Part 1 ended with our arrival at Robin Hood and Part 2 begins there again as I join Kev, Phil and "Junior" (our new Air Electronics Officer) for my 2nd training sortie and then a transit to Waddington ready for the airshow. Luckily it's just long enough after my first trip to realise that I've forgotten what I learnt again the previous month!
Planning completed, we board 558 and she hums faultlessly into life. Vulcans always hum as the external 200 volts required by most Vulcan systems flows into the aircraft from an external power supply, and we head for the duty runway. Kev kindly gives me another take-off and off we go to RAF Scampton so I can practice some approaches and display handling. As a Tutor display pilot this stuff is interesting as, in the Tutor, the throttle is always bent forward over the maximum power position in an ever losing battle with gravity and the laws of physics.
The mighty delta of course needs none of this and most display flying is done with the throttles almost closed, apart from the wingover climbs which use full power to make the famous howl but require a very steep climb to stop it accelerating too much! I thought I was doing okay but then Kev grabs control to loosen up for his practice display at Waddington in ten minutes time. Frankly, the bloke's a maniac (just joking Kev!).
Off to Waddo and in we run. It's a very interesting experience. It's a first go at the climbing spiral for Kev, generating a great deal of noise but mostly concerning the crew with not climbing out of sight. It's much harder to coax '90 tons of tailored destruction' (as we used to know her) back down to low level at 160 knots for the next part of the show than it is to spiral up to 45,000 feet. The steep climbs are a bit like being on a roller-coaster as it goes up the slope, with that nervous anticipation of wondering what comes after the top!!
The spectators seemed pleased and the format for the weekend, which, perhaps unusually for Waddo, dawned and stayed beautiful, is decided. The Waddington Air Show is reviewed elsewhere here at GAR, but from my perspective, as an observer on the ground, it was very successful. Naturally the two Vulcan shows were my personal favourites (closely followed by the Tutor) although much of my time was spent in the Vulcan Village.
It was lovely to meet so many knowledgeable and enthusiastic supporters of XH558. Thank you for your support and huge respect to all the 558 volunteers who worked tirelessly in the tropical temperatures in our tent. Suffice to say I was green with envy as Kev, Martin and the crew did their spectacular thing and I couldn't wait for my next trip the next Tuesday, a transit to Yeovilton.
A post-airshow airfield is a desolate place but the sight of XH558 and XM607 (Martin's famous partner from the Falklands) parked almost together was still stirring. Planned, booted and spurred, in we climbed. All humming, 4-3 started... disaster. Number 2 wouldn't start. This starts to bring back memories of the 1970s' Vulcan I remember! Press a few more buttons, change a fuse or two, but no - not today. Much head scratching by our fantastic engineers, but no way.
The guys worked non-stop for the next two days to do a repair that hadn't been attempted for 30 years or so in an effort to get us ready for Yeovilton. Luckily, in the end, they choose to take payment in beer from Barry when we get to Yeovilton! We arrive on Friday and wait in the Officers Mess at RAF Waddington for a call to say that the repairs have been made and that the necessary engine runs have been successfully completed. Occasionally, in the distance, we hear the soulful roar of an Olympus 201 - good news?
Eventually, crew chief Taff calls and it's a go. By the way, the weather has been on and off awful with massive thunderstorms forecast for our route to Yeovilton and Waddington's runway has been flooded for much of the day. Good old Martin recaps the brief - "Your take-off, as much handling as you want, your landing (short runway, big crosswind - starts to feel like my first trip!!). Funnily enough it felt quite reassuring and much like many of my Red Arrows' briefs "just turn up and cope". Apologies to Red 1, Spike!!
In the event, the transit was huge fun, including a visit to East Midlands Airport. The weather was always a bit of a challenge, but given that Vulcan was designed to be a bringer of the apocalypse or, if you prefer Nordic mythology, the Stormbringer, it all seemed pretty appropriate. In the end, Martin being a good guy, relented and did the landing himself - beautifully.
RNAS Yeovilton. A nice day and we agreed to do a flypast with the Sea Vixen (pilot Simon Hargreaves - one of my first Jet Provost students, not ageing as well as me!). Lost heartbeats when one of the critical rudder power units wouldn't start pre-display, but bless her, in the end she did.
Post-display as we taxied into "parc-ferme" on the crowdline, it was stunning to see such a big welcoming audience. We were, I think, a bit taken aback. I had to chivvy Martin out first! I think all three of us felt that embarrassed British thing when everyone applauded. As they say at rock concerts - thanks Yeovilton!!! How was the show? See Gareth's review. Big cheers and beers to all concerned.
In case there are any of us left reading this '35 is still alive'.
2011-07-30 - Keith McBrearty
Many thanks to GAR and Bill Ramsey for this excellent (2nd) piece about his Vulcan XH558 experiences. Keep Edonating (Text Vulcan to 70558 for GBP5 ) to keep this "tin triangle" in the air !!
Best regards from KPM=VRT'sVulcanCo-pilot2008 aka KPM aka etc, etc !!!
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