Vulcan cleared for shows

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), July 4, 2008

A VULCAN bomber was today given the all-clear to fly at air shows across the country following its pounds 7m restoration.

It had earlier been granted a permit to fly by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), completing a three-year project to make it airworthy again.

The Cold War icon landed at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire shortly after 6pm and will now take part in the base's international air show at the weekend.

Before landing it completed a number of fly-pasts over the airfield for the hundreds of Vulcan enthusiasts who had lined the roads for a glimpse of its maiden flight since being granted a permit to fly.

Once it touched down the aircraft - once capable of carrying nuclear bombs - was given a second round of checks by a CAA official before being awarded a public display licence.

This will allow it to take part in the air show at RAF Waddington this weekend, as well as the Royal International Air Tat too in Fairford, Gloucestershire, and the Farnborough air show in Hampshire.

The newly-restored bomber has been dubbed the "people's aeroplane" because more than half of the pounds 7m needed to fund its refurbishment has come from public donations.

The RAF Waddington International Air Show this weekend will also include displays by the Typhoon and the Red Arrows.