Message from Andrew Edmondson, Engineering Director VTST, 9th May 2008

 

XH558 returned safe and sound to Bruntingthorpe today, touching down in a blaze of glory and sunshine at around 13.00. For everyone on the ground it brought back memories of 1993 when she was delivered to C.Walton for safekeeping, a moment you'll remember was tinged with both joy and sadness.

 

Back then her future was uncertain, and even with over 15 years of tireless work and fantastic support we still can't say for sure what's on the Vulcan's horizon.

 

We've travelled a long, hard (flight) path to get where we are today, littered with mountains to climb and hoops to jump through - but we've got this far. All of the tests are complete and paperwork is about to be submitted for CAA approval, which will be the second major milestone reached in the last few months (the first being a return to flight). Now we hold our breath and wait for a Permit to Fly, and a corporate sponsor to unclip XH558's wings.

 

For everyone at the project it is unfathomable that any number of sponsors are not locked in a bidding war to be associated with such a great British icon. Unfortunately they are not. If a major cash injection is not forthcoming the hanger doors will remain closed at Bruntingthorpe and XH558will once more sit in darkness pondering what more she could have done to have a few more seasons in the sun.

 

All of those who have fought to return her to the sky over the last decade have a right to feel very proud of their achievement today. Let's just hope a business comes forward soon with the passion and determination to prevent something that means so much to so many from being wasted just sitting on the ground, in silence, waiting for another chance to thrill millions with her grace and power.

 

You can play your part – if you haven’t already done so – by e-donating

£  
or joining the Club now, and by asking your family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances to do the same.

 

Our hopes and expectations are that once XH558 re-appears at airshows, the sight and sound of the Vulcan will create additional fund-raising and sponsorship momentum that will carry us through the airshow season and beyond – that is what we are all working for.

 

On behalf of everyone looking forward to seeing the Vulcan this year, many thanks for helping so many people’s hopes turn to reality.

 

Andrew Edmondson

Engineering Director

 

News Update 27th March 2008

Fastest Growing Aviation Supporters Club

Membership of the Vulcan to the Sky club has now topped 5000 for the first time in its 10 year history and is still growing.

VTS Club donates £20,000.00 to VTST.

The VTS Club committee are extremely proud to be able to respond to a request from VTST to finance the aviation fuel that will be required for pilot training flights as they each work to obtain their individual Display Authorities. These flights will take place soon after the Permit to Fly has been granted and are an essential part of returning XH558 to the public

VTC Club AGM 2008 11th May -RAF Cosford Museum

Advance notice is given of the 2008 VTS Club AGM to be held on 11th May at RAF Museum Cosford at.  The full annual report and details of the program will be sent by mail to all club members early in April.  Richard Clarke, acting Chairman,  says “With the incredible increase in membership this should be a very well attended AGM , and it is very likely if things continue as they are we will be in the enviable position of being able to announce yet another donation to VTST “

News Update 18th March

Vulcan prepares to soar as supporters rise to challenge!

 A major milestone has been reached as supporters continue rallying to the call to ensure that Vulcan XH558 is seen in the skies around the UK this summer. A campaign launched last month to bridge a funding gap created by the current economic conditions is proving successful. The Vulcan to the Sky Trust is announcing the start of the work to resume the remaining test flights to return the aircraft to air displays.

“The response we are receiving from our supporters to our appeal for funds to ensure we reach the air display season this year is very heartening, so much so that in the last few days, I have felt confident enough to authorise the commencement of preparations for the remaining test flights”, says DrRobert Pleming, Chief Executive of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTST). “Every week’s delay in starting this work was costing us money, so despite our need to keep on raising funds, it is the right thing to do.”

“Once again, our supporters are significantly exceeding our expectations”, continues Robert Pleming. “Thanks to their ongoing hard work and generosity I am delighted to announce that we have also received, from two major supporters, dedicated donations of £150,000 to specifically fund the Test Flight Programme. But the decision to proceed could only be made by trusting in our supporters that the fund-raising momentum will continue. We still need to maintain a donation income of at least £50,000 per month to make it to the airshow season. Once we make it to our first few airshows, we are convinced that we will see fund-raising momentum continue and sponsorship interest increase substantially.”

The Vulcan to the Sky Trust has the goal of ‘Honouring the Past, Inspiring the Future’, and in particular bringing a spectacular part of British heritage to a new generation of young people.

More than £6million has been spent on returning Vulcan XH558 to flight, of which £2.7million has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The rest – the majority – has come from public donations, making XH558 truly ‘the people’s aircraft’. The result of which was that in October 2007 the Vulcan flew triumphantly for the first time in over fourteen years. 

Donations should be sent to VTST, Bruntingthorpe Airfield, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 5QS, or by ‘phone to 0116 247 8145, or online at www.vulcantothesky.com

Companies who want to take advantage of the valuable corporate sponsorship opportunities should contact Michael Trotter on 07803 141483.

More information on the project can be found at www.vulcantothesky.com or by ringing 0116 2478145

Press Release
18th February 2008


Mayday Mayday – Vulcan hits turbulence en route to Displays

 Avro Vulcan XH558 has run into the headwinds of the current economic conditions.
The return of the aircraft to air displays is at risk of being slowed to a stop because potential sponsors have drawn in their purse strings and are not making available the expected funds. With three month’s work still needed to ready the aircraft and its crew for air displays, the lack of funding to start this last phase is now endangering the return of the Vulcan to the beginning of the airshow season.

“We need to start the rest of the test flight programme with the return of good weather at the beginning of March, but we still have to have £150,000 in our hands before we can do that, plus confidence that we will go on raising at least £50,000 per month after that. Right now we look like we’re going to be starved of funds at this critical moment for the Vulcan. Every week’s delay to the restart from the end of February will push the first display appearance back by another week. What we are asking people for now is a fraction of what we have raised already, but it is needed now!”, says Dr Robert Pleming, Chief Executive of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust.

Having delivered on their promise of August 2006 to put Vulcan XH558 back into the air, on 18th October 2007, Robert Pleming’s loyal team at Bruntingthorpe Airfield, Leicestershire are determined not to fail to meet the public’s expectations of the Vulcan’s return to the air display world this summer.

Over £6million has been spent on returning Vulcan XH558 to flight, of which £2.7million has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The rest – the majority – has come from public donations, making XH558 truly the public’s aircraft.

“I’m afraid that if we don’t fly again soon, the door will start to close on the future of the Vulcan in flight. We won’t be able to carry out our role of ‘Honouring the Past, Inspiring the Future’, providing a once-seen, never-forgotten sight to a new generation of youngsters, stimulating interest in design and engineering, and telling people about an important period in our Nations history“, continues Robert Pleming, “With the public’s help, the triumphant return of this much-loved aircraft this summer will become the not-to-be-missed spectacle of the season. But we sincerely hope that companies will also give serious consideration to taking up the sponsorship opportunity of the year.”

Keith Mans, Chairman of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust agrees: “Once again, we are dependent on the goodwill of other people to ensure that XH558, the people’s aircraft, continues to fly. In August 2006, the public responded magnificently to our plea for support, and as the result of the £1.3million donated, XH558 took to the air last October. We are praying that people will rise to the somewhat smaller challenge we now face, and help us by making a donation and/or joining the Club today, to ensure that we are able to keep our promise to give XH558 back to the Nation this summer”

Donations may be sent to VTST, Bruntingthorpe Airfield, Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 5QS, By donating online at http://www.vulcantothesky.com or by ‘phone to 0116 247 8145

Companies who want to take advantage of the very real corporate sponsorship opportunities should contact Michael Trotter on 07803 141483.

-ends-

Message from Keith Mans,  Chainman VTST
18th February 2008

Dear Supporter
 
After a phenomenal effort that included raising over £6million of the public’s money, XH558 took to the skies in October last year in a hugely successful first flight.
 
As mentioned by our Chief Executive in his message below, a number of significant efforts are being made to try to raise the funds needed to complete the test flights and to present XH558 at airshows across the UK later this year to a new generation.
 
However I have to let you know that the Trust has currently not reached the level of committed funding that it needs to complete the work required to prepare the aircraft for this year’s display season.
 
Under their Companies Act obligations, the Board of Trustees must have sufficient confidence that the levels of funding required will be forthcoming at the right time. The Trustees have decided, with the deepest regret, that unless such confidence is gained by the end of March, further activity by the Vulcan to the Sky Trust will for the time being be suspended.
 
So once again, we are dependent on the goodwill of others to ensure that XH558, the people’s aircraft, continues to fly. In August 2006, the public responded magnificently to our plea for support, and as the result, XH558 took to the air last October. Would you please join the Club and/or make a donation now to ensure that we are able to keep our promise to give XH558 back to you this summer?
 
Keith Mans


Vulcan Operating Company - 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