Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[tikay]

Before we move on from Aviation (I suppose I must), an oddity from the weekend.

I drove across to Southend on Saturday, in readiness for filming there on Sunday, & installed myself in a "boutique" hotel, "Maison Renouf",  which was really rather nice, with all manner of quirks. Except the WiFi did not work.

No internet for 2 days - I was so put out, what to do?

So, early Sunday morning, I embarked on a long walk, & had a mooch round the back of Southend Airport, so see what was there.

Lo & behold, parked in a deserted corner of the airfield, adjacent the Rochford road, was a Vulcan Bomber.....!

What on earth was that doing there? Why?, what?, & when, I needed to know.

And google was FULL of stuff about it. It's the last remaining Vulcan, reg XL426, that has the ability to "fast-taxi" (it cannot fly), & there is a "Save the Vulcan" website & all sorts.

You do se the strangest things in the oddest places - a Vulcan Bomber at Southend Airport! I really am curious as to the tale behind it being there in the first place. Anyone know?

I took a 'photo, but this one, from google, is better.

[gatso]

while you're still on planes, my brother has just bought one of these to get himself around



can't wait to go over and have a go, great plane

[Dino]

Not the last Vulcan,This one was flying till recently.

[tikay]

Not the last Vulcan,This one was flying till recently.

Correct, my apologies.

Rushed research = bad research.

In fact, I now gather there are THREE Vulcan's remaining in seviceable, or semi-seviceable, conditiion. This I assume excludes the one at Duxford.

I really must sort out that outing to Duxford. I seem to recall that Red, Ralph, Tonji, & a few others were all up for it. I'll have a gander at my Diary, I really want to do it. In fact, dammit, I'm gonna go next week if I can round up a few who are interested.

[Colchester Kev]

Not the last Vulcan,This one was flying till recently.

Correct, my apologies.

Rushed research = bad research.

In fact, I now gather there are THREE Vulcan's remaining in seviceable, or semi-seviceable, conditiion. This I assume excludes the one at Duxford.

I really must sort out that outing to Duxford. I seem to recall that Red, Ralph, Tonji, & a few others were all up for it. I'll have a gander at my Diary, I really want to do it. In fact, dammit, I'm gonna go next week if I can round up a few who are interested.

go the week after next ... kids will still be on hols next week.

[AndrewT]

Not the last Vulcan,This one was flying till recently.

Correct, my apologies.

Rushed research = bad research.

In fact, I now gather there are THREE Vulcan's remaining in seviceable, or semi-seviceable, conditiion. This I assume excludes the one at Duxford.

I really must sort out that outing to Duxford. I seem to recall that Red, Ralph, Tonji, & a few others were all up for it. I'll have a gander at my Diary, I really want to do it. In fact, dammit, I'm gonna go next week if I can round up a few who are interested.

go the week after next ... kids will still be on hols next week.

It'll be quieter during the school holidays, won't it? If a kid going to go to RAF Duxford it'll be a school trip, surely?

[Ginger]

Not the last Vulcan,This one was flying till recently.

Correct, my apologies.

Rushed research = bad research.

In fact, I now gather there are THREE Vulcan's remaining in seviceable, or semi-seviceable, conditiion. This I assume excludes the one at Duxford.

I really must sort out that outing to Duxford. I seem to recall that Red, Ralph, Tonji, & a few others were all up for it. I'll have a gander at my Diary, I really want to do it. In fact, dammit, I'm gonna go next week if I can round up a few who are interested.

go the week after next ... kids will still be on hols next week.

It'll be quieter during the school holidays, won't it? If a kid going to go to RAF Duxford it'll be a school trip, surely?

If there are kids out there that have families like mine.. no. They'll be touring the country visiting all these sorts of places.

Got to admit, I used to love it.

[tikay]

Not the last Vulcan,This one was flying till recently.

Correct, my apologies.

Rushed research = bad research.

In fact, I now gather there are THREE Vulcan's remaining in seviceable, or semi-seviceable, conditiion. This I assume excludes the one at Duxford.

I really must sort out that outing to Duxford. I seem to recall that Red, Ralph, Tonji, & a few others were all up for it. I'll have a gander at my Diary, I really want to do it. In fact, dammit, I'm gonna go next week if I can round up a few who are interested.

go the week after next ... kids will still be on hols next week.

NEXT week - be there!

Thursday?

[Longines]

The only flying Vulcan is based just down the road from me at Bruntingthorpe in Leicestershire. I watched it fly overhead last summer on its way to an airshow - awe inspiring sight and sound.

[Colchester Kev]

Not the last Vulcan,This one was flying till recently.

Correct, my apologies.

Rushed research = bad research.

In fact, I now gather there are THREE Vulcan's remaining in seviceable, or semi-seviceable, conditiion. This I assume excludes the one at Duxford.

I really must sort out that outing to Duxford. I seem to recall that Red, Ralph, Tonji, & a few others were all up for it. I'll have a gander at my Diary, I really want to do it. In fact, dammit, I'm gonna go next week if I can round up a few who are interested.

go the week after next ... kids will still be on hols next week.

NEXT week - be there!

Thursday?

LOL ok, you got me.

[tikay]

Not the last Vulcan,This one was flying till recently.

Correct, my apologies.

Rushed research = bad research.

In fact, I now gather there are THREE Vulcan's remaining in seviceable, or semi-seviceable, conditiion. This I assume excludes the one at Duxford.

I really must sort out that outing to Duxford. I seem to recall that Red, Ralph, Tonji, & a few others were all up for it. I'll have a gander at my Diary, I really want to do it. In fact, dammit, I'm gonna go next week if I can round up a few who are interested.

go the week after next ... kids will still be on hols next week.

NEXT week - be there!

Thursday?

LOL ok, you got me.

OK, let's see who else is availble from the original "interested" list.

Just grown-ups mind, no shreddies.

[EvilPie]

Not the last Vulcan,This one was flying till recently.

Correct, my apologies.

Rushed research = bad research.

In fact, I now gather there are THREE Vulcan's remaining in seviceable, or semi-seviceable, conditiion. This I assume excludes the one at Duxford.

I really must sort out that outing to Duxford. I seem to recall that Red, Ralph, Tonji, & a few others were all up for it. I'll have a gander at my Diary, I really want to do it. In fact, dammit, I'm gonna go next week if I can round up a few who are interested.

go the week after next ... kids will still be on hols next week.

NEXT week - be there!

Thursday?

LOL ok, you got me.

OK, let's see who else is availble from the original "interested" list.

Just grown-ups mind, no shreddies.

[ ] The shreddies would just love this

[tikay]

Not the last Vulcan,This one was flying till recently.

Correct, my apologies.

Rushed research = bad research.

In fact, I now gather there are THREE Vulcan's remaining in seviceable, or semi-seviceable, conditiion. This I assume excludes the one at Duxford.

I really must sort out that outing to Duxford. I seem to recall that Red, Ralph, Tonji, & a few others were all up for it. I'll have a gander at my Diary, I really want to do it. In fact, dammit, I'm gonna go next week if I can round up a few who are interested.

go the week after next ... kids will still be on hols next week.

NEXT week - be there!

Thursday?

LOL ok, you got me.

OK, let's see who else is availble from the original "interested" list.

Just grown-ups mind, no shreddies.

[ ] The shreddies would just love this

They would, too.....

[cia260895]

You dont really appreciate the size of the vulcan until you are up close to it.I was amazed when i took Charlie to http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/index.cfm in hendon and they have 1 on display in the Bomber hall, it is just huuuuuuge

[tikay]

A celebration of Success. Everyone loves to moan about them, but Ryanair rarely get it wrong. What a business! The Founder was a guy called Tony Ryan, and RyanAir lost money for years, but he was OK, he was the billy big-cock in GPA, (Guinness Peat Aviation) an Aircraft Leasing outfit in Shannon, SW Ireland. In those days, Aircraft Leasing was the sexy thing in the City, but Tony got way too greedy in a botched flotation attempt, & it all went tits up. This'd be in the 70's or 80's. RyanAir was so bad, it was gonna skint him, so he bought in a young man called Michael O'Leary. It took Michael a few years to turn RyanAir round, but the rest is history. Now it's so damn good that everyome moans & grons about Ryanair. A sure sign it's successdul.

Ryanair Takes Delivery Of Its 200th New Boeing 737-800 Aircraft
 
 
Ryanair, Europe’s largest low fares airline, today (25th Mar) celebrated the delivery of its 200th brand new Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft. This year Ryanair’s fleet will carry 67 million passengers as it continues to grow traffic with its guaranteed lowest fares, which now average just €34, as passengers save billions by switching to Ryanair from high cost fuel surcharging flag carrier airlines.
 
 
Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said:
 
“We are delighted to take delivery of our 200th brand new Boeing aircraft. The total value of the Ryanair fleet is now over $12billion. We are proud to operate the youngest, greenest and most fuel efficient fleet of any major European airline.