Sea Vixen XP924 Thread

[speedbird2639]

I'm not sure its worth its own thread. There only seems to be two points of view, both at the extreme ends of the argument and with no common ground in between - either you think selling pictures is fine or it isn't.

[Brevet Cable]

Shouldn't really be on this thread, in my opinion.
It takes a few seconds searching to find both his twitter feed and his website...so rather than gobbing off on here hurling abuse and insults, why don't those people doing so have the courage of their convictions and tackle him directly.

[Sundowner]

The pictures are his property, he can do what he likes with them whether you like it or not.
It would be interesting to see what the response would have been it was any of the UKAR back slappers club that took the pics.
I need the money so seeing as no one was injured I too would have sold them.

Good luck to the Navy Wings team, let's hope they can get this beautiful bird back in the sky.

[f4phixeruk]

All well and good that he was credited and paid for his photos. No-one hurt, cant see the problem. What if he'd posted the picture on social media, local paper used it and didnt credit or pay ???

[qwerty]

Glad the pilot was unhurt and no other injuries.Hope the owners of thre Sea Vixen can raise funds to fly again.

Did it ever occur to anyone moaning about the sale of images that some photographers are actually running a Photo business and sales of news worthy happenings are worth having? Better to get some money back for all the time,expense and effort put in.

[TKK 140]

Glad the pilot was unhurt and no other injuries.Hope the owners of thre Sea Vixen can raise funds to fly again.

Did it ever occur to anyone moaning about the sale of images that some photographers are actually running a Photo business and sales of news worthy happenings are worth having? Better to get some money back for all the time,expense and effort put in.

If some here attended more airshows, rather than continually complaining about this is right or that isn't right or you should do this or don't do that the forum might be a better place.

[frank]

Glad the pilot was unhurt and no other injuries.Hope the owners of thre Sea Vixen can raise funds to fly again.

Did it ever occur to anyone moaning about the sale of images that some photographers are actually running a Photo business and sales of news worthy happenings are worth having? Better to get some money back for all the time,expense and effort put in.

Don't believe for one minute that was the case wrt SeaVixen landing. Just someone being there at the right/wrong time.

[RAF4EVER]

Glad the pilot was unhurt and no other injuries.Hope the owners of thre Sea Vixen can raise funds to fly again.

Did it ever occur to anyone moaning about the sale of images that some photographers are actually running a Photo business and sales of news worthy happenings are worth having? Better to get some money back for all the time,expense and effort put in.

If some here attended more airshows, rather than continually complaining about this is right or that isn't right or you should do this or don't do that the forum might be a better place.

?????

[CJS]

Agreed (for once ).

What a bizarre, entirely non-sensical, comment. As if the more we went to shows the less we'd comment on our hobby.

Eh???

[106500]

Some more pics posted by Navy Wings:

https://www.facebook.com/NavyWingsUK/?h ... S_TIMELINE

Some quite obvious damage which may be quite challenging to repair and rather worrying?

[Flare Path]

Some more pics posted by Navy Wings:

https://www.facebook.com/NavyWingsUK/?h ... S_TIMELINE

Some quite obvious damage which may be quite challenging to repair and rather worrying?

I'm an ardent supporter of XP924, but this news is particularly worrying. The damage - from my untrained eye - does look far more considerable than first expected.

Hopefully (given time) they can repair the aircraft back to its best.

[ted633]

Small update from Facebook

The Sea Vixen G-CVIX XP924 Update

Post the wheels up landing the investigation to establish the cause of the hydraulic system malfunction has now revealed a major failure which is a significant development in our analysis.

Looks like they may have found the cause then...

[Finningley Boy]

According to a similar thread on pprune, the investigation so far has revealed no reason to suggest it won't fly again, however, they still have another two weeks to go before they will have completed the investigation. Fingers crossed eh!

FB

[MicrolightDriver]

According to a similar thread on pprune, the investigation so far has revealed no reason to suggest it won't fly again, however, they still have another two weeks to go before they will have completed the investigation. Fingers crossed eh!

FB

Sounds right.

Not sure if we can link to it, but there's a couple of minutes of hangar footage and a brief interview with an engineer on the BBC Points West Facebook page ( posted 13th June at 11:58 )

[Brevet Cable]

That's the clip the posters on PPRuNe refer to ( which I think they got from a link on the Flypast forum )

[Pringles]

Update on the Sea Vixen:

Post the wheels up landing the investigation to establish the cause of the hydraulic system malfunction has now revealed a major failure which is a significant development in our analysis. Repairs to the airframe will be extensive and could take a minimum of 2 years to complete. At the moment this figure is conservative and the rebuild may be longer with the need to ensure all the systems are in A1 condition for further flight. The engineering team have now removed both engines and the damaged auxiliary gear box which was extensively damaged in the wheels up landing. What has come to light is the cause of the hydraulic failure, the Green pump was seized and the quill drive shaft had fractured at its design weak point. The Red system is still under investigation as to why it failed to produce pressure when required as visibly the pump and quill drive shaft appear to be serviceable. The intention is to have the Green and Red pumps independently checked for the cause of the failures.

Whatever the outcome of further damage assessment the recovery programme will be extensive.

Good to see that the team seem to be persevering with their plan to repair her

[vulcan558]

2 to 3 years if all goes to plan, before we see her in the air again.

[paullangford]

If it takes 2 to 3 years to get her in the air again, and it's deemed safe to do so, I think it's worth the effort, ...........she'll get my support still.
I thought it was an excellent display at Duxford, and would love to see it again.

[5944]

Charity Appeals for White Knight

Following the emergency landing of Sea Vixen G-CVIX XP924 at RNAS Yeovilton on 27 May 17, Navy Wings is urgently seeking a ‘white knight’ sponsor to save the aircraft and restore this unique and nationally important naval heritage fighter to full flying condition.

Unfortunately the structural damage to the airframe is more serious than first thought. This includes cracks on both tail booms, warping of the main bulk heads in the engine compartment and major damage to the gear box. The important factor here was speed of landing. The Sea Vixen suffered a major hydraulic failure of both systems and the pilot, Commander Simon Hargreaves was unable to lower the flaps along with the under-carriage. This necessitated a high speed, low angle run on and the energy transferred itself through the airframe.

Work by Assessors estimate that it could take between 3-4 years and cost £2-3M to get her flying again. A white knight is needed in the next month who would be prepared to come to the rescue and under-write these costs and save the last flying Sea Vixen in the world, recognising her uniqueness and value to the Nation’s naval aviation heritage. navywings.org.uk

Ouch!

[Dan O'Hagan]

Time to patch it up, and wheel it across to the museum. That's much too big a financial undertaking for an aeroplane that has no great resonance with the general public.

Consider it a hell of a lucky escape and be done with it.

[capercaillie]

Would it not be cheaper to acquire another Sea Vixen airframe, there's one inside the museum for example, swap all the working bits from XP924 across and start from there rather than try repairing a damaged airframe? Donate XP924 to the donor as the static exhibit when patched back up.

Serious question, I don't know the answer.

[boff180]

83 million euromillions jackpot tomorrow.....

[Wrexham Mackem]

I was thinking the same Caper - re-shell it to use a motorsport comparison.

It does seem a prohibitive amount of time and money as is. Sadly. With all the rest of the fleet needing attention too, they really do need a benefactor and I fear that may be clutching at straws.

[County1884]

Don't get me wrong I love the Sea Vixen as much as anybody, Love seeing her display but...

£2-3mil I'm sure would see the SHAR project up and running, With arguably the Navy's most important post war combat aircraft back displaying in front of the public.

[Pat Murphy]

Would it not be cheaper to acquire another Sea Vixen airframe, there's one inside the museum for example, swap all the working bits from XP924 across and start from there rather than try repairing a damaged airframe? Donate XP924 to the donor as the static exhibit when patched back up.

Serious question, I don't know the answer.

My thoughts exactly. Sounds like we need a miracle for this to get airworthy again.