Concorde: The Comeback
Discussion
I've just been watching this on Discovery Turbo.
It's heartbreaking to see these people talking about doing things that will last to the end of the plane and how they're not going to need to be replaced for 10-15 years and how optimistic they are about it flying again.
Of course whilst knowing what happened to Concorde now makes the program seem even more tragic, the way these people were so optimistic and the amount of money spent not on just keeping it flying but provisions for training new pilots to take over from the guys who retire in the next 5-8 years
How this could be let to happen and not just happen but make sure all the planes will never fly again, not even for displays, it's criminal really.
It's heartbreaking to see these people talking about doing things that will last to the end of the plane and how they're not going to need to be replaced for 10-15 years and how optimistic they are about it flying again.
Of course whilst knowing what happened to Concorde now makes the program seem even more tragic, the way these people were so optimistic and the amount of money spent not on just keeping it flying but provisions for training new pilots to take over from the guys who retire in the next 5-8 years
How this could be let to happen and not just happen but make sure all the planes will never fly again, not even for displays, it's criminal really.
Eric Mc said:
Why?
It was a commercial operation. When commerce dictates that if it isn't commercially viable then opperations need to cease.
WOW! A commercial operation ? really ? I'd never have known if it wasn't for you. Where would we be without people like you ? I've no idea but no doubt it would be a much happier place. It was a commercial operation. When commerce dictates that if it isn't commercially viable then opperations need to cease.
OP I agree with you
offendi said:
Eric Mc said:
Why?
It was a commercial operation. When commerce dictates that if it isn't commercially viable then opperations need to cease.
WOW! A commercial operation ? really ? I'd never have known if it wasn't for you. Where would we be without people like you ? I've no idea but no doubt it would be a much happier place. It was a commercial operation. When commerce dictates that if it isn't commercially viable then opperations need to cease.
OP I agree with you
Eric Mc said:
offendi said:
Eric Mc said:
Why?
It was a commercial operation. When commerce dictates that if it isn't commercially viable then opperations need to cease.
WOW! A commercial operation ? really ? I'd never have known if it wasn't for you. Where would we be without people like you ? I've no idea but no doubt it would be a much happier place. It was a commercial operation. When commerce dictates that if it isn't commercially viable then opperations need to cease.
OP I agree with you
Commercial is one thing, but displays entirely different.
I have an idea, the Lancaster bomber is an outdated warplane, and not cutting edge for todays world, so lets ditch the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. What you say Eric?
Eric Mc said:
Why?
It was a commercial operation. When commerce dictates that if it isn't commercially viable then opperations need to cease.
I was under the impression BA were actually making money on concorde, even if it was a commercial operation, once they ceased to be used as such there was no need to make sure that they couldn't be maintained for future display use, there were plenty of groups that would have had one and kept it as close to flight worthy as they could have and it wouldn't have cost BA anything.It was a commercial operation. When commerce dictates that if it isn't commercially viable then opperations need to cease.
I'd wager a decent sum of money that concorde if it was run like the Vulcan to the sky campaign would take in far more money that the vulcan does.
simer553 said:
I read somewhere that Branson offered to but the operation from BA to run it commercially. He was refused....
Sounds a bit fishy? Suspect he was a victim of being 'non pc' as this would have embarrassed Air France and BA perhaps?
Pure publicity - Virgin were never seriously going to pay for the upkeep of a flying Concorde. Not to mention Airbus were no longer going to support it from a Design Authority perspective!Sounds a bit fishy? Suspect he was a victim of being 'non pc' as this would have embarrassed Air France and BA perhaps?
neilbauer said:
I might be way off the mark as I know nothing about planes exept they fly! but I thought the reason they stopped using them was safety issues after the crash!
It needed a modification to the wing fuel tanks IIRC, carbon composite shield to protect it from damage.Edited by neilbauer on Sunday 4th March 13:59
BA/AF didn't have cash to keep it going, with the global downturn demand was low, more so after the crash as people saw it as unsafe (compared to other jumbo's it's alot bloody safer!!) so it became a black hole for cash, which neither party had.
I'm hoping that like the Vulcan, one will be restored, I'd like to think it would be restored to commercial standard and offered out to the public as sadly I never got to fly on one!
simer553 said:
I read somewhere that Branson offered to but the operation from BA to run it commercially. He was refused....
Sounds a bit fishy? Suspect he was a victim of being 'non pc' as this would have embarrassed Air France and BA perhaps?
Branson is very good at self promotion , its easy to make such an offer that will be very expensive but also very popular if you know it will be declined Sounds a bit fishy? Suspect he was a victim of being 'non pc' as this would have embarrassed Air France and BA perhaps?
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