Concorde - This is not a flight of fancy

[richard]

Volunteers say Concorde can realise an Olympic dream if BA will help

BRITISH AIRWAYS is blocking a move to bring Concorde out of retirement to lead a flypast of famous British aircraft for the opening ceremony of the London Olympics in 2012.

The airline is refusing to co-operate with the Save Concorde Group, which is supported by dozens of former Concorde pilots and engineers, as well as celebrities such as the designer Sir Terence Conran and the musician Phil Collins.

The group asked BA for details of the costs of maintaining Concorde so it could draw up a fundraising programme, including a bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund and an appeal to private sponsors. Its spokesman, Ben Lord, said: “We need to know the costs in order to prepare a credible business plan for getting this great British icon back in the air for special occasions. We are not asking BA for any money, just basic information.”

But in a letter to the group, Michael Doherty, a manager in BA’s engineering department, writes: “Unfortunately we are unable to release the information you are requesting.”

A BA spokeswoman said: “We have had many discussions with the group, but we do not want these figures in the public domain because they are commercially sensitive. We don’t disclose details of any of our maintenance contracts.”

When asked why information about a unique type of aircraft, grounded since 2003, was deemed commercially sensitive, she said: “We are not giving the figures out, period.”

In March Concorde came top of a BBC Two poll in which 200,000 viewers chose their favourite example of British design since 1900. More than 30,000 people have signed a petition requesting the cooperation of BA and Airbus, the successor company to Concorde’s manufacturers.

The group is focusing its efforts on Alpha Foxtrot, the second-youngest aircraft in terms of flying hours in BA’s seven-strong Concorde fleet.

Alpha Foxtrot made the last flight by a Concorde on November 26, 2003, when it was delivered to Filton, the Airbus plant near Bristol where it was made.It remains in good condition.

Making it airworthy would be expensive because all the hydraulic fluid was drained when the fleet was decommissioned. Jock Lowe, formerly the chief Concorde pilot and manager of BA’s supersonic fleet, said it would cost £10 million to £15 million to prepare the aircraft, and another £1 million a year in operating costs.

“The hydraulic seals would have to be replaced and the engines stripped and overhauled. But it is perfectly feasible.” He said two Air France Concordes, on display in Le Bourget and Toulouse, were in better shape because volunteers had been allowed to run their systems occasionally.

Lembit Opik, the Liberal Democrat MP and one of 20 MPs and MEPs supporting the group, said that talks with the Heritage Lottery Fund had yielded a favourable response. He said: “Concorde was one of the greatest technological feats of the 20th century and it would give pleasure to millions to see it fly again. Taxpayers paid for the development of Concorde and it is wrong for BA to be a dog in the manger over a national treasure which they got for a song.”

The development of Concorde by Sud-Aviation (later Aérospatiale) and British Aircraft Corporation (later part of British Aerospace) was a Franco-British government decision in the early 1960s. The full development costs are unknown but are believed to have been £1 billion to £2billion.

The aircraft were bought by the countries’ national airlines — BA’s £155 million investment was funded by a government loan, written off when British Airways was privatised.

MUSEUM PIECES
# Only 14 of the 20 Concordes built between 1966 and 1979 entered commercial service with, with the other six used for testing

# BA’s seven-strong fleet carried 2.5 million passengers during 28 years of commercial service, between January 21, 1976 and October 24, 2003

# BA retains ownership of the aircraft, but has lent them to museums and airports for public display

# Alpha Alpha had its wings cut off to allow it to be transported by road and barge to Scotland, where it was reassembled at the the National Museum of Flight in East Lothian

# Alpha Bravo is parked at the eastern end of Heathrow's northern runway. It is not open to the public and can be seen only by passengers landing on the runway or through the perimeter fence

# Alpha Charlie is at Manchester aviation park and is sometimes used for weddings and corporate events

# Alpha Delta was used for the Queen's Golden Jubilee flypast on June 4, 2002, and is on display on a barge at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, New York

# Alpha Echo is in a hangar at Grantley Adams airport, Barbados. It is not on view because the Barbados government has yet to build the museum it promised to display it

# Alpha Golf is outside at the Museum of Flight in Seattle

# Alpha Foxtrot was the first to be modified and returned to service after the Air France crash in Paris in July, 2000. It made the last Concorde flight on November 26, 2003, when it flew to Filton, Bristol, where it is available for prebooked tours

# The petition seeking to restore Concorde flights for special occasions is at www.save-concorde.co.uk


Source
By Ben Webster
timesonline.co.uk

Image 1: Alpha Alpha makes its undignified way across farmland to the National Museum of Flight (David Cheskin/PA)
Images 2 & 3: aerospaceweb.org

[richard]

Concorde's wings clipped

CONCORDE will never fly again, British Airways declared yesterday.

The categorical statement came after a report that the Save Concorde Group wanted the supersonic aircraft to lead a fly-past at the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. But a BA spokesman said: "Concorde will not fly again."

Fourteen Concordes, seven belonging to BA and seven to Air France, are on display around the world. One is at the Museum of Flight, at East Fortune.


Source
scotsman.com

I wonder what would happen should the French decide to offer one of their Concordes for the flypast, wouldn't that be a stunning offer on their part?

Image: Concorde emerged as the winner of a poll to find Britain's favourite design icon. More than 200,000 votes were cast. Picture: Ian Waldie/ Getty Images

[Geoff]

Concorde isnt just a flight of fancy, she is our flying Queen.

If British Airways cannot be bothered to restore Concorde to her former glory due to internal wrangling over costs then I do hope as Richard mentioned, that Air France will step in with their offer of their Concorde for the fly past.

Even Richard Branson of Virgin has been pushing for Concorde to fly again

[richard]

Hi Geoff, and fair comment over Concorde and I must say that I have always regarded Concorde as the very best airliner bar none.

I find the attitude of BA rather astonishing considering the huge prestige of using Concorde on its international flights.

They don't really have to use it full time, simply putting it back in the air would give British Airways such an almighty great big image boost - Thinking about this further, I wonder if this is what they are planning

[Geoff]

So no ideas yet on progress with BA , this would be a huge PR coup for them, or do I see smoke in the air over this, perhaps there is something brewing in the BA camp. Concorde may yet fly again. Fingers crossed

[divingbrit]

and maybe the Vulcan Bomber can fly along side!

[richard]

Now wouldn't that be a brilliant idea, I have fond memories of watching the Vulcan bomber flying overhead at the air displays at RAF Finingley many years ago.

Just add in the Red Arrows and whoa, we have one very memorable and worthy flypast for the start of this magnificent event

[divingbrit]

plus Battle of Brittain flight, (Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster)!! Which is based in Lincolnshire, not far from the Red Arrows

of course Concorde has flown with all these , don't think with the Vulcan? For those that have never seen a Vulcan in flight its not one you can mistake for any other, the shape was unique.

[richard]

I totally agree with you over the Vulcan bomber, or more commonly known as the "flying bat"

For info to our many younger members, the Avro Vulcan was a British delta-wing subsonic bomber, operated by the Royal Air Force from 1953 until 1984.

The Vulcan was part of the RAF's V bomber force, which fulfilled the role of nuclear deterrence against the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

Having once again watched this aircraft in awe from the many air displays I attended at Finingley thanks to my dads enthusiasm, I have to say the sight of this thing would have put the fear of god into the opposition.

Let's hope someone, somewhere, is now taking the first steps to funding and refurbishing one or more of our truly classic Vulcan bombers for this memorable 2012 Olympic flypast.


Image Source
wikipedia.org

[divingbrit]

Sorry Richard. thought you knew about this, only last month half a million was donated to continue the good work.

Last Updated: 26/08/2006 14:35:04
Club fights back to get heritage aircraft back into the skies By Stephen Wordsmith

Enthusiasts supporting in the restoration of Earth's only flyable Vulcan aircraft are fighting back in a last ditch attempt to ensure that the project takes to the skies in time for a proposed Falklands flypast over Buckingham Palace.

The flypast will be part of a June 2007 commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the 1982 Falklands conflict, in which an Avro Vulcan played a pivotal role by carrying out a dangerous mission beyond its range.
The aircraft, XH558, is the last remaining Vulcan in the world which is capable of being restored to full flight status and was the last of its kind to fly. Its last previous flight was in 1993 when it landed at Bruntingthorpe Airfield, Leiecestershire.
The return-to-flight project is only £1.2m short of supplementing existing already raised to reach the target of £5.2m needed to restore the Vulcan to full flight.
Already, the Vulcan to the Sky Club has raised and donated a staggering £140,000, and administered another £150,000 for the Vulcan to the Sky Trust which received a £2.73m grant from the National Heritage Fund (HLF).

The club has mounted a nationwide pledge campaign to secure the entire £1.2m needed by August 31st. Corporate funds are still being actively sought, through sponsorship and other means.
We need companies to come in quickly with sponsorship funds, explained Geoffrey Pool, chairman of the Vulcan to the Sky Club. The aircraft could be painted in the livery of an airline or major commercial organisation; or parts of it, such as the tail fin or the bomb-bay doors, can carry corporate colours.

And the club has left no stone unturned in their determination to provide sponsorship opportunities, Geoffrey adding: The 40-foot brake parachute, the aircraft hangar, the plane's access steps and the towing truck are all available for sponsorship!
The aircraft is considered by millions to be a national treasure and, according to Geoffrey Pool, companies are already expressing a keen interest in being involved: We have received some most ingenious suggestions and we are hopeful that some major names will step in to take advantage of the high profile the Vulcan enjoys throughout the UK and around the world.
The aircraft will be a major attraction at air shows and events on a week-to-week basis and is always the centrepiece of any TV and press coverage as its look is so spectacular.

Companies and individuals can make pledges, which will be called only if the required amount is raised, by visiting www.vulcantotheskyclub.com , or by contacting Rusty Drewett, of the Vulcan to the Sky Club, Bruntingthorpe Airfield, Upper Bruntingthorpe, Leicestershire. Telephone: 0116 221 8426 or email rdrewett@btconnect.com.