Vulcan Bomber XH558 (The last fly-past)

We were driving back from London at 2pm, just about to join the M1 at Junction 2.... when a familiar silhouette ran across our front, turned to port and banked over the RAF Museum and flew back around us and off... If we hadn't stopped for a cup of coffee before heading back....we'd have missed it!

 

Reason for the last season of flight
from Vulcan newsletter

Unfortunately ,having evaluated a great many factors the three expert companies on whom we depend-known as the technical authorities- have together decided to cease their support at the end of this flying season.Without their support under Civil Aviation Authority regulations we are prohibited from flying.

At the heart of their decision are two factors.
First,although we are all confident that XH558 is currently as safe as any aircraft flying today,her structure and systems are already more than ten percent beyond the flying ours of any other Vulcan,so knowing where to look for any possible failures will become more difficult.These can be thought of as the "unknown unknown" issues which can be impossible to predict with any accuracy.

Second,maintaining her superb safety record requires expertise that is increasingly difficult to find.Our technical partners already bring specialists out of retirement specifically to work on XH558 ,a solution that is increasingly impractical for those businesses as the necessary skills become distant in their collective memories.We have recently be made aware that the skills issue is particularly acute as our engines age and will require considerable amount of additional (and costly) inspection assessment.

 

Vulcan XH558 to make final public display flight at Shuttleworth

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-34411544

 

Reading the news item,it looks as if there will be two further flight tours in the UK after Shuttleworth before the aircraft is grounded.......details not to hand but last September's tour was laid out comprehensively with ETAs given for each featured flypast location.

 

The precise route with times is scheduled to be announced on Tuesday. There will be two sorties, one for the North on Saturday and the other for the South on Sunday. Both will be cancelled if too many people try to get to Robon Hood Airport to see the take offs and landings: this is a commercial Airport and the police etc are concerned, rightfully so, with safe access etc.

 

All done

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-34661731