The man behind the success in getting Vulcan XH558 back in to the skies of the UK and beyond has released his latest statement to members of the Vulcan to the Sky Club:
What a fantastic, spectacular summer XH558 has given us!
Last weekend saw the completion of a comprehensive and hugely successful season. Following an overflight of her birthplace at Woodford Aerodrome, XH558 flew an approach and overshoot at Manchester International Airport, before completing her last display of 2009 at Southport. If any further proof of the Vulcan Effect is needed, the official figures of the Southport audience were 32,000 on the Saturday – when XH558 did not display – compared to 70,000 on the Sunday when she did!
I’m sure you will all join me in sincerely thanking all those who have risen to the challenge of the last few months to ensure we have gained maximum exposure to the public, including our hard-working engineering and logistics team, the embedded Marshall Aerospace technicians, our air crew and of course, the numerous and totally dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers from the Vulcan to the Sky Club.
Special thanks must also go to all those who have contributed anything from a few pence upwards towards the on-going battle to finance this project.
Our audiences and the entirely positive feedback seen at shows, and exemplified in the Guest Book comments, are at the very heart of our new plans to build income streams that will see XH558 through another year of flying. My next update will be to announce the plans in some detail that we have put in place to raise the necessary finance for another year and then onwards into the future.
Central to our immediate funding will be recognition that May 2010 is the 50th anniversary of XH558’s first test flight following her roll-out from the manufacturing sheds at Woodford. Our 50th Birthday Appeal will be targeted at making sure we can cover the costs of the servicing and modifications that are needed over this winter period, to deliver us an airworthy XH558 in May. In short, we going after money for XH558’s BIG BIRTHDAY BASH!!!
This Appeal will include postal and electronic campaigns, dedicated pages on our web site and will be backed up by advertising features in newspapers and magazines. We have already touched over 2.5million people at the events we have visited in 2009. Only another 57.5 million to go! The more widespread we can make our story, the easier our task will be.
Meantime, let’s draw a little breath and thank one another for each playing our own vital part in this very exciting project. I hope the sight and sound of XH558 in the sky has made it all worthwhile for you this year.
We can, we should, we must do it all again.
With best wishes,
Robert Pleming
Chief Executive VTS Trust
So, with that, let's hope we can all celebrate the Vulcan's 50th birthday next year in style!!
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