Concorde
Thinking back to the Concorde disaster last year will bring to mind the mortality of human kind. Although a tragic waste of life, I can not help wondering how many more times it would have taken for a tyre to blow out before anyone realised there was a serious flight safety hazard. Tyres can explode on any kind of aircraft I know but not many aircraft have reheat as a means of getting of the ground and obviously this is an ignition source. The aircraft has been the focus of other tyre failures with consequential fuel leaks in the past yet with no real concern as to the possible,and now unfortunately actual, outcome.
This also brings me onto the subject of grounding the aircraft. Obviously something had to be done and the correct decision was taken yet how many other types of aircraft are flying around with "unsolved" accidents/incidents tarring their name. Mind springs to the 737 Uncommanded rudder deflection problems. Still not confirmed, only thought to be the slides in the rudder PCU. This aircraft suffered numerous incidents of this nature including some fatal accidents yet no grounding was carried out. Also the TWA 747 that exploded due to suspect wiring in the fuel tanks. Again only a theory but these aircraft are allowed to cruise around without even a thought of grounding. I realise the commercial implications of such actions yet it annoyed me the way the americans jumped up and down when Concorde crashed stating how unsafe it was and how it should be banned from american airspace. They have always been bitter towards Concorde because we beat them to it.
Like to hear peoples views on this subject and what they really think.
Anyway, glad to hear Concorde will soon be back and take her rightful place as the queen of the skies and once again be the most beautiful airliner flying. And she's British. (with a bit of French I know).