When is a farewell not a farewell?
In my story (its here if you haven’t read it) posted on Sunday as the Vulcan was performing her last ever public display I pointed out that there was a good chance that this coming weekends Farewell Tour is probably not her final flight. My reasoning at the time was all about there being no specific end date that XH-558 has to stop flying. This was supported by some not too cryptic posts by the Vulcan to the Sky Facebook page.
Avro Vulcan XH-558 gives the punters on Old Bawtry Rd a look at her underside as she returns to Doncaster on the 28th June 2015 following her “Salute to the V-Force Tour”
OK this is something I am quite happy to be right about (even though I’m on the other side of the planet and wont get to see her fly again, though I feel very lucky to have seen her fly a few times in the last 3 months) … low and behold the Vulcan to The Sky web page is now showing this additional flight “To be advised mid-late October“
So the question now remains … how many more flights? There is still no specific technical reason to ground her on a particular date. Fair enough, it costs something like £19,000 per hour of flight, but the more she flies the more people would be willing to contribute to see her one last time … right? Interestingly the Vulcan to The Sky web page where you can contribute to the final flights actually says “Help secure a short series of tribute flights and a commemorative final landing for XH558.”
Is it wrong of me to want them to fly her until they cant?
The Vulcan End Game continues …
Avro Vulcan XH-558 – Inbound to Coventry on the 13th of Sept 2015 during her private display for the Vulcan to the Sky Club members.
We have been lucky seeing this aircraft over 7 years and many people from all walks of life came together to make this happen. This was never going to be an easy exercise to make happen, and many people put many hours to this project and we got to see the fruits of their labour. It proved beyond any doubt, that if you put your mind to it, many hurdles can be jumped.
I agree wholeheartedly Gary. Returning her to the sky and keeping her there over 8 years is an impressive effort from both a technical and business perspective. I have had a first hand glimpse into the dedication and enthusiasm that the people associated with this aircraft have. Ingenuity in maintenance and operation as well as a substantial fund raising effort have returned this magnificent aircraft to flight. I for one would have never seen her fly if not for those very labours.
Thank you for your comment. ~ Leigh
Hope to see it during the last flights this weekend at my local airport where it’s supposed to ‘hold’ before flying over Rolls-Royce Derby. Just hope the British weather plays ‘ball’ !!
Well good luck with spotting her. Hope it all comes together for you Gary.
Thank you, I hope to be up at EMA to catch a glimpse of it tomorrow but they are leaving posting the ‘timings’ late. I assume we will see today what they are and I and many others can plan for the coming weekends action. I suspect there will be one more flight after this weekend with the BBMF Lancaster involved but I think it will be a private not public ‘bash’. time will tell I guess.
Gary they are suggesting on the XH-558 web page “at least 2 more” flights before the end of October. I haven’t seen anything official on the timings but there was an unofficial post yesterday with some times. By the looks of that post Saturday she will be sometime after 1500 at East Midlands. Of course check with the Trust for more accurate times.
Good Hunting
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205168702482877&set=a.2644689522203.2113886.1404586178&type=3&theater
Its like the John Farnham “final tour”!
Don’t get me wrong … I like his voice but I’d prefer her howl!
Thanks Leigh for the latest info. Will try to get up to the airport by 15.00.
No luck today Leigh at EMA. It never made the airport due to a number of issues. But hope to catch it at 16.10-15pm at Belvoir Castle Leicestershire tomorrow.