Vulcan Bomber to take to the skies for its final season, with a flypast at Cholmondeley Pageant of Power.

• Vulcan to take to the skies of CPOP in final flying season
• This year’s CPOP will celebrate ‘power’ on land, air and water with events on the famous Cholmondeley track, the world’s only flying Vulcan and a display from the Red Bull Matadors Aerobatic team
• CPOP runs from 12^th to 14^th June 2015

This year’s Cholmondeley Pageant of Power (CPOP) will play host to the world’s only flying Vulcan, as it embarks on its last ever flight in Cheshire.

After being seen by some 20 million people since her return to the public domain, the Vulcan to the Sky Trust (VTST), which owns and operates the aircraft, has announced that 2015 will be the final flying season for the Vulcan XH558. 

In her 55^th year and her eighth display season following her restoration, this iconic example of British aerospace engineering will make its first and last appearance at CPOP.

The jet-engined, delta wing strategic bomber will be flying over Cholmondeley Castle, its beautiful parkland and 20-acre lake on the final day of the festival - Sunday 14^th June.

Designed and built in the 1950s, the Vulcan was operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984. If necessary it could be started in 27 seconds and airborne within two minutes of a squadron scramble.

XH558 was also the last Vulcan to leave RAF service, flying on from 1986 to 1992 as the single RAF Display Vulcan, before being sold into private hands for preservation and ground running in 1993. 

In 1997, a small team headed by Dr Robert Pleming started on the long journey to return the respected aircraft to flight and ten years later, the Vulcan once again took to the skies.

James Hall, event director at CPOP, said: “It’s extremely sad that this is the last time the Vulcan will take to the skies over Cheshire. However, we’re privileged to be the host of this important occasion and look forward to making its appearance a truly special moment for everyone in attendance on the Sunday.”

Dr Robert Pleming, Chief Executive of VTST, said: "We are looking forward to having the opportunity to display XH558 at this great event and giving this iconic aircraft a spectacular Cheshire send off.”

Although the Vulcan will cease to fly from Autumn, VTST is keen for the aircraft to play a key role in technical education.

Dr Pleming continued: “Though she will be unable to fly, we are planning on putting the Vulcan at the heart of a new ‘real world’ learning environment which we hope will not only raise standards of learning within the aviation industry, but also offer a broad education that will attract both local, national and international students.”

The eighth staging of CPOP will celebrate ‘power’ on land, air and water with events on the famous Cholmondeley track. The festival will honour the Lotus marque on Friday, American Muscle cars on Saturday and Eighties supercars on Sunday.

CPOP is welcoming bike legends Dougie Lampkin MBE and Sammy Miller MBE throughout the weekend, in addition to the Millyard Viper V10 and a Suzuki Hayabusa.

Alongside the Vulcan, Sunday will also see the Red Bull Matadors entertaining the crowd with an aerobatic display. 

This exciting air programme will follow the appearance of the RAF Typhoon Display Team on the Saturday.

On the lake there will be a wide range of watersport action including jet ski racing and flyboarding demonstrations.

The above, combined with camping, live music from Tenors of Rock and the RPJ Band and hundreds of exciting trade stands, will make CPOP the family-friendly motorsport event of the summer.

Tickets are now on sale at www.cpop.co.uk for the event at Cholmondeley Castle, Malpas, Cheshire. Adult tickets are priced from £30 with children’s tickets starting from £5.