OMFG :eek::eek::eek:
How is it possible that two guys can do this unlicensed with a plane worth billions?? Fotoshoot or not, there always should be a pilot on board…
It’s a peculiar set of circumstances. Because the aircraft isn’t registered with the CAA or as a military aircraft it found itself in a strange absence of jurisdiction.
There is a particularly poor article on the Daily Fail’s website which is full of rubbish.
There is a thread on pprune which Bob contributes to (the retired RAF pilot).
Very lucky it wasn’t a disaster and I think things will have been learned about fast taxi runs.
Have a read of the Daily Fail’s ‘article’ and think about it’s accuracy when you read things like ‘Throttle Button’. Apparently the chap involved had nothing to do with the ‘article’ by the way.
This was at Bruntingthorpe where the Vulcan is based, a couple of months ago. They’ve been doing fast taxi runs with the Victor for quite a while.
Initially when it was reported the thought was the weather, humid dense air etc and the runway has a dip, supposedly causing the Victor to become airborner.
Interesting to see the findings and that the CAA says that no-one was to blame. I’d be slapping the co-pilot round the head with my gloves a few times. 
As you say James, the Daily shite publish sensationalist bollox.
Nice to see the Vic flying again though
Holy…
That was so close, I cant believe they didn’t have a licensed backup pilot at least, regardless of the jurisdiction!
Next time…take it easy:D
The thread on pprune. ‘VictorPilot’ is the chap who was in control during the event. I have linked to page 11 and from there on I think he starts commenting on it somewhat.
http://www.pprune.org/aviation-history-nostalgia/372553-victor-airborne-merged-11.html
Thanks James, that’s an interesting read. I particularly like VP’s closing comments on page 11:
Didnt she look great in the air - 15 years since she last flew, and would you believe it - 28 years since I did my last operational trip in her!! How I wish we could do it all properly for real!! “Fred’s Sheds” may have built hand crafted aircraft, and BAe may have “spoilt” them in the K2 conversions, but the Victor was the longest serving V Bomber, and is still the Rolls Royce in my mind. From cockpit comfort, to sophisticated aerodynamics that gave it a performance well ahead of the Tin whatsit thing…were the mega-millions well spent? Could we raise the money to keep her flying on the experience gained from the Triangle?
She did indeed look great in the air and it’d be marvellous to see one airborne alongside the Vulcan.
Looks like the co-pilot decided to yank the throttle mid take off.
Shows just how much power they have as at 1.09 mins you get car alarms going off in the car park and the jet wash is not even being pushed that way as when the tail gets up it kicks off to the other side.