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  40th anniversary of Concorde's first flight

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Author Topic:   40th anniversary of Concorde's first flight
gliderpilotuk
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Posts: 3398
From: London, UK
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 04-09-2009 03:58 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for gliderpilotuk   Click Here to Email gliderpilotuk     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Another momentous event of 1969...

BBC: Concorde 40th anniversary marked

Celebrations are taking place to mark the 40th anniversary of the first test flight by Concorde, from Filton to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

On the 9 April 1969, the plane flew for 22 minutes over the Bristol Channel, then landed at the airbase.

The luxury supersonic plane was retired by British Airways in 2003 because of a drop in demand for flights.

...and there is still a campaign to put one of these stunning aircraft back in the air.

mjanovec
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Posts: 3811
From: Midwest, USA
Registered: Jul 2005

posted 04-09-2009 04:15 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mjanovec   Click Here to Email mjanovec     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A noble effort. I have to wonder what the expense would be to return one of the airframes back into the air. Even if the Concorde wasn't returned to regular service, I would think there would be some benefit to having one airframe that could participate at events to celebrate national heritage...even if it only flew a few times a year.

ilbasso
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Posts: 1522
From: Greensboro, NC USA
Registered: Feb 2006

posted 04-09-2009 09:44 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ilbasso   Click Here to Email ilbasso     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yet another example of a technological capability that we used to have but don't have any more!

I saw a special on the Concorde last year. I never realized that the final nail in the Concorde's coffin was the 9/11 attacks. According to the documentary, approximately 40 of the people who were the most regular patrons of the Concorde perished in the World Trade Center. The Concorde was never commercially viable, but with such a large portion of its frequent fliers killed in one blow, it was going to be even more difficult to fill the plane. It didn't help that the Concorde was also making its "return to flight" that day as well, after the Paris accident.

paulushumungus
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Posts: 466
From: Burton, Derbyshire, England
Registered: Oct 2005

posted 04-09-2009 03:25 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for paulushumungus   Click Here to Email paulushumungus     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
And of course, another British classic aircraft The Vulcan now has funding to fly for another airshow season. See the "Vulcan to the sky" web site for details.

Blackarrow
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Posts: 3118
From: Belfast, United Kingdom
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 04-09-2009 05:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Blackarrow     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Apollo... Concorde... You have to wonder what it was about the people who conceived, built and tested these 20th century marvels that somehow seems lacking in today's risk-averse, computer-reliant world. The "right stuff" perhaps?

dwmzmm
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Posts: 82
From: Katy, TX USA
Registered: Dec 2006

posted 04-09-2009 06:43 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for dwmzmm   Click Here to Email dwmzmm     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Blackarrow:
The "right stuff" perhaps?
Exactly.

------------------
Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.
Challenger 498 Section
NAR Advisor

All times are CT (US)

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