FlyPast – August 2018

10 FLYPAST August 2018

NEWS THE LATEST IN AVIATION HERITAGE

Passengers enjoy

high-speed VC10 run at

Bruntingthorpe

The VC10 Preservation Group,

which maintains Vickers VC10 K.

ZD241 in ground running condition

at Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire,

was able to take 36 passengers for

a high-speed taxi run on May 27,

during the venue’s Cold War Jets

Open Day.

Formed in 2017, the group has

recently obtained the necessary

cover from Lorica Insurance

Brokers to run up to 40 people

aboard the four-engined jet.

Passengers are asked to make a

donation towards running costs.

“The reaction of passengers to

the sights, sounds and smells, not

to mention the mighty acceleration

of the jet, was extremely positive,”

reports trustee Keith Wilson. “All

left with big smiles on their faces,

with many promising to return

to repeat the experience in the

future, particularly when the full

length of Bruntingthorpe’s 06/

runway is once again available.”

The VC10 fi rst fl ew as G-ASGM

in February 1968 before joining

British airline BOAC. After being

retired from civilian service in the

early 1980s, it was stored at Abingdon

in Oxfordshire. It then went to

Filton, Gloucestershire where it was

converted into a K.4 tanker for the

RAF’s 101 Squadron in 1995.

The jet was retired to Bruntingthorpe

in 2013, but was made ‘live’ again the

following year by a team of volunteers

and with the support of Gary Spoors’

GJD Services. The subsequently

formed VC10 Preservation Group aims

to ensure the long-term future of the

airframe as a live exhibit and for STEM

(Science, Technology, Engineering

& Mathematics) engagement and

activities. In addition to passengers,

the ZD241 team welcomed a party

of STEM staff and students from

Leicester College on May 27. It hopes

to host other school and college

groups in future.

The next opportunity to ride aboard

ZD241 will be on Sunday, August 26.

Those interested in securing tickets,

or wishing to seek information about

the group and its activities, should

go to: http://www.vc10preservationgroup.

org or Facebook page ‘ZD241 – VC

Preservation Group’.

WITH THANKS TO KEITH WILSON

A head-on view of VC10 K.4 ZD241 as

it accelerated down the runway at

Bruntingthorpe recently. GERRY WEATHERHEAD

Chris Haywood (right) and Pete Ruffl e at the controls as ZD241 makes a high-speed run on

May 27. KEITH WILSON

Passengers and crew after the VC10 run on May 27. KEITH WILSON