Originally Posted by
Concorde Rules
A comment was made to me a very long time ago that BA/AF were looking at upgrading her avionic systems [before retirement].
Is this true? What extent of upgrades would occur if they had gone through with it?
Interesting... but unlikely.
The first question : why? The old analogue systems still worked well.
Second question : who? There were only 14 aircraft in service... who would paid the immense bill for redesign and recertification?
A third question : we know one of the major factors in the 'end of service' decisions were related to the rapidly increasing maintenance costs (as billed by Airbus). A complete upgrade of the avionics (digital, glass cockpit, etc.) would not necessarily have resulted in less maintenance costs.... it would still have been for only 14 aircraft.
In the end, the only real and 'visible' avionics upgrade was the installation of TCAS, and that was only because it was made mandatory.
CJ