BA hopes to keep Concorde flying at air displays!
From the times on line.
CONCORDE will continue to fly alongside other historic aircraft such as Spitfires at air displays after it is taken out of service this year, British Airways said yesterday.
The airline plans to keep at least one of the supersonic jets operational to be displayed as a museum exhibit. Concorde will mark the end of its commercial service with a series of flights around the country. The retirement of the fleet marks the end of an era of luxury travel at twice the speed of sound. Up to 20 special fly-pasts are planned, plus a trip around the coast of Britain.
After Concorde’s final flight, six of the seven jets will be grounded. The other is likely to be kept operational at Filton airport near Bristol, where a Concorde first took off from British soil on April 9, 1969. It could then be used to fly alongside Second World War aircraft at air shows.
Mike Bannister, Concorde’s Chief Pilot, who will pilot the last official flight, said: “One of the things we have been contemplating is whether Concorde can be used in a heritage role. Concorde is very much more complex than other vintage aircraft still flying, which is one issue, as is the operating licence needed to take her up on occasions. But it is something we are pursuing.”
Concorde’s commercial licence is expected to expire at the end of October. BA has received more than 40 applications from museums and institutions, such as the Smithsonian in Washington and Duxford airfield, Cambridgeshire, to take the jets.
Farewell flights will operate during October, in the run-up to the final commercial flight to New York on October 24 or 25. Tickets for the farewell flights may be free, with BA considering a competition to give away hundreds of tickets. Most will be in and around Britain, with others to and around America. One being seriously mooted is a round-Britain flight, first suggested by Cath Urquhart in Times Travel on April 26.
Concorde made its last commercial flight for Air France on May 31. Air France and BA were the only carriers to operate the aircraft. The end was hastened by a crash minutes after take-off from Paris in July 2000, in which 113 people were killed. Falling demand for seats after September 11 meant that the luxury jets became too expensive to operate.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,175-705472,00.html
By: Mark V - 9th June 2003 at 19:13
I agree, Willow.
It would be fantastic to have a fleet of Virgin Atlantic Concordes. Would he be able to make them a viable profitable operation though? BA claim that is the reason for pentioning them off (their alleged commercial unviability).
By: Willow - 9th June 2003 at 10:41
Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t they hold up the construction of the M11 past Duxford to allow the Concorde to land?
The only way another Concorde is going into Duxford is by road.
Good news about keeping one going though. Despite this I still thing that they should all go to Richard Branson if he’s prepared to operate them
Willow
By: Ant.H - 8th June 2003 at 14:54
What about conversion to supersonic tanker status??Would save the Tornados and Typhoons having to slow down to refuel 😀
By: Firebird - 8th June 2003 at 13:00
I don’t see the CAA being an obsticle in this respect, after all BA are the licensed operators of the aircraft allready, and this would be no different to say the RAF operating ‘558 for nearly 10 years after ceasing operating Vulcans operationally…..
I think the CAA would have a concern if Joe Bloggs Aviation decided they wanted to operate a Concorde for display purposes….then that would be like the current situation with the Lightning, Vulcan etc…….
I have to say when BA were using Concorde for all the special charter flights to Lapland and all sorts of other specials, this was popular and profertable, plus all the 1.5 hour supersonic around the bay of biscay specials…..so, why not keep a reduced fleet of say 2 or 3 Concordes just for operating this sort of thing, plus the odd display as well……:D 😀
I still think they should give them to the RAF for painting in hemp and use as a high speed high altitude reece plane to supplement the Canberra PR.9’s……….:D 😀 😉
By: Bluebird Mike - 8th June 2003 at 10:03
‘…I don’t think BA would be able to operate it as a display aircraft as the Company Against Aviation will probably say ‘If you think we’ll let you display that then we might as well let the Lightning fly’.
…Or a certain other four Olympus-powered beast!
😡
By: David Burke - 8th June 2003 at 02:31
I think they need to design a brake shoot system for them pretty rapidly!!!
By: Ant.H - 7th June 2003 at 23:40
“Ant.
I would expect Cosford to be a pretty safe bet for a Concorde, after all it is the home of the british Airways museum.
Regards,
kev35″
True Kev,had forgotten about Cosford,thanks.Makes you wonder how they’d get one there though,would make for one hell of a transport job!
By: Yak 11 Fan - 7th June 2003 at 22:59
Concorde used to display in the late 80’s. Be nice to see another one about.
By: AlexisLambert - 7th June 2003 at 22:56
I think it would be great to have another one at Dx. DAS could return their one to complete testing status and have the other displayed next to it showing what the passenger one was like.
Just imagine how good it would be to watch them try and land it.
I don’t think BA would be able to operate it as adisplay aircraft as the Company Against Aviation will probably say ‘If you think we’ll let you display that then we might as well let the Lightning fly’.
By: kev35 - 7th June 2003 at 22:44
Ant.
I would expect Cosford to be a pretty safe bet for a Concorde, after all it is the home of the british Airways museum.
Regards,
kev35
By: mmitch - 7th June 2003 at 20:28
At Biggin Hill today there was an exibit on the Dams raid from the Brooklands Museum. There was also the information that the museum had approached BA to get one of the Concordes for display there! It said BA were positive but the main problem was the logistics of getting it from Heathrow. The runway at Brooklands isn’t long enough! The thought crossed my mind though that two aircraft remain unconverted and grounded. These would presumably end up being scrapped onsite but maybe one could be broken down into small enough sections for a short journey round the M25. Brooklands has some mockups from the design of its nose.
mmitch.
By: Ant.H - 7th June 2003 at 20:05
Well it would certainly be good news if BA can pull this one off.I do wonder though how practical the idea is and how long they would be able to keep things going for.Mustn’t be pessimistic…
As for Concordes going to UK museums,you have to consider what long term future one would have when the majority of preservation groups don’t have access to decent shelter for the exhibits.Perhaps one to Wroughton for the Science Museum,and perhaps one to Duxford.Then possibly a taxiiable example at Bruntingthorpe?After that you really begin to run out of options. Most UK museums simply can’t handle an exhibit of such size and complexity,so I don’t think we can really complain if a number of ‘our’ Concordes go abroad for preservation,or if one or two go to museums which already have one.
By: Andrew-O - 7th June 2003 at 19:51
But what would Duxford do with TWO Concordes ?
Surely there must be other museums in the UK that would jump at the chance of having such a quality exhibit, whilst leaving Duxford with it’s original Concorde !
Cheers,
Andrew
By: Everton_1878 - 7th June 2003 at 17:55
Sounds expensive!
By: Bluebird Mike - 7th June 2003 at 17:23
Nice idea, but I can’t see BA funding that for many years if it’s al about money, money, money these days.
Duxford have applied for one? D’oh, don’t you just hate it when you do that-you apply for a Concorde and damn! You turn around and realise that you’ve already got one! 😮 😮 😮
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June 7, 2003 at 3:21 pm