Branson's £1m for Concorde to fly again

TallDutch · Post by **TallDutch** » 27 May 2007, 08:07

Sir Richard Branson is supporting an ambitious project to return Concorde to the skies.
A group founded by former pilots and executives involved with the supersonic plane has identified one which they claim could fly again within three years.

If they succeed in buying it, Sir Richard will give £1million to the £10-£15million scheme.

The plan is the brainchild of Club Concorde, whose board members worked on the plane, which last flew in 2003 after 34 years of service.

Ben Lord of "Save Concorde", a partner in the project, said: "We have the backing of 30,000 supporters and are in talks with major investors.

"We have earmarked a Concorde which is at the French Air and Space Museum near Paris. It's just French bureaucracy that stands in our way."

A spokesman for Sir Richard's Virgin group said: "His desire for Concorde to fly again is well-known. He is passionate about it."

The spokesman added that getting Concorde in the air again may be 'unrealistic' because so much time had passed.

But Club Concorde president Jock Lowe said: "We have the high-level political and financial contacts whose combined strength will ensure the return of at least one Concorde to the air within three years."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/a ... _a_source=

vc-10 · Post by **vc-10** » 28 May 2007, 21:41

I don't think this scheme will suceed, but I'd love it to!

Stij · Post by **Stij** » 29 May 2007, 08:46

Nice publicity stunt of Richard: a lot of news coverage and it won't cost him a penny!

Cheers,

Stij

David747 · Post by **David747** » 29 May 2007, 08:49

If they can somehow afford to maintenance costs with the Concord, It would be great to see the bird fly again. But this seems more like publicity.

sab319 · Post by **sab319** » 29 May 2007, 10:54

I don't think the museum in Paris will let it's Concorde go

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 29 May 2007, 11:43

It was time to retire Concorde. There is never so much fuss when any other airliner type retires.

Andries · Post by **Andries** » 29 May 2007, 13:25

Last I heard was that Airbus has a Concorde fully prepped to fly again, but keept it in her stables. She could be airborne within 24 hours after taking a decission to get her flying. Like said in the original post : French Bureaucracy ... Europe may be one big union, but in the minds of the european people, we're still far far away from that !

Greetz,

Andries

Airbus330lover · Post by **Airbus330lover** » 29 May 2007, 16:46

Andries wrote:Last I heard was that Airbus has a Concorde fully prepped to fly again, but keept it in her stables. She could be airborne within 24 hours after taking a decission to get her flying. Like said in the original post : French Bureaucracy ... Europe may be one big union, but in the minds of the european people, we're still far far away from that !

Greetz,

Andries

One Concorde in Toulouse but sure not ready to fly within 24 hours.
And don't forget they need a new certificate to fly.

Comet · Post by **Comet** » 29 May 2007, 19:49

Concorde didn't have "34 years of service". It entered service in 1976 and was withdrawn in 2003, making 27 years of airline service.

It made its maiden test flight in 1969 but that hardly counts as being "in service"!