<TABLE borderColor=black cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=black border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>
Vulcan '09 Pledge Campaign
<-- TIME IS RUNNING OUT http://www.vulcantothesky.org/pledge1.asp
Vulcan XH558 will be grounded forever, unless further funding of £1million is identified by early March. This funding will allow the project to pay its monthly expenses, clear debt and provide a stable financial footing for the future.
But why is your Vulcan so important?
In a word - EDUCATION!
In line with our motto "Honouring the Past, Inspiring the Future", we returned XH558 to display status for two educational reasons:
To teach Britain's youth about the pivotal role that Britain played in the Western World's defence at a time of political uncertainty and instability
To inspire our children and grandchildren to choose a career in Britain's design, engineering and scientific industries
Vulcan XH558 is not privately owned, but operated as a National Heritage Asset. She belongs to every man, woman and child in Britain and is an iconic and emotive example of Britain's pivotal position in World technology and foreign affairs.
'The Vulcan Effect' is a unique and powerful tool - without your immediate help it will be gone forever.
The Vulcan '09 Pledge Campaign will raise those funds so please sign up now (via the Pledge button) and play your part in securing the future of the world's only flying Vulcan. Your pledge will only be called upon when we are confident of reaching the target.
Please help us weather this economic Perfect Storm; we are working on a new business model aimed at avoiding this situation arising again next year.
Please remember that even a relatively small monthly pledge is a significant help - supporters have already pledged in excess of £410,000, with a significant proportion coming from the intensive efforts of members of the Vulcan to the Sky Club.
Thanks to all who are intent on keeping XH558 flying and thrilling through 2009.
<EMBED src=http://www.youtube.com/v/JaBajcF9toE&hl=en&fs=1 width=480 height=295 type=application/x-shockwave-flash allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></EMBED>
To Make A Pledge Click Here
Robert Pleming
24th February 2009 <HR style="LEFT: 5px; TOP: 2523px">
<HR>
Please confirm now that you want XH558 to fly in 2009, by adding your name to this petition to the Prime Minister:
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/vulcan-XH558/
On 17th February, there were 14,747 signatures.
We need about 4,000 more to make it into the current "Top 5"
<HR>
Message from the Chief Executive, VTST,
2nd February 2009
Today, the amount of money raised through our "Vulcan '09 Pledge Campaign" stands at over £244,000, pledged by more than 2200 people, making the average pledge worth over £100.
This achievement, in only eight weeks spanning the Christmas break, at a time when economic conditions could hardly be worse, has exceeded all expectations; a huge thank-you is due to all who have made pledges.
Added to this are various amounts raised through the current Raffle, sponsorship and other sources, and so I'm able to let you know that the running total of money identified in our current campaign stands at nearly £500,000
But none of this has yet been converted into cash, because we are still significantly short of our £1million goal for keeping XH558 flying though 2009.
We are therefore broadening and intensifying our campaign, which will continue to run through the month of February.
For example, we are seeking out new supporters in other interest groups: VTST was sponsored to attend the recent AutoSport International show at the NEC, Birmingham, where we made new friends amongst thousands of autosport enthusiasts.
To raise the visibility of our campaign, members of the Vulcan to the Sky Club are organizing a "Vulcan Scramble" starting on Sunday 22nd February, in which a small team will endeavour to visit all fifteen remaining Vulcans around the UK in just 24 hours. This promises to be an exciting, but hopefully incident-free, event!
Given that February and March are months free of the burden of Council Tax, we're hoping that we might benefit from supporters giving us a small proportion of that saving, in the way of a pledge or donation!
February is the critical month for us, because we need to commit to the engineering work required to ensure XH558 is flying again by the end of April. This is primarily the 8-week Winter Service under the supervision of Marshall Aerospace, but also includes other mandatory Permit-to-Fly activities such as the Structural Sampling Programme.
I'll let everyone know further news as the month proceeds, but in the meantime we all need to urgently focus on ensuring that XH558 has a future.
Robert Pleming
<HR style="LEFT: 5px; TOP: 2523px">
</SPAN>
The Blades Aerobatic Team In Formation With XH558 -
You Could Be In One Of These Aircraft Alongside XH558
<HR>
</SPAN>
Vulcan To The Sky Trust - Mission Statement
To preserve and protect AVRO Vulcan G-VLCN ( XH558), to return her to full working order for the benefit of the public
To demonstrate and display the aircraft at public events and to conserve her as a heritage asset in perpetuity.
To advance the education of the general public, and also specifically engineers and aviators, in the AVRO Vulcan, her provenance; historical and social context; design technologies; operational and maintenance processes and procedures; for the benefit of British heritage, historical and technical knowledge and conservation.
To assist in the conservation to full working order of other heritage aircraft of the 20th century
