THE Vulcan’s display pilot says he’s delighted to actually be on the ground in Bournemouth for the first time.
Although the Cold War bomber displayed at the air festival last year, on Thursday it landed at Bournemouth Airport for the first time since 1992.
Today Phill O’Dell, who grew up in Winton, will take the controls for its display, while tomorrow chief pilot Martin Withers, who flew Vulcans during the Falklands conflict – winning a Distinguished Flying Cross in the process – will be in the cockpit.
Martin said: “It’s really lovely to be able to land here at Bournemouth. I did the display here last year and there were 360,000 people watching one day and 340,000 the other, but we weren’t able to meet anybody or be on the ground to share in it all.
“We’re much more part of the whole show (this year).
“It’s lovely to display in front of lots and lots of people, because we know how much enjoyment they get from seeing the Vulcan.
“Everybody, I’m told, was sitting on the beach in the sand and they all got up when they saw the Vulcan arrive, everybody loves it.”
Vulcan XH558 is displaying on Saturday afternoon (Aug 21)
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