Concorde to fly again?
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Concorde to fly again?
Word on the street in the mundane but in this case relevant world I inhabit is that if France win the Olympic bid as expected one of the birds will take to the sky again for limited but high profile use.
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Nope, not going to happen.
There are ZERO Concorde spares in the UK or France.
After the high profile auctions were over, both airlines scraped their holdings, which were essentially all the parts as the OEMs and manufactures did not hold any, as BA/AF were the only operators.
With no spares she not evening taxing in 2012, so you can forget about buzzing Paris.
There are ZERO Concorde spares in the UK or France.
After the high profile auctions were over, both airlines scraped their holdings, which were essentially all the parts as the OEMs and manufactures did not hold any, as BA/AF were the only operators.
With no spares she not evening taxing in 2012, so you can forget about buzzing Paris.
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With Fox-Charlie being kept under "care-and-maintenance" for the judicial enquiry, all kind of rumours kept flying 
.
Now that the program has been terminated, the chances of seeing a Concorde in the Paris skies in 2012 are less than seeing a Santos Dumont dirigible replica... Might be an idea actually. Would cost a damn sight less than the $200 million or so needed to keep a Concorde airworthy until 2012. Gordon is right, the spares are gone, the infrastructure is gone. The money needed could be better spent.
.Now that the program has been terminated, the chances of seeing a Concorde in the Paris skies in 2012 are less than seeing a Santos Dumont dirigible replica... Might be an idea actually. Would cost a damn sight less than the $200 million or so needed to keep a Concorde airworthy until 2012. Gordon is right, the spares are gone, the infrastructure is gone. The money needed could be better spent.
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This is a bit off topic possibly, but not too far I hope. Flying into Seattle/Tacoma about 1/17/05 from the south, me pax on the left, we passed Boeing and saw the usual collection of parked aircraft, including one that looked just like (in the 1-second glimpse) a Concorde parked.
Yes? No? Time for new glasses?
Yes? No? Time for new glasses?
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Concorde
Suggest we don't ever misjudge the French - anything, but anything, to steal a march on "Les Rosbifs".
Who bought all the spares ??
Sleeve.
Who bought all the spares ??
Sleeve.
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So who has the spares? There is no way on this earth they would of been disposed of permanentley. How much would it cost to put her back where she belongs? There is no such word as Can't. The moment you stop dreaming is the moment you die. Come on guys live the dream.
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Wasn't going to bother commenting on it, but Hudson Bay's comment about 'living the dream' was just far too funny to pass up.
I would suggest 'waking up' might give you a slightly more, err, realistic viewpoint...
Ain't gonna happen. Next topic.
I would suggest 'waking up' might give you a slightly more, err, realistic viewpoint...
Ain't gonna happen. Next topic.
Having been very closely affiliated with the UK Concorde program, I can categorically deny and scotch any rumours that the once graceful lines of Concorde will ever grace our skies again. Most spares (if not all by now) have been sold for scrap as they were unique to Concorde. Some engines were sold to various museums to be put on display, various other parts donated as well. Specailist tooling jigs and equipment no longer exist.
I for one in the beginning of the demise, dreamt of one ship being kept airworthy, but alas the costs would not be financially viable for either airline to carry. No amount of public outcry and petitions will see the boards of any CAA/DCA convene to discuss even a single flight. The C0fA was withdrawn permenantly, pilots re-assigned and type ratings expired. Engineers placed on new courses now dedicated to other types in the fleet.
I dream too, but it is only a dream. The reality is now of M0.82 and FL370, slow sedate climb rates reaching 250knts after 10 mins instead of at the end of the runway, oceanic clearances done at a lesurely pace, regular excursions into the lovely holding patterns instead of bounding through at 280knts for a straight in. No worries about SSC tracks and wondering if you have slowed down 20 miles too late. Ah those were the days.
I for one in the beginning of the demise, dreamt of one ship being kept airworthy, but alas the costs would not be financially viable for either airline to carry. No amount of public outcry and petitions will see the boards of any CAA/DCA convene to discuss even a single flight. The C0fA was withdrawn permenantly, pilots re-assigned and type ratings expired. Engineers placed on new courses now dedicated to other types in the fleet.
I dream too, but it is only a dream. The reality is now of M0.82 and FL370, slow sedate climb rates reaching 250knts after 10 mins instead of at the end of the runway, oceanic clearances done at a lesurely pace, regular excursions into the lovely holding patterns instead of bounding through at 280knts for a straight in. No worries about SSC tracks and wondering if you have slowed down 20 miles too late. Ah those were the days.
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Just to add my decimal pennyworth, the AF concordes were likely to have to cease flying anyway as the AVQ30 wx radar system was declared officially unsupportable in October 2003 after many months of negotiations.
Although the replacement RDR4B Honeywell system was an option, this was a small (but expensive) part of the whole economy of operating the Concorde into the future. If, as was ultimately decided, it was uneconomical to operate any longer, then it was clearly an unnecessary expense to fit the later radar as it had no use to AF outside the Concorde.
It was possible to keep the AVQ30 system going using existing unserviceable equipment and robbing parts to make good units. However, under strict JAR regulations, even this practice is now outlawed and would, at best, have added only 3 to 6 months operational life.
The BA concordes were already upgraded using the system from their B747 classics.
It's easy to forget that the cockpit analogue technology and systems were as old as the aircraft. Whilst the airframe was still very young in flying terms, the flying systems were of a different era and hellishly difficult to upgrade to comply with all the new European legislation.
Hence the astronomical costs of ownership could never be recouped within a reasonable amount of time on a pax load of 100 and a minimal cargo capacity (well, just courier mail really), no matter how much you charged for tickets.
BTW - this really is just my opinion so shoot me down in flames if it all seems b*ll***s to you knowledgeable types out there.
Although the replacement RDR4B Honeywell system was an option, this was a small (but expensive) part of the whole economy of operating the Concorde into the future. If, as was ultimately decided, it was uneconomical to operate any longer, then it was clearly an unnecessary expense to fit the later radar as it had no use to AF outside the Concorde.
It was possible to keep the AVQ30 system going using existing unserviceable equipment and robbing parts to make good units. However, under strict JAR regulations, even this practice is now outlawed and would, at best, have added only 3 to 6 months operational life.
The BA concordes were already upgraded using the system from their B747 classics.
It's easy to forget that the cockpit analogue technology and systems were as old as the aircraft. Whilst the airframe was still very young in flying terms, the flying systems were of a different era and hellishly difficult to upgrade to comply with all the new European legislation.
Hence the astronomical costs of ownership could never be recouped within a reasonable amount of time on a pax load of 100 and a minimal cargo capacity (well, just courier mail really), no matter how much you charged for tickets.
BTW - this really is just my opinion so shoot me down in flames if it all seems b*ll***s to you knowledgeable types out there.
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I will always remember meeting up with Captain Tommy Thompson many years ago. I was just four years of age and it was he and the image of concorde that made me want to fly. Sadly there are people who like to think that they are being "realistic" removing such a fine aircraft from the skys. After meeting up with Captain Thompson (anybody remember him?) I was told for many years after "Be realistic you will never be a pilot" If I had listened I wonder where I would be. Well now I'm living my dream and I want to do for Aviation what Tommy Thompson and Concorde did for me. Inspire and encourage because we have the best job in the world. If you don't share that dedication thats your given right but I would strongly reccomend that you live your dream because there is no better way to live your life. Go Concorde Go.........
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Come now boys & girls
If the French want to fly it- they will! It's not like the UK over there yet
Who would have thought the yanks would have put the 'Charger' back in the air? It's , literally, not rocket science
If the French want to fly it- they will! It's not like the UK over there yet
Who would have thought the yanks would have put the 'Charger' back in the air? It's , literally, not rocket science
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Concorde spares
In France, some of the "prestige" spares, such as a radome, engines, cockpit instruments, etc. were auctioned off by Christies. After that, Air France personnel was allowed to pick and chose parts for themselves. Some went to museums, the rest was unceremoniously scrapped.
In Britain they had more luck.
First there was an auction by Bonhams, again of the "prestige" spares".
Then BA, through the Dovebid firm, auctioned off a HUGE amount of stuff. In a four-day auction they went through 6000 lots of about 150,000 items in all.
Just about anything you care to name. Seats? Sure. A complete toilet cubicle? Sure. A PFCU? I seem to remember at least one.
There were boxes full of compressor and turbine blades, and vast amounts of less spectacular stuff. The list is just too long...
Not everything was sold there, so a second auction was held.
Even before the auctions, BA had gone through a lot of the spares and selected several tons of bits and pieces that would be useful for the restoration of G-BBDG at the Brooklands museum. Anything from screws to spare elevons and leading edges, and landing gears. In all I seem to remember about twenty lorry-loads were moved to Brooklands.
At the end, the left-overs - which still filled a hangar - were scrapped.
Now that the worst Concorde mania is over, you may find some interesting pieces on eBay. Just beware the doubtfuls.... only the other day somebody tried to pass of something as a Concorde part, while it clearly wasn't.
In Britain they had more luck.
First there was an auction by Bonhams, again of the "prestige" spares".
Then BA, through the Dovebid firm, auctioned off a HUGE amount of stuff. In a four-day auction they went through 6000 lots of about 150,000 items in all.
Just about anything you care to name. Seats? Sure. A complete toilet cubicle? Sure. A PFCU? I seem to remember at least one.
There were boxes full of compressor and turbine blades, and vast amounts of less spectacular stuff. The list is just too long...
Not everything was sold there, so a second auction was held.
Even before the auctions, BA had gone through a lot of the spares and selected several tons of bits and pieces that would be useful for the restoration of G-BBDG at the Brooklands museum. Anything from screws to spare elevons and leading edges, and landing gears. In all I seem to remember about twenty lorry-loads were moved to Brooklands.
At the end, the left-overs - which still filled a hangar - were scrapped.
Now that the worst Concorde mania is over, you may find some interesting pieces on eBay. Just beware the doubtfuls.... only the other day somebody tried to pass of something as a Concorde part, while it clearly wasn't.
Peoples' Champion!
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A nice idea but sadly, I am ashamed to say that I suspect it will come to nothing.
This thread prompted me to watch my copy of the 'Hangar Video' on DVD that BA did for the 'end of Concorde party' and I can honestly say that it still brings a tear to my eye.
I do wonder, however, if people will say in, say, 50 years time, "God, how could they have done that?"!
Might I remind us all of the heart-rending quote: "If this magnificent machine was alive, it would be crying supersonic tears". . . .
BH
This thread prompted me to watch my copy of the 'Hangar Video' on DVD that BA did for the 'end of Concorde party' and I can honestly say that it still brings a tear to my eye.
I do wonder, however, if people will say in, say, 50 years time, "God, how could they have done that?"!
Might I remind us all of the heart-rending quote: "If this magnificent machine was alive, it would be crying supersonic tears". . . .
BH
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Can you imagine a Concorde supersonic flypast at 1000' during the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony?
Sure show the French who knew how to operate the machine.
Blue red and white touch paper lit...and retires
Sure show the French who knew how to operate the machine.
Blue red and white touch paper lit...and retires