Another Milestone for Vulcan XH558

Keith

Moderator
Sadly, I think you are right Howard, but we kept it flying for 7 years. I know quite a few on this forum, myself included have regularly contributed to the project. She has thrilled many thousands at air shows since and revealed our past plane making/designing skills to generations that would otherwise be in ignorance of our one time world beating industry.
 
The Vulcan is scheduled to appear at Wings and Wheels at Dunsfold, Surrey, UK on both event days i.e. Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th August 2014.

See my posting 10th July 2014 on the GT40 Enthusiasts Club forum - Wings and Wheels - Dunsfold - 2014.

If you are able to make it on one or both days with your GT40 you may well have the opportunity of demonstrating your car on the runway and seeing close up the fabulous display of the Vulcan (and indeed many other aircraft)
 

Charlie Farley

Supporter
Engines approaching " end life " !!
Who are they kidding.
I doubt that was a pertinent criteria during it's Falklands sortie.
What BS.
 
Engines approaching " end life " !!
Who are they kidding.
I doubt that was a pertinent criteria during it's Falklands sortie.
What BS.

That's probably just a reflection of finances. Yes, there are lots of cycle limited rotating parts on the engines that are scrap after X cycles. But as with doing almost anything on Gods green earth, it takes one thing, money.

If they don't have it, they don't fly.
 

Keith

Moderator
He alluded to that in the video Scott. Spares could be made for sure but at a huge cost and then, presumably they have to be certified too?

This is for public displays and I should imagine the regulations more stringent.

Even so, there is a chance, but the airframe will eventually ground it regardless of the engines.
 
He alluded to that in the video Scott. Spares could be made for sure but at a huge cost and then, presumably they have to be certified too?

This is for public displays and I should imagine the regulations more stringent.

Even so, there is a chance, but the airframe will eventually ground it regardless of the engines.

I can't speak to UK aviation regulations, but here that aircraft would likely be registered "experimental" and regs would be far more loose WRT certification of parts.

I did not watch the video, 31 years of busted knuckles wrenching turbine aircraft kind of makes the whole affair kind of ho hum.

That's not to say I would not enjoy earning a living wrenching Thunderbolts!
 
Hi,

No one is kidding anyone, & no money alone is not the answer.

Rolls Royce Aero. hold the 'Design Authority' for the engines. If they had chosen years ago that they would not support civil operation of the Olympus that would of been that, the aircraft could not of returned to flight in the UK. ( and countless other countries too ). It would not of mattered if we had a hundred new engines all zero timed & certified in crates, it is all about Design Authority and liability etc.

As we know R.R didn't say no but they imposed massive limitations on the engines, most relevant to the discussion here a massive reduction in the allowed service life.
R.R have reduced the service life of each & every engine to less than 25% of the 'RAF in service' timescale. Sorry I can't remember the exact % but it is damn small.

I know the American Experimental rating is more user friendly & in South Africa things are simpler too.
However in the UK the Civil Aviation Authority class the Vulcan as a 'Complex' aircraft in their rating system & 'Design Authority' from every single O.E.M is required.
It is very different to running & rebuilding Spitfires, Merlins, DC-3s etc.

There is no Olympus overhaul facility at R.R., & would they allow anyone else to do it, no.

So the engines are not physically nearly worn out, but that is not the issue.

Regards Steve

ps. sadly no Concorde will ever fly again!
 

Jackal

CURRENTLY BANNED
About South Africa.... well... we have new saabs.... oh yes... of the 15 or whatever we bought if I recall correctly only a handful is operational. When I was i the airforce we had old cheetahs. Basicallyi the Israeli kafir but with better avionics hence the long nose. Yip. As you most probably know. We had Mirage 3s and Mirage F1s. The Cheetah was like hybrid. The delta wing Mirage 3 with the F1 engine and then the upgraded nav and weapons systems etc.

I remember the maintenance on these grey beasts back in the day. Apparently they were all sold off to Brazil or somewhere. Then the new regime bought Saabs... and three German diesel subs.... of which one is operational today. So. I would not take South Africa's policies about aircraft 'lifetime' too serious. Oh I could go on forever. I will stop here though.
 
Thanks for the heads up Stephen and I suppose I have to ask, why did RR do that?

Hi Keith,

R.R were seen to do, & indeed did, the 'right' thing in supporting the project but I'm sure you can imagine the fears / concerns / big company attitude / litigation / etc etc of their involvement. You don't want negative publicity when your one of the major airliner engine suppliers....

They probably came up with a sensible 'fact based' hour rating & then kept repeatedly halving it until they felt safe. Very very safe.
Needless to say they would not budge on this figure despite the presentations put forward by V.T.T.S / V.O.C.

This kind of decision making is not what you & I want to hear, but it is the facts.

It should be noted that many of the O.E.M Design Authority companies have overhauled or replaced components free of charge, both for XH558 & XL426.

The reason that Air Atlantique operated a Shackleton in the states for a few years is that BAe said no. The aircraft was not even allowed to visit the UK.
The sister ship to that one is in ground running condition at Coventry & negotiations are in place to try and get that decision amended.
You may remember also that permission to fly an EE Lightning in the UK was not forthcoming.

Regards Steve
 
About South Africa.... well... we have new saabs.... oh yes... of the 15 or whatever we bought if I recall correctly only a handful is operational. When I was i the airforce we had old cheetahs. Basicallyi the Israeli kafir but with better avionics hence the long nose. Yip. As you most probably know. We had Mirage 3s and Mirage F1s. The Cheetah was like hybrid. The delta wing Mirage 3 with the F1 engine and then the upgraded nav and weapons systems etc.

I remember the maintenance on these grey beasts back in the day. Apparently they were all sold off to Brazil or somewhere. Then the new regime bought Saabs... and three German diesel subs.... of which one is operational today. So. I would not take South Africa's policies about aircraft 'lifetime' too serious. Oh I could go on forever. I will stop here though.

Hi,

Interesting stuff for sure, but I was thinking about the privately operated planes at Thunder City, which is the same as the Vulcan ie former RAF jets now on the civil register & privately operated.

The Lightnings & Buccaneers can only ground run in the UK.

Kind regards Steve
 

Glenn M

Supporter
I was thinking about the privately operated planes at Thunder City, which is the same as the Vulcan ie former RAF jets now on the civil register & privately operated.

Kind regards Steve

I had a fantastic flight out of there whilst on holiday - long may they continue. You are probably right in suggesting that if they can keep a Lightning flying, they would be able to keep it, the Vulcan, flying.

Glenn
 

Jackal

CURRENTLY BANNED
Hi,

Interesting stuff for sure, but I was thinking about the privately operated planes at Thunder City, which is the same as the Vulcan ie former RAF jets now on the civil register & privately operated.

The Lightnings & Buccaneers can only ground run in the UK.

Kind regards Steve

cannot recall exactly when but not long ago one of those Lightnings crashed at Bredasdorp in the Overberg area at a air show. Tragically the pilot died. If I remember correctly it was hydraulics failure but I could be wrong.
 
Yes very sad, a damning report by the S.A authorities followed regarding maintainence, operational procedures etc.......

The whole fleet was advertised for sale at one time.
However earlier this year they put another Lightning back in the air but I haven't heard any recent news. (As usual the web is full of out of date info!)

Regards Steve
 
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