Concorde may fly again !

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It'd be fantastic to see these aircraft back in the skies.

In the days when I could get "airside" I had the pleasure of having a good look around one of the jets around 20 years ago and the thrill of being at very close quarters when it took off. Fantastic. :thumb:

IMHO, the underwing incident could have happened to any aircraft.
 
Many moons ago we were at Duxford and I remember standing under the wing of Concorde. Later on we went back to the caravan and switched on the telly to learn of the Air France crash.

At the time it was creepy:eek::eek::eek:
 
Surely we should have a replacement. BA wont be funding it though they are dead and almost buried.

These toys are expensive, but impressive.
The Vulcan at Goodwood last year, what a sight and sound, incredible
 
I must admit to having a tear in my eye watching the final landing from New York.
It was one of those un-fulfilled ambitions that I had to fly Concorde from the 1st time I saw it on the news in 1967 when it took it's inaugral test flight from Filton. I still have a first day cover somewhere!
 
Concorde is testament to the fact that a man-made form driven by functional needs (elements of the wing design are still "classified information", afaik) can also be stunningly beautiful. It was, for me, one of the major achievements of the second half of the 20th century and when it was taken out of service it was tantamount to an act of industrial vandalism. Withdrawal from service was a largely economic decision taken by the two operators, AF & BA. AF's decision was based on the fact that they were to all intents and purposes a bankrupt state airline being prepared for sale, and BA's on the fact that their passenger market for Concorde (they did make money out of Concorde, unlike AF) had collapsed as a result of the destruction of the WTC by Al-Qaeda. The beancounters finally won and, perhaps unwittingly, turned BA into "just another airline".

Concorde was the only aircraft that flew from Heathrow that always had jaded business travellers in the BA Exec Lounge stand up and go to the window to watch the takeoff. It was the only aircraft that you could clearly hear from the BA Exec Lounge, too :D

I remember a documentary on the Concorde in the run up to it being withdrawn from service in which a flight from LHR to JFK was followed. As Concorde taxied to it's stand at JFK having completed an uneventful and average speed crossing, the Captain told the passengers, "...you may be interested to know that the Boeing 747 that took off from Heathrow just ahead of us is nearly, but not quite, half way across the atlantic." Just about summed it up for me :thumb:
 
Fantastic aeroplane. I remember being on a training course at SAP (software company), which was on the A4 .... right next to the runway. Their training centre had huge thick walls and double (or even triple?) glazing, but the instructors always paused when a Concorde takeoff was due!

When they retired in 2003 the Thames bridges in London were packed as the two aircraft flew over. Would be great to see one in the air again.
 
Knowing this shows my age,I was at Filton in 1969 and witnessed the maiden flight of the British Concorde, I remember the day vividly, it seemed like the whole of Bristol had turned out for the event.
Considering how the plane is still revered now, back then it was like actually seeing the eigth wonder of the world!
 
Knowing this shows my age,I was at Filton in 1969 and witnessed the maiden flight of the British Concorde, I remember the day vividly, it seemed like the whole of Bristol had turned out for the event.
Considering how the plane is still revered now, back then it was like actually seeing the eigth wonder of the world!

And on the flip I was in Bristol when the last Concorde completed it's last flight. The whole city was looking up at the sky.
 
CONCORDE was an aircraft that reflected the attitudes of its time. One of optimism and faith that science and technology could solve all our problems. :dk: This was the era that sent men to the moon, gave us nuclear power stations, antibiotics had largely overcome infectious diseases and the immense impact computing technology would have on all our lives was starting to emerge. THEN THE ACCOUNTANTS TOOK OVER.:rolleyes:
 
Although I love the idea of Concorde flying again, I'm afraid the reality of such an event is pretty well zero unless someone can convince British Aerospace and Rolls-Royce and their French equivalents to provide full technical support.

Yes they might be able to fire up the engines - and if they can meet all the regs for ground handling (hydraulics, brake systems, etc etc etc) they might get it to taxi - the cost of that exercise will be immense. But the transition to flight, with all the issues around airframe, tracking of all parts (do they have all the records), support from the previously mentioned companies, permission from all the relevant authorities (CAA etc) - not a chance I'm afraid.
 
Knowing this shows my age,I was at Filton in 1969 and witnessed the maiden flight of the British Concorde, I remember the day vividly, it seemed like the whole of Bristol had turned out for the event.
Considering how the plane is still revered now, back then it was like actually seeing the eigth wonder of the world!

Me too! I have a cousin who was on the design team, and had an uncle who worked at BAe.

It was the most sickening sight to see the footage of the crash, and ultimately its demise.
 
My guess would be that if they can get the Vulcan to fly, then they would be able to satisfy regs to get the airplane in the sky. Whether it's at an affordable cost, and then is maintainable in the longer term I suspect is a bigger question.
 
Concorde was one of the very few aircraft that used to overfly my house. Every Sunday evening just after 7.00pm. (maybe it did it other days of the week as well but I was not around) and it certainly made a huge ripping noise that people not used to it found shocking.

I would love to see it in the air again it will take a great deal more than £15m to do so.

Perhaps to saddest thing is that BA and the UK Govt. for rather obvious fiscal reasons want nothing to do with this: most of the "official" effort and dosh is coming via Le Bourget Air and Space Museum.
 
I worked on the construction of T5 at Heathrow for over 3 years and one of my office locations was adjacent to the runway. Never failed to make everyone look when it took off late afternoon. The place was jammed when it left for the last time - a fantastic plane and experience. The engine noise was nearly as potent as a Deltic moving off - nearly........
 
Knowing this shows my age,I was at Filton in 1969 and witnessed the maiden flight of the British Concorde, I remember the day vividly, it seemed like the whole of Bristol had turned out for the event.
Considering how the plane is still revered now, back then it was like actually seeing the eigth wonder of the world!

Me too.....I lived near Filton and they used to fly test patterns over our house...it later years, I lived under the Flight Path for Concorde in Weybridge...11.00 every morning....without fail I always stopped what I was doing to look at her...very beautiful...would love to see flying again!
 
CONCORDE was an aircraft that reflected the attitudes of its time. One of optimism and faith that science and technology could solve all our problems. :dk: This was the era that sent men to the moon, gave us nuclear power stations, antibiotics had largely overcome infectious diseases and the immense impact computing technology would have on all our lives was starting to emerge. THEN THE ACCOUNTANTS TOOK OVER.:rolleyes:

Don't forget that because it was not invented on the other side of the pond that surely led to problems with the potential to expand. And that's why passenger aviation has not moved forward since the 1960's. True we can carry more folks in an A380 but it is still at 530mph.

I'd love to see one fly again, i'm not holding my breath though.
 
I worked on the construction of T5 at Heathrow for over 3 years and one of my office locations was adjacent to the runway. Never failed to make everyone look when it took off late afternoon. The place was jammed when it left for the last time - a fantastic plane and experience. The engine noise was nearly as potent as a Deltic moving off - nearly........


Deltic never left the ground though!
 

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