Originally Posted by
Shaggy Sheep Driver
I am absolutely amazed at the number of people who actually beleive that!
Good marketing guy, the bearded one.
It's possible that it was just a
PR exercise, but I don't think it was.
He had several meetings with some very senior and experienced Concorde people, some ex BA Concorde fleet and some current (pilots and engineeering). You may be 'absolutely amazed', but my contact who was approached by Branson and had discussions with him had no doubt his investigation into the feasibility was genuine, and he's no gullible fool - far from it, one of the shrewdest men I know.
I don't think there's any doubt whatsoever that politics played a significant part in the Concorde's demise - Air France needed to dump it and wouldn't have wanted BA continuing. But, the design authority also wanted it taken out of service and wouldn't have supported Branson.
The question to which we'll never know the answer for sure is what their attitude would have been if it had been AF who wanted to continue. (But we can have our suspicions.
)
Sadly, I don't think it will ever fly again.
Although I'd love to see a Vulcan fly again and hope it will, I can see the force of
Fokker Wokker's point, and I have an affection for the Mosquito in particular. I had a ride in the BAe aircraft during an a display at an airshow in the mid 80s - when such things were allowed. Wonderful aeroplane and an experience to remember.
That said, I'm torn because I think we should keep historic jets in flying state to pass on to future generations as part of our aviation heritage. Aircraft are build to be flown, not on static display in some museum.
Government money to help preserve our aviation heritage?
Yes, provided the aircraft is publicly owned, or owned by a charitable trust structured so that no-one can take any money out. I have strong reservations about public money being put into private ventures.
I feel the same way about certain owners (thankfully a minority) collecting money from enthusiasts at airshows to 'Keep the X flying' etc - when the overwhelming majority of those enthusiasts who donate to a 'good cause' have nowhere near the owner's wealth and don't realise what they are actually doing is subsidising the owner's flying and helping them keep an ever-increasing asset which they'll sell for a fortune when they are ready to retire.