Simviation Forums

Looks like it's business as usual with the VTS then.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/7252105.stm

Can't say I'm surprised. I won't say 'I told you so'.

To be honest, if nothing else, the fact they got her airborne once was in itself a miracle so they should be proud of that.
But then looking at the amount spent so far, I'd see it as a waste of money if they can't get it flying more.

I just hope they can find the money....

We've been here before - and it's "only" another

[quote]We've been here before - and it's "only" another

[quote][quote]We've been here before - and it's "only" another

[quote]
Hence the catch 22... Maybe British Gas could sponsor it with some of their

[quote][quote]
Hence the catch 22... Maybe British Gas could sponsor it with some of their

That's the end of that then.

I also think it needs to be taken with a wee pinch of salt; the last real major press publicity it got was back when it flew again, now several months ago. This appeal now gets it back in the papers and on the Beeb - essentially cheap national publicity, which often will prompt the non aviation minded into giving a few quid. They sound like they're getting several

[color=#000000]Sounds like a bit of supply and demand economics and the like going on.  Don't get me wrong, I love to see older aircraft restored into operation.  But, if the demand is not great enough for the supply . . . well, then the monies won't be coming in.

Still,

[color=#000000]Sounds like a bit of supply and demand economics and the like going on.  Don't get me wrong, I love to see older aircraft restored into operation.  But, if the demand is not great enough for the supply . . . well, then the monies won't be coming in.

Sadly I think the major downside to the project has been the timescale, and by that I'm not referring completely to the last 7 years of restoration proper. The aircraft had a lot of public support when it did its final display as an RAF aircraft in 1992. Sadly the next 7 years was spent convincing the Civil Aviation Authority that a civvy organisation could operate the jet and that a large engineering company would take over design authority of the aircraft, as BAe/BAE Systems weren't particularly interested. Shorten the timescale and I suspect the project would have been far more successful financially.

On a side not, a lot of people seem to mention the "damage" this will do to other aircraft restorers applying for Heritage Lottery Fund money. One can counter this by pointing out that one of the main sticking points was getting HLF to actually fund an operational restoration, rather than a museum exhibit. In this aspect, no damage could have been done at all, as TVOC were the one's who got the ruled changed anyway!