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View Full Version : Concorde fighting back !


Juliet November
11th Jan 2001, 12:14
From AviationNow.com:

Work is set to begin shortly on modifications to British Airways and Air France Concordes that could allow the supersonic transport back into service this spring.

The changes are based on a work package presented by EADS-France and BAE Systems to the Anglo-French Concorde Working Group at its last meeting on Dec. 15. The group, comprising senior transport and airworthiness officials from both countries, was created in the wake of the July 25 crash of an Air France Concorde. The group determined that the work package intended to restore the aircraft's airworthiness certificate "is sensible and achievable" provided there were "no unforeseen difficulties during the tests and analyses."

"Provided all goes to plan, we might be able to fly again this spring," said Mike Street, director of customer services and operations at British Airways. BA engineers have maintained the aircraft in flying condition
during the grounding, performing regular engine runs and systems checks.

The modifications are to be ground-tested on an Air France Concorde, followed by flight testing of a BA aircraft in late February. The bulk of the necessary parts have already been delivered to the airline, and work on
the first aircraft could begin as early as this week. BA said it would take nearly eight weeks for a team of 40 engineers to complete modifications to the initial Concorde. The remaining six Concordes in BA's fleet would be modified two at a time at the carrier's maintenance facility at Heathrow Airport. Once procedures are in place and verified, modifications should take about four weeks per aircraft, airline officials said.

British Airways may opt to go ahead at the same time with a previously planned refurbishment of the Concorde fleet. The 21-million project includes new seats and interiors. The work package intended to restore Concorde to service includes the addtion of an internal liner made of a Kevlar/rubber compound to the wing fuel tanks ( AW&ST Nov. 13, 2000, p. 44). This is designed to contain the fuel should the tank be punctured, as was apparently the case in the July 25 incident, according to a preliminary report by the French BEA that implicated a burst tire. Engineers hope to demonstrate that installation of the lining will render any potential fuel leaks so small as to eliminate the risk of fire.

The working group noted that no precise scenario has yet been formulated regarding the cause of the fire in the July 25 crash, however.

The manufacturers have, however, proposed modifications to shield the aircraft from potential sparking in electrical harnesses in the landing gear bay. The work package also includes additional protection for hydraulic systems in the landing gear bay, although the working group said the need for any such modification "had not been identified."

No modifications are planned for the engines, although further tests to simulate fuel ingestion are planned to be carried out at the French flight test center in Istres. The working group said: "Investigation by the manufacturers has shown that the amount of engine damage sustained would not have led to a catastrophic loss of thrust."

The working group's next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 9 in Paris.