558 2013 looking good...?

[Hihonyr8811]

Yeah I could hear her practising over Wickenby from 10 miles away (we were near Horncastle) Sounded awesome

In a way I'm sort of glad that there hasn't been a big announcement, I don't think the little roads would cope
We've already put our ETD from home back an hour just in case, and we're 15 minutes away

[Minty4371]

£2,425 - 2013 Season Funding.
£38,240 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 14th June 2013

We have two new readings appearing on our home page tonight. The first gives the status of the additional income we have raised since early today and will monitor our 2013 season, while the second will give a reading of the pledges made towards Operation 2015 up until 12noon each Friday.

Already, after only one week from the initial announcement of the possibility of a Flying Life Extension, we have received well in excess of 300 pledges - totalling nearly £40,000, or 10% of the total required before we know funding the work will be possible. Thank you!

[Mayfly]

No mention of Wickenby in the Newsletter and no mention of it in the display list either.

[Minty4371]

Thank you for just reaching the total of £800,000 that was needed to secure budgets from October last year to the end of June. The total was reached early this morning with a telephone call which gave us a generous donation to help clear the outstanding amount from the overnight reading to surpass the hurdle.

This now puts us clear to concentrate on our 2013 season fundraising activities and to look at what is needed to secure the funding for Operation 2015, which is planned to release two more seasons of flying operations for XH558.

We do as ever though, need your help. XH558 is certainly majority funded by you the public, who have consistently risen to every fundraising challenge - a clear desire to keep her flying for just as long as possible.

Thank you once again for everything you can do.

[Mayfly]

Wickenby has been tweeted!

[Minty4371]

May see her tomorrow as will be travelling through Lincoln towards Doncaster on a train at about 1440. It may be in the distance, but I will look out for her.

[Minty4371]

£8,216 - 2013 Season Funding.
£43,182 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 18th June 2013

[Minty4371]

£16,516 - 2013 Season Funding.
£48,734 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 21st June 2013

[Minty4371]

£39,286 - 2013 Season Funding.
£71,052 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 24th June 2013

[Minty4371]

£48,768 - 2013 Season Funding.
£76,785 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 28th June 2013

[Minty4371]

£61,628 - 2013 Season Funding.
£87,055 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 2nd July 2013

360 degrees of XH558 Cockpit.
http://visualise.s3.amazonaws.com/waddi ... graph.html

[Minty4371]

£69,246 - 2013 Season Funding.
£90,244 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 5th July 2013

[Minty4371]

£79,804 - 2013 Season Funding.
£92,962 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 9th July 2013

[Minty4371]

£83,462 - 2013 Season Funding.
£97,376 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 12th July 2013

[Minty4371]

£87,534 - 2013 Season Funding.
£102,248 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 16th July 2013

[Minty4371]

£92,492 - 2013 Season Funding.
£108,915 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 19th July 2013

From the newsletter.
"The work planned for the winter will be irrelevant if we are unable to keep covering our operational overheads during the season. After this weekend, we will have completed half of our display calendar, but the funding gauge indicates we are less than 25% towards covering the 2013 budget shortfall identified earlier this year. You can see the latest read-outs on our home page - updated twice each week.
Although spending on merchandise is helping to bolster cash-flow, the expense of funding additional stocks, hangarage, insurance and fuel, let alone transporting our crews and equipment all over the country is still draining our resources. To compound this situation, our general donations have fallen sharply over the last few months. Although we expected greater exposure at air shows to have a more positive effect on funding, sadly this has not yet been found to be the case.
Can you spare the price of an ice-cream this weekend - or a 6-pack? If all those reading this could donate just £5, it'd make XH558's life more certain. As we have found before, there is great strength in numbers.
Hopefully, a small one-off donation today can help redress the balance so we can see a better picture when we take another reading for Tuesday’s main newsletter edition."

[Minty4371]

£98,407 - 2013 Season Funding.
£116,512 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 23rd July 2013

[Minty4371]

£106,424 - 2013 Season Funding.
£118,354 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 26th July 2013

Sorry for the delay in posting.

[Minty4371]

£114,256 - 2013 Season Funding.
£121,532 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 30th July 2013

[Minty4371]

£121,478 - 2013 Season Funding.
£129,425 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 2nd August 2013

[Minty4371]

Breaking News from a CAA Press Release on XH558 - see our newsletter tonight - published at 5pm. From XH558 Twitter.

[Mayfly]

Oooo - interesting

Edit: looks like it could have already broken on Ukar!!!

[Dan4th]

What's the Buzz, Pam??????

Danf.

[Minty4371]

Oooo - interesting

Edit: looks like it could have already broken on Ukar!!!

I don't go on that website, so don't know. I will post when the newsletter arrives in my inbox.

EDIT: This from the newsletter.

This morning, the Civil Aviation Authority issued the following Press Release:

The CAA today announced an easing of operating restrictions on the UKs sole airworthy Vulcan aircraft. The move allows the former RAF bomber to be now operated under daytime IFR rules, and in IMC, it was previously limited to VFR daytime operations.

The VFR limitation had represented a significant restriction to this historic aircraft built in 1960, and designed, as it was, from the outset to operate at high level in all-weather conditions and with a fatigue-limited airframe not suited to turbulence levels associated with low-level operation.

The aircraft may now, however, operate at altitudes and under flight rules which permit a greater degree of safety, fuel efficiency and longevity.

The Vulcan will become the first UK aircraft with a Permit to Fly to be allowed to operate under daytime IFR and in IMC, overturning the previous blanket VFR restriction on all Permit aircraft.
The CAA also confirmed that it is engaging with the Light Aircraft Association to enable amateur-built and ex-type certified Permit aircraft - having agreed airworthiness characteristics and suitably equipped - to also be relieved of their day/VFR limitation on a by-aircraft basis.

Robert Pleming, VTST Chief Executive commented: “This is excellent news. We have been working with the CAA and Marshall Aerospace for the last couple of years towards the goal of a limited daytime Instrument Flight Rules(IFR) clearance that will allow XH558 to fly through Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) to higher altitudes and smoother air to obtain, as the CAA have observed, a greater degree of safety, fuel efficiency and longevity. We’re all delighted, as this adds to the justification for the fatigue life extension planned - but not yet funded! - for this winter.”

EDIT 2:

£142,038 - 2013 Season Funding.
£136,252 - Operation 2015 Pledges.

As of 6th August 2013

[Dan4th]

Not having to change course for clouds is a
really fine thing plus more direct routes to
and from displays -- this is all Good

I wonder, though, what altitude(s) she will
be likely to get to?

Her limit now is, what, 17 to 18 Thousand?

Don't suppose she'd do much more than 20,
though, not being pressurized....

Danf.