Win a chance to experience the last flying Vulcan start and take off at close quarters, meet the pilots and crew responsible for XH558

‘Power-on Tarmac Experience’ for two people the latest incredible prize as part of XH558’s last flying season

A new Free Prize Draw will present the lucky winner with a day of unprecedented access to the Last Flying Vulcan, XH558, and the opportunity to experience the visceral thrill of an up-close fire-up of its legendary Olympus jets. The ‘Power-on Tarmac’ prize is an experience for two people, and provides the chance to meet the air and ground crew to discuss their incredible experiences with the aircraft, witness the meticulous pre-flight checks and, ultimately, admire the iconic silhouette power down the runway and roar into the skies for one of the last times.

“This is a rare and incredibly exciting opportunity for XH558 supporters to get close to the Last Flying Vulcan, and feel involved with preparations as they are able to don headsets and listen in to fascinating dialogue between aircrew and ground crew as she prepares for take-off,” says Vulcan to the Sky chief executive Dr. Robert Pleming. “The fact that we are now in XH558’s final year of flight makes this occasion all the more special, and to witness from close quarters one of the final times this wonderful aircraft leaves the runway is a chance to be savoured.”

The prize offers the lucky winner a chance to take a friend or family member to visit XH558 in her hangar at Robin Hood Airport Doncaster in September, meet the engineering team responsible for keeping her in flight, the pilots and the Air Electronics Officer. The winner will meet the team on the morning of the flight and witness the aircraft start, taxy to the runway and then set off on her day’s tour as a wonderful climax to a day of unprecedented access. Visit www.VulcanFreeDraw.co.uk to register your details for an opportunity to win.

There is also a free Vulcan newsletter, which provides details on where to see XH558 fly throughout the rest of her final season and regular updates about competitions, fund raising and the exciting next stages of life for XH558. Readers can sign up at www.vulcantothesky.org.

A Valuable Future for XH558
When XH558 lands for the last time at the end of a spectacular Farewell to Flight season, it will be to become the centre of a new type of education initiative. “XH558 is an iconic example of that remarkable period of intense post-war innovation that made British aviation technology the envy of the world,” concludes Pleming. “In her new life, still able to accelerate dramatically along the runway, XH558 will build on this exciting provenance to inspire and educate new generations of young people, helping to deliver the technical and aviation skills that Britain so badly needs.”

There will also be a heritage centre so that enthusiasts can continue to visit the aircraft and learn about the engineering innovation and Cold War politics that brought her into existence. XH558 will be maintained to a high standard and will regularly thrill audiences with her famous Vulcan howl as she accelerates along the runway.

Already around 15,000 people a year visit XH558 at her hangar. The award-winning tours must be booked in advance (for security reasons there is no access without pre-booking) and can be chosen by visiting www.vulcantothesky.org and clicking displays/tours. Regular updates and other news is provided by a popular free email newsletter and the Trust also has an active Facebook community (Vulcan XH558) and Twitter feed @XH558.

Why is the Vulcan Important?
The Avro Vulcan is a powerful example of British aerospace engineering at its world-beating best. The design brief was issued by the MoD in 1946 and the aircraft flew for the first time on August 30th 1952, just eleven years after the first flight of its predecessor, the Avro Lancaster. Its impressive list of technical achievements includes being the first successful large delta wing aircraft (leading directly to Concorde), innovations such as electrically-powered flying controls, one of the first applications of anti-lock brakes (similar to those on the Jensen FF) and a speed and agility that was so close to a jet fighter’s that it was given a fighter-style control column in place of the traditional bomber pilot’s yoke.

Success as a Cold War peacekeeper meant that the Vulcan might have flown its entire service life without ever entering combat if it hadn’t been for the Falklands Conflict in 1982. During a marathon 8,000 mile flight supported by eleven Victor tankers, Martin Withers and his crew released the bombs over Port Stanley Airport that prevented Argentina operating its Mirage III fighters from the island and initiated the campaign that recaptured the Falklands. Two years later, the last Vulcans were withdrawn from service. Martin earned a Distinguished Flying Cross for his part in this action.

Today, only one Vulcan is left flying: XH558, owned by Vulcan To The Sky Trust, a registered charity. Returned to the air in 2007 following one of the world’s most challenging restoration programmes, she has become an airshow phenomenon. “People forget that airshows attract seven million people annually. As a spectator activity, that’s second only to football,” says Dr Pleming.

Martin Withers DFC, now Vulcan to the Sky Trust’s operations director and chief pilot, is a passionate supporter of the educational role of the aircraft. “Part of our mission is to ensure that young people learn about the knife-edge fear of the Cold War,” he explains. “If I had been ordered to press the button that releases the nuclear payload over our enemy, there would almost certainly have been no Britain left to fly home to. The Vulcan is the most powerful symbol of a remarkable period in global history that we must never forget.”

Withers is also highlights the aircraft’s growing role in technical education, a field that will become her focus when she can no longer fly. “The Vulcan is one of the most significant steps forward in aerospace technology, and it is thoroughly British. She fires young people with a passion for engineering and innovation, which we can build on using the extraordinary energy and expertise needed to restore and operate the UK’s only flying ‘complex’ heritage aircraft to world-class safety standards.” When the combination of age and complexity of the aircraft eventually prevents further renewal of her Permit to Fly, she will form the heart of a new type of engineering education initiative that will continue to inspire young people with a passion for science and technology.

Follow XH558 on twitter @XH558

Join our Facebook community: www.facebook.com/VulcanXH558

Read about XH558 and how to keep her flying at: www.vulcantothesky.org where you can also sign-up for the free email newsletter and find out how to own an item flown in her final flying season.

Press enquiries
Richard Gotch at Market Engineering (further information, aircraft history, interviews)
+44 (0) 1295 277050
+44 (0) 7831 569 732                       
richard.gotch@m-eng.com

Pictures
A wide selection of high-resolution images is available from megan.davies@m-eng.com  -
+44 (0) 1295 277050

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