[Trent772]

Thank you Mr Frankenfurter for shutting down a viable longhaul Airline.....

[Rob P]

I can't like that

Rob P

[Human Factor]

I'm surprised there wasn't a buyer who wanted to fly it in the future. It's still a pretty viable machine - although I don't know the hours and cycles on the TCX aircraft, which may have tipped the balance.

BA's old 747s being scrapped, I understand - as difficult it as it may be for my colleagues and me but I imagined the A330s would be around for some time to come.

[Fellsteruk]

Cricky, such a shame, I guess any other time it would have found a new life but with the industry the way it is I guess lots of these will end up in the scrapper which is a shame.

[Lockhaven]

I remember watching the executioner cut up the Vulcans at RAF Catterick in 1982-83, not a pretty sight.

[Trent772]

20 years old and 100,000 hours.....

To be fair, they were done, but it still isn't easy. I have 5,000 hours on that airframe

[avtur3]

..... It's still a pretty viable machine ....

Sadly the picture says otherwise ...

I lived just a couple of miles away from the Nimrods that met a similar fate ... throwing £4.5bn down the drain ... it is all heartbreaking stuff.

[johnm]

The guy who set up ASI in Kemble has had two serious christmases, 2008 and now. It's a simple equation with a leased aircraft needing major maintenance, do we put money into it or take money out of it.......

[Dominie]

I remember watching the executioner cut up the Vulcans at RAF Catterick in 1982-83, not a pretty sight.

Was there more than one Vulcan at Catterick? We sent one there from Scampton (XH554 on 9.6.81) and they had to stop the traffic on the A1 for it to land - quite odd to see it off from SCA and then go home to see it on TV doing its last landing!

[Lockhaven]

I remember watching the executioner cut up the Vulcans at RAF Catterick in 1982-83, not a pretty sight.

Was there more than one Vulcan at Catterick? We sent one there from Scampton (XH554 on 9.6.81) and they had to stop the traffic on the A1 for it to land - quite odd to see it off from SCA and then go home to see it on TV doing its last landing!

If memory serves me right I think there were maybe 5 all lined up along with other types waiting for the chop, its so long ago I could be mixing in other types like the victor, but I do remember getting into them before they were scrapped.

[JonEBgood]

Vulcans would arrive in sixes at St Athan and bash the circuit together on their final flights... Schoolboy memories all seem to aviation-related ...

[kanga]

Vulcans would arrive in sixes at St Athan and bash the circuit together on their final flights... ...

And in the same era ('70s) Victors would be coming to St Athan for Majors, then flying out again (light!). Also, Air Cadet Sedberghs and Kirkby IIIs were being trailered in, also for Majors, on a carefully planned long (ISTR possibly 20 years, for each airframe) maintenance cycle; there was a dedicated wood/fabric maintenance and repair hangar, presumably the last in the RAF, employing both civilian (ex-Forces) and RAF specialist craftsmen, the last holders of a particular Trade Group title ('Aircraft Carpenter' or similar).

Our Air Cadets had a Camp there one summer, and we 'liberated' (with permission) a Vulcan cockpit ladder which went on to serve as the loft ladder for the Squadron hut