What a difference a week makes...

This time last week, we were all caught up in the sadness revolving around the crashed Red Arrow and the extremely sad news that the pilot had tragically died during the incident.

It's been a tough week for the Red Arrows, with all the fleet grounded, and investigations made, but relatively good news followed at the end of the week with the announcement that the grounding had been lifted and the Reds were clear to fly again - great news for all concerned, as it would enable them to fly home, and also begin to practice again, but you really have to feel for the pilots of the other Reds who have lost a great friend I would imagine, in Red 4 and Flight Lieutenant Jon Eggings.

Nearly ready for Display!

As far as the Vulcan was concerned, it has been all hands to the pump as the quest to fix the fuel leak problem has been ongoing, with the troubled part heading to Portsmouth to be fixed, and tested, before being hurriedly driven back up North to Doncaster to get it refitted back to XH558 and tested again before being classed as serviceable.

However, thanks to the efforts of many, the Vulcan is once again now serviceable and ready to go, and we're pleased to see that the Vulcan is once again ready to display, and will hopefully be making an appearance at Dunsfold, where big time supporter Eddie Forrester will be willing the team to have her ready for display at the Wings & Wheels event where she has been a key component of the show in recent years. The estimated time of departure from Doncaster is around 2.30pm, so we'll all be looking closely at the twitter feed later today!

It's testament to all that work on the Vulcan's serviceability that we're even talking about a Vulcan ready for display, and I'm sure I'm not alone when I thanks everyone for their work, and look forward to more reports about how XH558 has delighted the crowds once again, and with only a couple of weeks left on the schedule for 2011, it would be great if she can see it through to the end this year.

There are of course big plans for next year - the 60th year since the first flight of the Vulcan, and hopefully she'll be booked by many venues, and the relevant monies can be raised to get her there - we're all dreaming of a final swansong maybe at the Queens Jubilee flypast, or even the Olympics flypast, which would be extremely nice to partake in.

Whatever happens, I think we should all congratulate everyone on the Vulcan project for giving us a cracking display season, and with the introduction of the corkscrew too, something to add to what is already a great display set.

So, all the best to the team for the visit to Dunsfold, and hopefully we can see some pistures & videos shortly!

Vulcan repair continues on sad weekend

It's been a terrible weekend as far as aviation is concerned, with despairing news coming from both the UK, US, and Canada - it's been one of those weekends.

Let's start at home though, and desperately sad news that we lost one of the Red arrows and more importantly, one of their pilots, who managed to steer his aircraft away from local houses and avoid a public disaster on the ground, and instead forsake his own life for the sake of others, and for that Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging should always be remembered, as having delighted millions of people since joining the Red Arrows, the display at Bournemouth was sadly to be his last.

The Reds always have a tremendous reputation, and I'm sure this will be built up as time goes on again, but it has certainly been dealt a horrible blow by this weekend's events, and as far as this Blogger is concerned, I would like to add to the many tributes by saying that every performance I've witnessed has left me in no doubt that the Reds are the best at what they do, and long may that continue. For now though, rest in peace Jon Egging.

Over in the US yesterday, over Kansas there was another fatality, with Bryan Jensen's biplane crashing to the ground to take another life that had delighted many in his previous displays, and the you tube clips (which I'm not going to link to) show how desperate the final act was, with the aircraft going the opposite way to what it shoudl, and sadly that took the life of Jensen.

Then, the news of an airliner going down in Canada, resulting in a dozen lives being taken, let's face it, Saturday 20th August 2011 really was a black black day in the world of aviation. Let's hope we don't have another like it.

As far as the Vulcan is concerned, well it's been a tough old time too, thankfully nothing on the scale as the above, but a grounding none the less thanks to a fuel leak that has prevented the team from displaying at Bournemouth, and several other airshows, and of course safety HAS to come first, but it doesn't stop that feeling of disappointment, and I'm sure the Vulcan team have been hit in the pocket over the cancellations, but safety is always paramount, and the correct decision was made.

We all wait with apprehension to see if the Vulcan can be repaired in time for the appearances in September - August must be wiped out I would have thought - but the first weekend in September has to be the target, and lets keep everything crossed that we see the Delta Lady in the air for those airshows in September, including the final airshow at Leuchars.

I'l leave the blog there now, as it's been a desperately sad weekend, and once again my condolences go out to everyone concerned with the sad news over the weekend.