct XH558 was built in 1960 your a smart man. But like I said check your facts the Vulcan itself as a design or aircraft was built in 1952 the first Avro Vulcan flight being 30 August 1952. So as someone trying to heighten awareness and gain money for this I think its you who needs to check your History

[FoolBritannia]

Oh dear. Why do people on YouoTube get so hostile? I suspect that bigand british knows perfectly well when the first Vulcan flew. But we're talking specifically about XH558. Which was built in 1960. The appeal is for a specific aircraft, the last flying example of this astonishing type. While I agree that in the grand scheme of things it isn't as important as helping Haiti and curing cancer, it IS important. If you don't agree, fine. Just don't start pointless arguments where none need exist.

[planeboy737]

If you read carefully. The 1952 flight was the first flight of the vulcan B.1! which is a completley different varient to the Vulcan B.2. J968. You are a waste of space.

[zedcell]

j968 it seems to me your views are in the minority here.

nothing looks like or sounds like the vulcan bomber. which in my book makes this plane UNIQUE and from the many airshows ive attended in the uk ,from the crowds reaction this is always the show stopper. just for the record the vulcan was sub-sonic not super-sonic.

[snapperbob]

Exactly right J968, it is meaningless to the newer generation. BUT THAT'S WHY IT NEEDS TO KEEP FLYING. I'll bet you were not around in 1963 when I REMEMBER the fear of being on the brink of nuclear war. The Vulcan did it's job as a deterrent and helped PREVENT war.

History repeats itself and if you are not careful you younger generation will sleepwalk into a nuclear holocaust.

When the Vulcan flies its physical effect on youngsters helps get the important message of deterrent across.

[j968]

The newer generation are living in the real world and you people should get with the programme. This machine is now redundant of all purpose plain and simple, decommissioned for a good reason. What say do normal people have in everyday life as to wether there will ever be a nuclear war ??

I think your all starting to show signs of a very selfish group of people and if this Aircraft was that imortant then relevant funding would be forthcoming and in place without the continues begging.

[j968]

Park it in a hagner as a static display and people can come and see it and read about it but it doesnt warrant further waste of resources or money so some people can play aviation at the cost of other peoples money. And I think by the end of February this will be a closed case anyway.

[FoolBritannia]

There is a difference - and an important one - between a static aircraft and an important one. I don't understand why asking like minded people to help support keeping XH558 in the air is selfish. If you're not a like minded person, fine. Go away and pay attention to something that matters to you.

[j968]

When this fails to generate the required funds to keep it as an ongoing concern wether it be at the end of Feb or if you do collect enough money this time once that finally runs out take a look outside your window and you will see that the world will still be revolving and life will go on unchanged for everybody in it.

[FoolBritannia]

Yes, it will. But something brilliant will have been lost. If you're going to be pleased about that, good for you.

[mikechildmk1]

@j968 There is a huge difference between a static Vulcan and a flying Vulcan. She is an astonishing sight and a great British engineering achievement. XH558 is proof of how innovative British aviation used to be and represents an important period in modern history. It was part of what prevented our own annihilation. With that in mind, I don't think a pledge of just a few pounds is too much to ask. I remind you that people who have donated to this wonderful project have done so by choice.

[planeboy737]

The vulcan is not just there for that. It is also there to "Honour the past and inspire the future" meaning that we want to inspire youngsters to become the next engineers and make the United Kingdom a strong aviation industry output.

[Flyer777777]

DaveHmba

Speak to the lottery fund and ask about their attitude to aviation now they have seen so much money disappear for so little return.

zedcell

big thrills do cost big bucks hence the unaffordability of flying the Vulcan and why it is one continuous appeal for more money.

[Dazzo2k7]

yeno its crazy how people come on here and watch vulcans vids. But they criticize her , yeh she may be expensive to run but shes worth it shes apart of our heritage ! its about time some people who think bad of her realise that !

[Flyer777777]

DaveHmba

Nothing like the money the Vulcan swallows each year nor the money from the lottery fund no longer available to anybody else.

tinajohnsonuk

I probably do talk to different people, you would hardly expect people to approach you at an airshow and say they wished the money pit was mothballed would you? I didn't say it wasn't popular but it has become an unaffordable obsession. How much has it cost so far and how many hours has it flown? It only needs £2.5m this time? A bargain.

[zedcell]

flyer777777 im sorry but in my opinion theres not another classic airplane i would be prepared to donate towards like the vulcan. as nothing looks like or sounds like the vulcan the original show stopper, & still is. lets not lose it like concorde unfortunatley big thrills cost big bucks.

[concorde1350mph]

wouldnt it be soooo fantastic if we could get Concorde flying again both the Vulcan and Conocrde flying together would be the best sight ever!!!

[bigandbritish]

Please support this wonderful aircraft. If the project closes at the end of February, she will NEVER fly again. Go to her website and forward the appeal video to all your contacts and make a pledge. Thanks.

[revsteve35]

i thought they got a donation for a consibabule amount last year. It is going to be the same every year. I was at waddington the first time she flew i admit iwas a feeling but i agree let her rest or the RAF or somebody else take her that has money.

[Flyer777777]

Much as I have enjoyed watching the Vulcan fly it is a money pit and has been an immense drain on the funds available to other worthy (and affordable) aeroplanes. Speak to anybody involved with historic aeroplanes and to a man they all hate the Vulcan and its constant demand for more astronomic sums of money.

It is only a short time before the aircraft will be grounded for good.

[tinajohnsonuk]

Flyer777777, You obviously talk to different people than the rest of us. The amount of support that XH558 gets at airshows, from other crews and aircraft organisations is terrific. Stop making stupid unsubstantiated comments and support the aircraft that more people went to see last year than any other. If each of the 2.5 million people that saw her fly last year gave just £1, all these problems would be solved. How about it Flyer777777 ? I'll then give £1 to your favourite aircraft !

[hutchy52]

I have cancelled my AXA Sun Life over 50's policy, and pay it to VTS instead.

It's much more fun!!

[GlosterGal]

As a pensioner, I still have pledged £10 a month to the Vulcan to the Sky Club. It is worth it each time I see her fly at the air shows. Keep up the good work and let's all hang in there and hope we make it for the next year.

[stormcruiser2]

i have got my family to sign the card, and i have also texted her a few times

[xr770a]

brilliant, keep on flying......to all those whingers stop moaning about paying your gas bill, or how the the video costs to much, put your stingy little hands in your pockets and donate....

[blanikcva]

To acelord2011. Sentiments understood in these times. Hope you get to see her this year and can contribute a wee tad in the future.

To IainPlanesTV. Thanks for the work on this video conducted for no charge.........

(just in case 4192362 didn't get the hint)

Head down, expecting incoming!

[AceLord2011]

I would send some money to help out, but I have insurance money to pay and gas to buy.

[4192362]

A start would be to stop spending money on snazzilly designed video's.

[IainPlanesTV]

Hello 4192362 from PlanesTV and I think it is a compliment to call our videos 'snazzy'.

These' videos now have approaching half a million views. Would you like to guess how much Vulcan has paid us so far?

[Joeaviation1712]

@IainPlanesTV Can i just say, i love your work. All of your videos are fantastic! Especially the Vulcan To The Sky ones. I am loving every little second of each and every video you have, and love the fact also that you are such a big part, in helping XH558 and the Vulcan team. I wish you the best of luck for the future. Long Live XH558! lol :)

[xr770a]

@4192362 get a grip.........

[4192362]

The project has already swallowed up a vast sum of money and the public are fed up of the 'guilt tripping' and continuous begging for funds. I have seen XH558 display and was very impressed, but for the milions of punds it has cost to restore the airframe has been wasted as its hours soon run out. There was a reason the RAF got rid of it in 1993.

[snapperbob]

RAF got rid because an expensive 'major' service was due.

That's been done now courtesy lottery and donations. The biggest costs now are insurance and health and safety conscious bureuacrats insisting on an expensive 'engineering authority' to rubber stamp everything.

If RAF operated it wth Vulcan Trust as the PR public face it would cost very little.

Come to think of it that might work well and save costs running Reds and BBMF. Now there's a thought!

[4192362]

The defence budget cannot stretch to suppoerting anymore historic or display flights. Trouble is with the 'expensive engineering company' if XH558 came down at an airshow or over a populated area, then the media would have a firestorm - why wasn't it rubberstamped and checked etc. This could easily lead to all airframes over say 50 years old being refused PTF.

[snapperbob]

@4192362 I'm not suggesting we relax regulations - our airshow industry is enviably safe because of them. But in (equally safe) RAF hands that cost could be avoided.

Part of the defence budget is aimed at recruitment and I'll bet you most RAF pilots got their first enthusiasm at an airshow.

Vulcan has been doing a fantastic job inspiring youngsters. That's worth a lot to MOD and RAF.

[laurabeauchamp]

Video doesn't seem to be working, is everyone having this problem?

[mayhemracing666]

compareandy

there is a victor that will fly!! bruntingthorpe had theirs flying so it is possible!! ;)

[ROBERTNESBITT]

I went to see it at Leuchars Last year and she was Lovel'y Keep her in the sky where she Belongs

[compareandy]

It's criminal to allow all the work to come to nothing. Now she is flying she should remain flying.

The Vulcan should be treated as part of the historic flight and sponsored by the government, just like the lancaster and the spitfires.

Whilst we are on the subject, we should also get a Victor back up and flying and over rule those people at BA who stopped us keeping a Concorde flying at airshows.

Andy

[KPMVulcansRule]

Don't fret, timuss -She will Fly for years to come !!

All best wishes to Team Vulcan.

KPM aka VRT'sVulcanCo-pilot2008

[TheM0JEC]

Sign the card, Pledge all you can afford, and link link link.....we need to keep 558 in the air.

Lobby your MP to get some money from the government?

[adaronin]

It's such a great aircraft and I enjoyed it very much last season.

What I don't really understand is that the airshow organisers don't chip in. Last year, I noticed that many within the visitors of the airshows, were coming simply to see XH558. Why not make the tickets 2 or 3 Pound/Euro more expensive, whenever XH558 is on the program and donate this into the fund ???

[Joeaviation1712]

@adaronin that is a bloody good idea! If people are happy to come see her at an airshow, why not pay £3 extra, knowing its going towards her future! I'll be gutted if she doesn't make it. I saw her with Avro Lancaster PA474, at Waddington 2008, it was amazing to see her in the air with that wonderful machine.

[adaronin]

@Joeaviation1712 : I saw her in Volkel (Netherlands) and Sanicole (Belgium), where at the latter she was escorted by a bunch of F16's (last minute decision). It was simply amazing to see how graceful she glided through the skies and was giving the F16's a run for their money trying to follow her at the relative low speed.

I hope to be able to see her at least once the upcoming season as well.

[Joeaviation1712]

I live about 10miles south of RAF Waddington, her old service base. My Grandad used to work there and saw XH558 and other vulcans everyday. The famous "scramble" practices, they could clear the airfield in 2 mins! He remembers well. On her way to Waddington in 2008, she flew over our house on the approach, and somehow it felt like the crew knew he was there, because as she flew over, she gave a little rock from side to side! Like waving, it brought him into tears, it truly is a magical aircraft!

[ARTHURHANCOCK]

I went to see it twice last year and it failed to fly twice. Any Government that will fund this Brilliant Defender will get my vote. Stop throwing my tax at lost causes and look inwards to what has helped us survive as a country. The Nation has a debt that must be paid to this wonderful Lady. PAY IT NOW!

[ajlusted]

We must keep this aircraft flying - please pledge now!

[TheophilusPWildbeest]

They got my pledge. Just wish I could afford more - but the missus would have a fit.

[MrSheddy1]

I'm surpruised the national Lottery Herittage Fund haven't got involved. I know they puit loads to wards it, but it still should be funded

[FLINTY876]

PLEASEEEEEE R.A.F start funding it again!!!

[LfcGoddardENGCJG]

well if i win the millions on friday i will fund it.

[timuss]

It will be such a shame if 2009 was the last we saw of her.

[planeboy737]

Please Pledge!

[MarcianoMMA]

This should have government funding as it is such an important part of British aviation history.

[Sarge084]

It did have government funding when the RAF were flying this very air frame as a display aircraft, but they couldn't justify any more public money on a non-operational aircraft.

Bearing in mind that it is wintered at RAF Lyenham I think you'll find that HM Gov is funding via the back door.

[MarcianoMMA]

I just think it is sad to have to ask the public to chip in when times are hard for the majority of us.

The gov are giving billions to the likes of India in aid who have their own space programme and they cant manage to keep the Vulcan going? Its very bad.

I have donated though as I very much enjoy seeing the Vulcan during the show season. Its still a great cause, it would be nice if VTTS had more promised help though.

[MACFSX]

A Great Aircraft will get donating.

[06paull]

This should be on all the news programms, we need to do all we can!