558 currently over her real home (Brunty)

[HeyfordDave111]

Not poxy DRH. @ 15.42

Cov. display should be in a few mins. 15.45

Cant seem to get her on FR24 today though

[st24]

She was at DRH long before Bruntingthorpe, back then it was poxy RAF Finningley though...

[HeyfordDave111]

Granted, but since her retirement, few could argue that her rightful place is with the other cold War jets at Brunty where she started out this eventful journey to flight in civilian hands.

Sitting in a hangar waiting to get turfed out because the bills might not get paid, and turned into razor blades apart from the cockpit which will, no doubt be saved, is a sin in my humble opinion.

And before anyone shouts me down about the business case for DRH, haven't we seen business cased involving aircraft fall by the wayside this last 6-8 months?
Also with only a few short weeks to go, no concerns regarding access, fast taxiing, crowd control, pan space, it's own hanger on its own bit of land etc etc have been alayed the the group in who's custody 558 remains.

I'll always associate her with Brunty i'm afraid. Sorry mods for the rant.
cheers
Dave

[FGR2]

If it goes to Bruntingthorpe it will probably be parked in the open, deteriorate, fade then be painted pink

Only been to Bruntingthorpe once, about 6 years ago, and although I am sure they do their best! I wasn't too impressed with the external condition of some of the larger aircraft there.

[iainpeden]

Somewhere undercover is needed.

I believe Duxford was the main choice at the start of the project but think East Fortune should be a possibility (get rid of the other white civil delta) and ,unfortunately, scrap XM597 which is, I understand, slowly falling to pieces.

[speedbird2639]

Somewhere undercover is needed.

I believe Duxford was the main choice at the start of the project but think East Fortune should be a possibility (get rid of the other white civil delta) and ,unfortunately, scrap XM597 which is, I understand, slowly falling to pieces.

Well that would be one way to guarantee minimal visitor figures - its not a very central position. If XM558 is going to have any 'legacy' value when it is retired from flight it needs to be somewhere reasonably central; with decent accessibility from the motorway network etc; preferably with a decent runway to allow the potential for fast taxi runs.

Brunty currently isnt really set up for that kind of 'visitor attraction' and they give no indication they are interested in going down that route. Ok they have the cold war jets there but I get the impression that is more for their own enjoyment rather than attracting huge crowds. It is close to the m-way but it is a faff to get to through all the meandering lanes and the 'air lock' system to get in and out would have to be resolved as that would ensure poor reviews on Trip Advisor and the like.

IWM Duxford is near the M11 and large cetres of population are a sensible drive time away but the truncated runway wld remove any fast taxi potential and I can see non- aviation people going "£50 for a family ticket to wander round and look at some planes that no longer fly? Bargain - NOT!".

So out of all the places suggested DRH is probably the best - long runway at an airport with minimal traffic so fast taxiing cld be accommodated and somehwere where a 'technology centre' (or whatever they are proposing to call it) could be built.

[capercaillie]

If XM558 is going to have any 'legacy' value when it is retired from flight it needs to be somewhere reasonably central; with decent accessibility from the motorway network etc; preferably with a decent runway to allow the potential for fast taxi runs

I don't think the appeal of a fast taxiing Skeeter that crashed in Germany will have much legacy anywhere to be honest.

[speedbird2639]

http://memegenerator.net/instance/61141992

Given that if you type "XM558" into Google it takes you to the VTST site it must be a fairly common typo!

But you are right - who would want to see a helicopter - crashed or otherwise (unless it was a Chinook, Sea King or at a push a Merlin)

[Alanko]

VTTS are adamant that it is staying at DRH, so I believe it will be staying at DRH. This thread seems somewhat insidious because, firstly, there is already an XH558 thread on here discussing its final resting place (with lots of whining already) and, secondly, this thread is in Heads Up. In short, a fairly innocuous bit of aircraft spotting has been politicised, presumably because the original poster doesn't want their voice to be lost in the sea of opinions in the other thread.

Bruntingthorpe isn't taking it and East Fortune certainly isn't taking it. There are lots of places that could be considered an apt spiritual home for XH558, but it isn't going to happen.

Maybe when Woodford gets turned into housing they could stick it on a roundabout?

[iainpeden]

VTTS are adamant that it is staying at DRH, so I believe it will be staying at DRH. This thread seems somewhat insidious because, firstly, there is already an XH558 thread on here discussing its final resting place (with lots of whining already) and, secondly, this thread is in Heads Up. In short, a fairly innocuous bit of aircraft spotting has been politicised, presumably because the original poster doesn't want their voice to be lost in the sea of opinions in the other thread.

Bruntingthorpe isn't taking it and East Fortune certainly isn't taking it. There are lots of places that could be considered an apt spiritual home for XH558, but it isn't going to happen.

Maybe when Woodford gets turned into housing they could stick it on a roundabout?

You're right - this thread has crept somewhat. My concern with keeping XH558 at DRH is that it will be a single attraction place to visit and will not have the appeal to the wider public to make it viable.

[Alanko]

Perhaps I'm overly pessimistic, but a taxying Vulcan has limited public appeal anyway.

[iainpeden]

Perhaps I'm overly pessimistic, but a taxying Vulcan has limited public appeal anyway.

In isolation I tend to agree.

[LN Strike Eagle]

How is anyone supposed to see a taxiing Vulcan on a commercial airport anyway?

If the capability to get people out on a live commercial airport exists, then surely they'd have been selling tickets for every takeoff and landing since it moved there?

[Alanko]

They managed at Prestwick, though a half dozen Ryanair flights and the occasional non-civilian transcontinental flight do not a live airport make.

I guess VTTS would have to set the precedent, and there isn't too much more to be said on the matter. I don't think they will have a change of heart based on relentless badgering on online forums. It doesn't seem like too much of a leap of faith to imagine the academy proposal is more for the benefit of remaining VTTS staff, post final flight, rather than for the benefit of the public. I think it is also worth remembering that Brunty isn't exactly a museum either but rather a collection of aircraft, some live and ground-runnable, with restricted public access.

[Lee606]

If it goes to Bruntingthorpe it will probably be parked in the open, deteriorate, fade then be painted pink

Only been to Bruntingthorpe once, about 6 years ago, and although I am sure they do their best! I wasn't too impressed with the external condition of some of the larger aircraft there.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=69229

The runners certainty don't look deteriorated to me?

[vulcan558]

If it goes to Bruntingthorpe it will probably be parked in the open, deteriorate, fade then be painted pink

Only been to Bruntingthorpe once, about 6 years ago, and although I am sure they do their best! I wasn't too impressed with the external condition of some of the larger aircraft there.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=69229

The runners certainty don't look deteriorated to me?

Also considering she was at Brunty from 1992 to 2006 as a ground runner shecmust be have in good condition
to then becomec a flyer again, shows how well she was kept at brunty. All done by volunteers and no begging bowls either btw.

[Commando]

[quote="Alanko"]They managed at Prestwick, though a half dozen Ryanair flights and the occasional rendition flight do not a live airport make.

Im jumping in there isnt any rendition flights in Prestwick youre out of order sorry going off topic but i aint accepting that im afraid can you back that up ??????

[Alanko]

I'm not sure why you are taking the notion of Prestwick being used for non-civilian transcontinental flights so personally. Anyway:

http://www.uk-airport-news.info/prestwick-airport-news-171205.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-22680924

http://www.firmmagazine.com/prestwick-airport-crucial-staging-post-in-rendition-and-torture/

QED

Anyway, back to impractical, fanciful and romantically charged notions as to where the nation's favourite V bomber should be ultimately housed.

[planenuttoo]

As to placing her anywhere but DRH is irrelevant by virtue of this......
http://www.vulcantothesky.org/history/post-flight.html

[capercaillie]

If it goes to Bruntingthorpe it will probably be parked in the open, deteriorate, fade then be painted pink

Only been to Bruntingthorpe once, about 6 years ago, and although I am sure they do their best! I wasn't too impressed with the external condition of some of the larger aircraft there.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=69229

The runners certainty don't look deteriorated to me?

Also considering she was at Brunty from 1992 to 2006 as a ground runner shecmust be have in good condition
to then becomec a flyer again, shows how well she was kept at brunty. All done by volunteers and no begging bowls either btw.

It was hangared at Bruntingthorpe IIRC, unlike the majority of the exhibits. That's not a slur on the rest of the exhibits by the way.

[Unknown74]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Elvington in Yorkshire as a possible future home for XH558, she'd have a Victor and Nimrod for company....

[Alanko]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned Elvington in Yorkshire as a possible future home for XH558, she'd have a Victor and Nimrod for company....

Many have! Where have you been for the last year?

Elvington have said no. XH558 is going to stay at DRH.

[CJS]

Im jumping in there isnt any rendition flights in Prestwick youre out of order sorry going off topic but i aint accepting that im afraid can you back that up ??????

I'm so desperate to mark this.