Recreation and Culture

Transcription

1 Recreation and Culture MISSION STATEMENT Our City is uilt on relationships between citizens and their government, businesses and public institutions, city and region all interconnected, mutually supportive, and focused on the brightest future we an reate together REPORT #: S 90/2016 Report Date: 4/15/2016 Author s Contact: Date to Council: May 4, 2016 Cathy Masterson Clerk s File #: APR/1699 Manager, Cultural Affairs ext cmasterson@citywindsor.ca To: Mayor and Members of City Council Subject: Lancaster Bomber 2015 Progress Report and Request to Exchange Stabilizers with the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Project Team - City Wide RECOMMENDATION: THAT the progress report provided by the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association (CH2A) BE RECEIVED for information as required by the Stewardship Agreement of October 2006, and further; THAT the Executive Director of Recreation and Culture BE DIRECTED to confirm with the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Project Team and the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association the details to exchange the RAF Lancaster Horizontal Stabilizers with Windsor s Horizontal Stabilizers with all associated costs (shipping and transportation, etc.) to be borne by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Project Team, and further; THAT the Chief Administrative Officer and City Clerk BE AUTHORIZED to sign a Letter of Understanding with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Project relative to the exchange of stabilizers, in form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, and in technical content to the Commissioner of Community Development and Health and Executive Director of Recreation and Culture. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: N/A Page 1 of 7

2 BACKGROUND: The City of Windsor Lancaster Bomber 2015 Progress Report (S69/2016) was deferred at the April 6, 2016 Social Development, Health and Culture Standing Committee to allow Administration to provide additional information. Attached as Appendix 1 is the original April report, which includes the annual progress report from the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association relative to the restoration of the Lancaster Bomber, as directed by City Council through CR529/2006 and CR114/2011. CR529/2006 To enter into a stewardship agreement, for a period of 10 years, with semiannual reviews scheduled for February 1 st and August 1 st of each year, with the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association (CH2A) for the storage, preservation and enhancement of the City of Windsor Lancaster Bomber FM212 and further, THAT the Chief Administrative Officer and the City Clerk BE AUTHORIZED TO execute the Agreement, satisfactory in form to the City Solicitor, in financial content to the City Treasurer and in technical content both to the Executive Director of Parks and Facility Operations and Manager of Cultural Affairs. At the April 4, 2011 meeting of City Council, CR114/2011 states: That the report of the Community Development and Health Commissioner dated February 7, 2011 entitled City of Windsor Lancaster Bomber FM212 Progress Report Administration BE RECEIVED, and further that Administration PROVIDE UPDATES to Council during the first Quarter on an annual basis. At the April 8, 2015 Social Development, Health & Culture Standing Committee, the following resolution was passed: THAT the Report provided by the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association (CH2A) BE RECEIVED for information as per the Stewardship Agreement of October 2006; and THAT Administration BE DIRECTED to begin discussion with the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association to determine parameters and funding for the continuation of the restoration of the Lancaster Bomber FM 212 with a report coming forward for Council consideration prior to the expiration of the existing Stewardship Agreement. A separate report regarding the future of the Lancaster restoration and stewardship agreement with the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association (CH2A) is expected in the near future. S69/2016 also outlined a proposal to exchange the horizontal stabilizers belonging to Windsor s Lancaster, with those from a Lancaster in Britain. Additional information regarding this proposal is outlined in the Discussion section below. Page 2 of 7

3 DISCUSSION: Canadian Historical Aircraft (CH2A) Annual Report As noted above, CH2A is obligated to provide annual progress reports to City Council. These reports include the restoration activities undertaken during the reporting period for the previous year, fundraising and promotional efforts undertaken by CH2A, and accounting of the volunteer hours devoted to the restoration during the reporting period. S69/2016 included as an attachment Progress Report #12 of 12, submitted by the Vice- President of the CH2A was a very successful year with respect to the progress on the restoration of Lancaster FM212, especially in regards to the main fuselage of the aircraft. Of particular interest in the progress report is the significant number of school children coming to tour the Bomber. Approximately 1200 Grade 6 students are visiting annually, with an additional 800 from other grades. These visits provide the opportunity to share the technical aspects of a restoration, but more importantly provide children with a tangible reminder of the sacrifices made by the men and women who served during World War II. The Lancaster Bomber provides a rare example of a key piece of equipment utilized in the war effort. This educational opportunity becomes even more significant given current world events and the approach of key anniversaries relative to actions in the First and Second World Wars. The next report to Standing Committee will present details of the restoration activity completed during the ten years of the existing Stewardship Agreement and status of the aircraft to date. It will also present projections regarding the restoration required to complete the plane and options for the Lancaster in the future. Additional Information Re: Exchange of the Horizontal Stabilizers As noted in S69/2016, there are only 17 Lancaster Bombers known to exist in the world. The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster PA474 is one of only two flying Lancaster Bombers, although a third Lancaster B VII NX611 does taxi in Lincolnshire, U.K. The horizontal stabilizers on the PA474 have nearly reached their maximum fatigue hours, having flown for 5932 hours out of a maximum 6330 hours allowed for a British aircraft flying on a Military register. To mitigate the possibility of PA474 missing a flying season due to the amount of time it will take to remove, refurbish and refit its Horizontal Stabilizers, the RAF decided to try and find a set of Stabilizers from another Lancaster and replace these parts during the major servicing work scheduled post 2016 flying season. The Aircraft Restoration Company (ARC) at Duxford, UK will be undertaking the servicing of Britain s PA474 aircraft and two representatives from ARC have already visited Windsor and inspected FM212 s Horizontal Stabilizers. ARC s owner and Page 3 of 7

4 engineer, Mr. John Romain, has investigated other stabilizer opportunities around the world. Mr. Romain found Windsor s stabilizers in good condition, i.e., they are not bent or corroded, and they have not been in a crash. However, work would be required on Windsor s stabilizers to make them airworthy to British Military standards, estimated to be an approximately 18 month process. The RAF proposes to exchange the horizontal stabilizers from their aircraft with the stabilizers from Windsor s Lancaster. The proposal for this exchange has been reviewed by Mr. Jim VanDyk, Chief Engineer at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, Mt. Hope (Hamilton), Ontario. Mr. VanDyk maintains the only flying Lancaster in Canada, and is consulted by the RAF on the only other flying Lancaster in the world, the PA474 in England. Fortunately the Manager of Cultural Affairs contacted Mr. VanDyk just as he was leaving for the United Kingdom to visit the PA474. He had the opportunity to not only review the exchange proposal, but inspect the horizontal stabilizers that could be bound for Windsor. As the CH2A had already asked Mr. VanDyk to Windsor the week of April 25, 2016, the Manager of Cultural Affairs asked if he could also inspect Windsor s stabilizers that would be sent to England to further evaluate the proposed exchange. Mr. VanDyk s evaluation of both sets of horizontal stabilizers and his opinion regarding the exchange is attached as Appendix 2. Photos of the stabilizers on the PA474 in England are attached as Appendix 3. The British stabilizers currently have 398 flight hours remaining on them according to British standards for an aircraft flying on a military register and have been maintained in airworthy condition. Restoration of Windsor s horizontal stabilizers were noted in the original restoration plan as a requirement. The CH2A previously received Trillium grant funding to repair, resurface and repaint them but, as noted by Mr. VanDyk in his attached letter, the work was not performed to standards considered to be airworthy. Administration has received confirmation from the local contact from the Trillium Foundation that the CH2A would not be in violation of the terms of the grant funding by proceeding with the exchange proposal, indicating there is nothing to prevent you from doing that from the funder s perspective. A custom made box will be crafted to send the FM212 s horizontal stabilizers to England and return the PA474 s stabilizers to Windsor after the FM212 s stabilizers have been installed. This could be as early as mid-2017 but may not be until Although Windsor will not receive a set of stabilizers back until perhaps two years from now, a decision on the exchange is required now to ensure the Britain s PA474 is restored prior to the 2017 flying season. The Royal Air Force will collect and return the stabilizers at their cost. Additionally, the CH2A has various items (wartime parts such as gauges, pieces of the nose section and the bomb aimer panel, etc.) in the UK and the RAF has committed to try to ship those parts with the stabilizers resulting in cost savings for CH2A. The 2006 Restoration Plan for the Lancaster stated that restoration will occur in accordance with common aircraft industry procedures and practices and that other parties...shall be contacted for the purpose of investigating co-operative activities, Page 4 of 7

5 including the exchange of suitable components... The exchange of small components is a regular business practice and has occurred with Windsor s Lancaster Bomber on several occasions. The CH2A notes that parts donated by Windsor s Lancaster to the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum has allowed their Lancaster to achieve flight. As well, CH2A Progress Reports over the last ten years, presented to and accepted by Windsor City Council, have noted that Windsor s Lancaster has sourced parts for the instrument panel, engine components, a donated astrograph, hardware for the wing tips and diagrams (as examples), from other organizations and individuals. It is interesting to note that several of the parts and documents were acquired from England specifically. As noted in his attached opinion letter, Mr. VanDyk believes that the proposed exchange of the stabilizers is unique in its scope and would result in long term goodwill that will likely continue to benefit Windsor for years to come. At a minimum, he has indicated that the stabilizers that Windsor will receive from England will be in a far better condition than Windsor s. In addition, it is expected that England will recognize Windsor for its role in keeping their Lancaster in the air, as well as provide knowledgeable support and assistance for Windsor s restoration project. Globally the Lancaster community is small there are only 17 of these aircraft left. Windsor is fortunate that one of the top Lancaster experts is located just down the highway at the Canadian Warplane Museum. The Chief Technician with the British PA474 project notes that his group enjoys a good working relationship with the others in the U.K. With the limited number of flying Lancasters in the world, maintaining a good working relationship with this organization could benefit Windsor s Lancaster in the future. At the very least the exchange would elevate Windsor s reputation in aircraft restoration circles. It could also present a unique opportunity for positive media coverage. Should Council support this proposal to exchange stabilizers between aircraft, it would be reasonable to request that the RAF highlight Windsor s contribution to their Lancaster in any media releases and also that the letter of understanding between the two organizations include a request to install signage recognizing Windsor s contribution to the PA474 be placed with the plane when it is at rest. RISK ANALYSIS: The Lancaster Bomber is an asset of historical and cultural importance to the community. Proper stewardship is vital to protect this asset for future generations. There are seventeen Lancaster Bombers left in the world. Only two remain in airworthy condition, one located at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton and this PA474 located in England where it is operated by the Royal Air Force. It is imperative to maintain a good working relationship with other Lancaster organizations for information and equipment sharing purposes. There is a risk that, if the proposal to exchange Windsor s horizontal stabilizers for those belonging to the British PA474 Lancaster is not approved, that the PA474 will be grounded for an undetermined but extended length of time while another set of stabilizers are sourced and restored. Page 5 of 7

6 There is a potential future financial risk to CH2A and the City if the stabilizer exchange does not take place and the horizontal stabilizers from FM212 are later found to require attention to achieve to desired end outcomes for our restoration project. FINANCIAL MATTERS: As approved in the ten-year Stewardship agreement, an annual budget has been allotted for facility expenses related to the City of Windsor Lancaster Bomber. The chart below illustrates the funding breakdown to the CH2A. Each month CH2A provides Administration with a copy of the invoices they have received and payment is provided based on that documentation. As with other corporate expenses, utility costs have risen substantially over the past number of years. Expense Details Cost Building Lease Land & Hangar January to December 2015 $21, Property Tax January to December 2015 $5, Utilities Gas and Hydro January to December 2015 $15, TOTAL $41, The restoration work that has been completed is very costly. Specialized tools, equipment and materials are required to restore the Lancaster. The volunteers of the CH2A have been investigating funding opportunities as they present. They rely on donations, fundraising, grants and unique partnerships to provide the resources required to fund the Aircraft Structural Technician along with the additional materials required. There are no financial implications for either the City of Windsor or the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association relative to the exchange of the horizontal stabilizers, as all costs will be borne by the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Project Team. This commitment will be enshrined within the Letter of Understanding. CONSULTATIONS: President and Vice-President of the Canadian Historical Airplane Association - FM212 Lancaster Financial Planning Administrator- City of Windsor Executive Director, Parks Mr. Jim VanDyk, Chief Engineer, Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Page 6 of 7

7 CONCLUSION: The partnership between the City of Windsor and the Canadian Historical Aircraft Association meets the needs of the community and provides for the restoration and preservation of a City-owned asset, the Lancaster Bomber FM212, in a responsible, caring and business-like fashion. Approval of the proposal to exchange horizontal stabilizers allows for the continued restoration and display of two of the seventeen Lancasters remaining worldwide and maintains a vital relationship within this close community of experts. The exchange contributes to the collective responsibility to honour the sacrifices of generations past during the War and teaches future generations the importance of remembering their history. APPROVALS: Name Cathy Masterson Jan Wilson Phil Roberts Joe Mancina Jelena Payne Onorio Colucci Title Manager Cultural Affairs Executive Director, Recreation and Culture Executive Director, Parks Chief Financial Officer/City Treasurer and Corporate Leader Finance and Technology Community Development and Health Commissioner and Corporate Leader Social Development, Health and Culture Chief Administrative Officer NOTIFICATIONS: Name Address John Robinson jrobinson@ch2a.ca Don Christopher dchristopher@ch2a.ca Dan Doherty dan1931@bellnet.ca APPENDICES: Appendix 1- April Standing Committee Lancaster Report S69 Appendix 2 - April Standing Committee Report Appendix 3 - Lancaster Stabilizer Photos Appendix 4- Letter from Jim VanDyk Page 7 of 7

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19 April 28, 2016 Cathy Masterson, Manager of Cultural Affairs and Jan Wilson, Executive Director of Recreation and Culture City of Windsor Re: Proposed Lancaster Stabilizer Exchange Hello Cathy & Jan, As a follow up to our meeting at CH2A on April 24 th, I have reviewed the proposal for the exchange of the horizontal stabilizers on the City of Windsor s Lancaster (FM212) with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) at RAF Coningsby, UK. The condition of the horizontal stabilizers on FM212 is good, having been refurbished by Aero Structural, but since the work performed was not requested to be done to an airworthy standard, it raises many questions as to whether the internal structure has been properly repaired given the possibility that the airplane could be ground run and taxied at some point in the future. I was able to visit the BBMF and was allowed to closely examine the horizontal stabilizers on their Lancaster less than two weeks ago while in Coningsby, UK. They hav e been maintained in an airworthy condition for several years during annual inspections by the RAF, and we re most recently repainted in 2006 in authentic colours. They are in very good condition, with only ver y minor signs of wear. As you know, they are planning on removing them only because they are calculated to be near the end of their airworthy life, not because they are showing any indications of damage, overstress or failure. The proposal that they are offering, to exchange their stabilizers with yours, at their expens e including providing transport of both sets, is in my opinion both a very generous and rare opportunity to sec ure a pair of stabilizers which would meet FM212 s requirements for decades to come. In addition, since th e BBMF have searched extensively around the world for a pair of stabilizers which are still in repairable condition and have found FM212 s to be most suitable, an exchange would help to secure a s trong relationship with an organization with an extensive amount of Lancaster spare parts, engineering data and operational experience, with the potential to greatly assist in the restoration of FM212. Thank you for the opportunity to review this proposal, and I look forwar d to hearing of the continuing progress on your Lancaster s restoration, it is a fabulous tribute to the role that many veterans play ed in the Second World War, many of whom gave their lives while flying these and other aircraft. Sincerely, Jim VanDyk Chief Engineer Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum

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