Vulcan XH558 Engineering and Events Update – February 2022

In the last couple of months, while XH558’s engines have been in winter hibernation, our team has continued to give the aircraft plenty of TLC.

Most of the work to prepare her for another year of events has been on the powered flying controls, checking the hydraulics and greasing the moving parts. The fuel tank access panels have been cleaned and painted too.

The ground equipment is also under constant maintenance review. The hydraulic rig has recently had some attention, with the carburetor needing a repair.

Since August 2021 when we were able to recommence events after the Covid-19 lockdown, the team have carried out 32 event sessions. The events were a mix of the £15 Vulcan XH558 Airside Tours and the Engine Ground-Runs where full power is applied to XH588’s Olympus engines and guests hear the famous Vulcan ‘howl’.

With cooperation from the Airport, we intend to continue our Airside Tours and Engine Ground-Run events whilst plans for the Vulcan in the long term are considered and agreed.

Many hundreds of people visited in the last few months of last year. They got to enjoy being up close to XH558, viewed all the names under her massive delta-wing and experienced how large the aircraft is compared to how small the cockpit space is. In the first few months of this year we’ve planned in 14 sessions, all of which sold out within hours.

The first Airside Tour of 2022 will be on Sunday 27 February. We’ll bring you photos from this event and other events through the year as they happen.