Campaigners say the Vulcan is an important part of the nation's heritage
A Cold War bomber, restored by enthusiasts for £7m, may be grounded because of a cash crisis.
The Vulcan first flew in public last summer after 15 years of repairs, but financial problems could bankrupt the Leicestershire trust behind it.
An appeal for new donations has not reached its £1m target.
A letter from high-profile supporters, including Sir Richard Branson, appeared in a national newspaper calling for the government to intervene.
Vulcan XH558 was restored at Bruntingthorpe aerodrome with more than £2m from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £5m in other donations.
We are doing this for the nation and we hope the nation will support us in our hour of need
Dr Robert Pleming, Vulcan to the Sky Trust
The aircraft, which used to be based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, took part in several displays last summer in front of an estimated 1.5m people.
But the costs of simply keeping the aircraft in flying condition, about £80,000 a month, have not been met because corporate sponsorship has been falling.
Dr Robert Pleming, chief executive of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, confirmed the staff had already been given their one-month notice.
"It is a very serious situation," he said. "We are basically making a plea.
"We were seen by one and a half million plus people last year and we are convinced those people are not yet aware of the plight we are in.
"We are hoping that by making a lot of noise in the media, some of those people will say 'I want to see the aircraft fly again'."
The current appeal has seen £260,000 pledged but the trust has said it will not call in the pledges unless the target was reached.
Dr Pleming added: "We are doing this for the nation and we hope the nation will support us in our hour of need."
The open letter, also signed by Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, author Frederick Forsyth and Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Knight, demands the Vulcan be given a place on the RAF's memorial flight.
Would it not be a tremendous disappointment that after so many many years of desperately looking for finance, enormous technical issues being resolved this mighty bomber will be grounded after only 1 (limited) airshows appearance in 2008!
I sincerely hope that TVOC (The Vulcan Operating Company, see website) will obtain the required money to continue the work of their life! If only 75.000 people donate 10 Pounds the 1 Million Pound target will be met. Maybe just like a few years ago a rich filantrope will step in and save this beautifull aircraft.
What really was said today can be read at http://www.vulcantothesky.org
So, the money still has to materialize in cash, and the Olympic flypast is just a wish of one of the mayor sponsors. There is "only" a month more cash to reach the objectives in full
De Zamboni heeft kramp in zijn achterwiel Jan Maarten Smeets, Heerenveen 31 oktober 2009
aviodromefriend wrote:Doesn't look so good as said in the posts above.
What really was said today can be read at http://www.vulcantothesky.org
So, the money still has to materialize in cash, and the Olympic flypast is just a wish of one of the mayor sponsors. There is "only" a month more cash to reach the objectives in full
What was said can also be seen on the BBC-clip I think... To me the chairman Dr. Pleming stated quite optimistically : (Quote)"
we can now actually promise everybody that the vulcan will be flying this sumnmer and beyond that in years to come..."(unquote), so to me that sounds quite clearly as a go.....
Tried to copy the whole thing in my post before, unfortunately the forum didn't accept... So another try to post a part: Pleming talking
http://www.vulcantothesky.org/ wrote:Where does that leave us? We still have no cash, just pledges for a significant sum. How can we carry on? I am delighted to announce that our closest sponsors have decided that they cannot let the project down, and have stepped up to the challenge of providing the immediate cash to ensure we can keep going.
At this point I am going to hand over to Kevin Martin, Sales Manager of Aerobytes Ltd.
Aerobytes will not stand by and see this project cease operations today, and is proud to confirm that together with Judd Power it has provided the immediate cash required to pay the salaries of the Vulcan Team for a further month of operation.
Be warned: while it looks like the target will be met, if the pledges are not realised, then there will be no more lifelines - Vulcan XH558 will become a static museum-piece because the funds required to salvage the situation from that point would eclipse those required by the pledge campaign.
Later in the statement the Olympics turn up:
http://www.vulcantothesky.org/ wrote:We at Aerobytes are proud to sponsor the Vulcan and very much hope to see Vulcan XH558 as the star of the fly-past that will open the London Olympic Games in 2012 and many events before .
So hope, not a fixed appointment. Besides, I don't recall an Olymic opening ceremony comprising a fly-past or any aircraft involvement since Mr. Rogge became President of the IOC. Those were from the Samaranch era (and maybe before that). I would have loved to see a fly-past from the Chinese last year though .
Then Pleming about money again:
http://www.vulcantothesky.org/ wrote:That’s not the end of the story. Over the next couple of weeks, we will be asking people who pledged to honour their pledges. We know from our experience in 2006 that there will be those who, for very good reasons, end up not being able to make good on their pledges. We are therefore keeping the pledge campaign running for the next month, and ask those who maybe didn’t think we would make it, to make a pledge or donation – in recognition of their doubts assuaged!!
Once we have the cash in hand, we can move forward to complete the technical work that will ready XH558 for the summer ahead. We already have a provisional display schedule (on our website) and will now be seeking to agree the programme with air displays around the country.
De Zamboni heeft kramp in zijn achterwiel Jan Maarten Smeets, Heerenveen 31 oktober 2009
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