What exactly is this Concorde doing at Heathrow?

[oliver.siddons]

I was casually browsing Google Maps today and came across what seems to be a Concorde surrounded in a housing, with obvious thrust directors attached to the engines? Could this be the re-testing of engines for Concorde's 2012 release? :confused:

Google Maps (http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=51.475439,-0.421681&spn=0.00136,0.005493&t=h&z=18)

[treadigraph]

Aren't they supposed to be taking the wings off and barging it up the Thames to be exhibited alongside the London Eye? Or has that plan been abandoned?

[oliver.siddons]

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/263631_245635922114178_245634048781032_1052541_7346252_n.jpg Well, I presume if they were going to carry out that plan they wouldn't have the strange large piping attached to the rear of the aircraft?

[spannersatcx]

It's a very old picture, as the roads have changed considerably since that was take. The a/c is in the engine run bay.

[oliver.siddons]

Ahh thank you, that would explain it :)

[JEM60]

Ah, my Concorde BOAB. Had a flight deck visit in that at 55,000 feet etc. Wish they'd do something useful with it!!

[gas path]

Yeah like chop it up...Damn thing's always getting in the way!:E

Currently dumped outside the west pen TBA whilst the hangar is modded for the a380.

[Hotel Tango]

It's the death penalty for you gas path :}

[Gulfstreamaviator]

however what is the purpose of the two arms on the engine test rig, just over the wings...

not that old, look at T2, and Queens building.

27R arrival is parked on the central reservation at 2-3 mil final.



glf

[gas path]

however what is the purpose of the two arms on the engine test rig, just over the wings...


Sliding doors attached in a vain attempt to subdue the racket.
That run pen is now gone.

[denhamjosh18]

have a look around the corner on the side of tba, and there is a nice picture of her with two of the 757s :cool: and one with a chinook flying over heathrow:p

[Guest 112233]

Given Concorde's technical brilliance - Its to be developed into a super efficient "Combinded Heat & Power Scheme" for the local Area. In my "informed" opionon - You are not looking at blast deflectors, but instead super efficient Gas/Steam Heat exchangers.

More seriously - Given one Concorde is in a museum in Manchester, what are the corrosive consequences of disassembeling an airframe like this ?

It would be sad to see a potentially complete airframe of historical significance just gradually corrode away, for lack of planning.

CAT III.

[NukeHunt]

Rumour has it that G-BOAB has very little left of the interior as much of it was removed to re-assemble G-BBDG at Brooklands.

IIRC the a/c also did not receive the post Paris fuel tank modifications and thus along with G-BOAA was used as a spares source for the last couple of years of commercial operation as it was no longer certified to fly.

The engines are also long gone and the fwd baggage hold is said to be full of old copies of the BA inflight magazine as ballast.

I never understood why it wasn't placed on that huge roundabout at the entrance to T5 as there is plenty of space, but obviously the powers that be didn't want general flying public to be reminded that they were taking a step backwards by seeing the "old" Supersonic jet when they were flying on a modern subsonic jet.

[gordonroxburgh]

G-BOAB's cabin was removed in 2000 as pat of the project rocket upgrade where the BA fleets interors were being refitted. Rather than being binned, some parts form the original front cabin of AB were indeed put inside G-BBDG...rather than going to landfill...good Save!

As for the T5 roundabout; if you are ever there they is a road tunnel that runs under it, so its not designed for 65T of Concorde sitting on top of it.

The magazines are in the front cabin. They were used as ballast when she was used for "storing" engines in her nacelles.

[Phileas Fogg]

Whatever I/we may think of the French they've done a pretty good job of mounting a Corcorde on a plinth somewhere in the middle of CDG taxiways complex that even has lights, that become illuminated during the hours of darkness, situated in the engine outlets.

From this one might presume that the owners of CDG airport aren't so greedy as the owners of LHR airport whereas any location is potential for advertising and unless one is prepared to pay for it then the answer is "no".

[The AvgasDinosaur]

It is there to show BA pretending to care about their heritage !!
Unlike some airlines who are not ashamed of their heritage
Deutsche Lufthansa Berlin Stiftung (http://www.lufthansa-ju52.de/en/index.php)
Be lucky
David

[Lightning Mate]

I can't help thinking how much better this would look with the wheels up.

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu82/Lightning_29/Concorde.jpg

[JSCL]

No doubt much harder to mount without them down!

[Dave Barnshaw]

Yes,you are correct,the work starts early in 2012 to give G-BOAD its new home near The London Eye,all the 'red tape' has been sorted and the Concorde group that is responsible for this idea-which I am a member-are all rearing to go,a new landing stage type affair will be built with souvenier shops etc.,a great retirement setting for a great airliner.:):)

[Dave Barnshaw]

Sorry folks,I should have said G-BOAB---not D---just another 'typo'.:=

[Dave Barnshaw]

Hi JEM60,they are,see my notes page 2.:)

[Dave Barnshaw]

:DOr writing out 1,000,000 times "Concorde was the best aircraft in aviation history".

[JEM60]

Great news. Many thanks Dave. Made my day!!:ok:

[Dave Barnshaw]

Hi JEM60,glad you liked that one,if you or any other Concorde fan are interested,the club that I am a member of is www.clubconcorde.co.uk,all (http://www.clubconcorde.co.uk,all) past captains and 1st. officers are all members.:D

[james solomon]

well the best preserved Concorde G-BOAC is at the Manchester AVP in a purpose build building away from the elements

[BlueTui]

You've not been to see G-BOAE in Barbados then? definately the best Concorde experience since its grounding...

[Mach2-Speedbird]

The Club Concorde option is by no means a done deal - there are other proposals out there including one by Save Concorde Group - check out their project page!

[Domcaz]

I was involved in the Aviators BA advert in June 2011 and was lucky enough to be filming at LHR with BOAB. I can certainly confirm that the interior is almost completely stripped and there are a lot of old BA magazines in there! I took a few photos which are quite depressing frankly!

Anyway, I found this thread as I too have just the google maps image of Concorde in the engine test bay. As far as I can figure out the image must be from 2009 or 2010 due to the state of T2. It seems very odd that an airframe with no engines should be in an engine test bay (that looked like a custom fit for Concorde).

Maybe temporary storage of the airframe?

The BA engineer that was in charge on the filming day said that he couldn't wait to get rid of Concorde to free up space in his hangars!!

D

[Groundloop]

I found this thread as I too have just the google maps image of Concorde in the engine test bay. As far as I can figure out the image must be from 2009 or 2010 due to the state of T2.

The date for this image given on Google Earth is 27 June 2010.

[ThreadBaron]

a new landing stage type affair will be built with souvenier shops etc.,a great retirement setting for a great airliner.

Being used as the draw to souvenir shops could hardly be called a great retirement!