THE organisation that brought the Vulcan bomber back to flight could do the same with another historic aircraft, its chief has revealed.

As the curtain falls on XH558’s flying life after 60 years, Dr Robert Pleming, CEO of the Vulcan to the Sky Trust that famously got the jet back in the air in 2007, also praised Bournemouth as the best place for an air display in the country.

Following the Vulcan’s farewell tour around the country earlier this month, those involved with its operation are hoping to fly it one final time.

Dr Pleming said negotiations over a final flight from its base at Robin Hood Airport, Doncaster, were still being hammered out – vigorous warnings had to be issued earlier this month to keep people safely away from the airfield for the final tour.

He told the Daily Echo: “We would love to do a final flight.

“That said, we can’t risk disrupting the commercial operations of the airport.

“We’re discussing some quite onerous restrictions and we have to make a decision as to whether it’s worth it, but we would like to go out on a high.”

The final flight has to be before October 31, as some components on the plane would have to be overhauled if it was after that.

Dr Pleming said: “I’ve just been amazed by the support we have seen over the past three-to-four weeks with the national tour.

“It was really difficult to decide on the best route for the national tour, and I’m sorry we didn’t make it down to Bournemouth, but we had to find the right places to go to get the right opportunities for people to see it.

“It’s the end of 60 years’ worth of amazing aviation and there is a bit of a lump in the throat with everybody.”

The focus will soon shift to the future and using the Vulcan as a centrepiece for inspiring young people from Robin Hood Airport, both physically and via the internet and video streaming.

“It’s a very exciting prospect on the horizon. We seem to have touched a nerve with our enthusiasm to turn the technology into inspiring youngsters into looking at engineering.

“That’s what we want to pick up on and run with,” said Dr Pleming.

Speaking about XH558’s appearances at Bournemouth Air Festival, Dr Pleming said: “The welcome has been so friendly and we have such an affection between the spectators down at Bournemouth and the Vulcan.

“In my view it’s probably the best location for an air display in the country, with the cliffs and the seafront, you really can’t beat it.

“We’re not abandoning taking really unique aircraft and getting them back to flight, so watch this space.”