Vulcan grounded till paperwork is complete
Engineers are working against the clock to get the world's only airworthy Vulcan bomber off the ground again.
The Cold War aircraft was grounded at the weekend because of incomplete paperwork.
Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) inspectors refused to renew its annual Permit to Fly.
The decision disappointed 120,000 spectators at a two-day air display at RAF Waddington, near Grantham.
The aircraft will remain on the asphalt at RAF Waddington until the required paperwork is completed and CAA inspectors are satisfied.
Until recently, the Vulcan was based at Bruntingthorpe, near Lutterworth. It is housed at RAF Brize Norton, in Oxfordshire, for the air display season.
Project engineering director Andrew Edmondson said some minor inspections had been deferred in July last year when the Permit to Fly was issued. Some of those tests had not yet been completed.
He said many were being conducted on the frame of another Vulcan, owned by BAE Systems, which is the same age as XH558.
Mr Edmondson said: "There are some very low-risk areas which need examining. To do that on the XH558 would involve damaging the aircraft."
He said the paperwork and written assurances were being collated.
Mr Edmondson said: "XH558 is fully serviceable and ready for flight and Marshall Aerospace, together with Vulcan To the Sky Trust and BAE Systems, are doing all they can as quickly as they can to resolve this unexpected, one-off issue."
He said it had not been possible for the Vulcan to fly at RAF Waddington. The Vulcan has a full programme of appearances until October including Windermere Air Show this month.
3 Comments
by Shawn, Loughborough
Tuesday, July 07 2009, 2:54PM
“Dave, please understand that there is nothing wrong with the aircraft and it is disingenuous to imply that it has been grounded because it is in any way unsafe.
This aircraft missed its display commitments because the operating company's management failed to ensure that some previously deferred tests were carried out in time to renew the permit to fly - tests moreover that they have known were required for a year.
Adrian, notwithstanding the CAA's ridiculous attitude to the EE LIghtning, it is hardly fair to blame them for this debacle. I suggest directing your ire at Andrew Edmonson of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust.”
by Dave Stockley, Leicester
Tuesday, July 07 2009, 1:33PM
“Your first sentence is spot on and this safety regime is protecting everyone particularly the public.
This aircraft is always in need of repair because of its age so it is right to ground it when things are not right as is the case now!
Visit the guys at Bruntingthorpe and see the problems they have with a lack of parts and engines, you may then understand why the CAA take this matter seriously.”
by Adrian Coulson, Berkhamsted
Tuesday, July 07 2009, 12:37PM
“I know that safety is the highest priority when operating a historic aircraft such as the Vulcan
But why does the CAA have to erect every barrier they can to prohibit the operation of classic aircraft (remember the fiasco of the refusal to allow civilan operation of the Lightning,at least the SA CAA showed some sense on this occasion!)
It really is time this burocratic and big brother attitude was curtailed”