Sea Vixen Flight Restoration Terminated - Seahawk to be made airworthy

[wellsprop]

https://www.facebook.com/100064683009175/posts/399572938875470/

 

Sad, but not unexpected. The Sea Vixen is a big complicated beast and didn't have a particularly good serviceability when operated by the FAA... 

 

However, the good news is the Seahawk will be returned to flight

[Jonny]

Thanks, Wellsprop ...

I'm afraid I don't have a facebook account and cannot, therefore, read the material you have provided a link to!

However, I'm guessing it states that the Sea Vixen will not be repaired to airworthy standard, but will be restored to viewable static standard.  With regard to the Seahawk ISTR it being announced some time ago that it will be restored to airworthy status - does your facebook article say when?

Thganks & regards,

Jonny

 

 

 

 

 

 

[lasermonkey]

Here's a cut'n'paste:

 

Navy Wings Trustees have reached the difficult decision to cease work on Sea Vixen FAW2 XP924.

The Sea Vixen suffered a hydraulic failure in May 2017 resulting in a controlled wheels up landing at RNAS Yeovilton. Despite the charity’s best efforts to attract interest over the last five years, including appeals for a ‘white knight’ to fund the restoration of the Sea Vixen, we were unable to raise the considerable funds required to restore her back to flight.

As the charity is funded by public donations, Trustees must always be mindful of achieving the most cost-effective outcomes from the funds that are generously donated by our supporters. With that in mind, the decision has been taken to offer the Sea Vixen to a museum or private collection.

However, if someone was to come forward in the next month with a plan to purchase the aircraft and restore her back to flight, we would listen to any proposals seriously.

Over the same period, we have been assessing the wider feasibility of all our potential aircraft restoration projects and, as part of that process, we have concluded that the restoration of Sea Hawk FGA.6 VW908 to flight is both affordable and achievable.

 

The aircraft, which last displayed in 2010, has been in dehumidified storage at RAF Shawbury awaiting a decision on her future. We have now commissioned a full survey of the work required and in broad terms, it will cost about 10% of the funds that would be required to return the Sea Vixen to flight.

Therefore, the Charity is delighted to announce that the plan to restore WV908 back to flight will now commence. The aircraft has recently been transferred to our Heritage Hangar at Yeovilton and our engineers will oversee the return to flight plan, which we estimate will take about two years.

This has been a very difficult decision for the charity. We believe that this course of action is the most responsible and has by far the greatest opportunity to be successful. The Sea Hawk will make an exciting addition to the future air show circuit.

We will be providing regular updates on the Sea Hawk project via our social channels, so if you would like to support the restoration of the Sea Hawk and get restoration news first, please join us by signing up as a supporter.

[Jonny]

Thanks, Lasermonkey!

 

Jonny