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Concorde could be airborne again by 2019
A group of former Concorde pilots and enthusiasts have said the plane could fly again after they raised £120 million.
Club Concorde describes itself as “ex-captains, ex-charterers and people passionate about Concorde working together to keep Concorde in people’s hearts and minds”.
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They claim to have raised the funds through UK and overseas investors to refurbish one of the aircraft and see it perform fly-bys at air shows as soon as 2019.
The group also claim to have raised funds for a separate project to make two new Concorde museums in London and Paris, due to open in 2017.
The project has similar aims to the Save Concorde Group, which in July began its campaign to restore grounded Concorde planes and make the suitable for airshow performances.
Built in Filton, Concorde zipped across the Atlantic at over 900 miles per hour, slashing times to cross the Atlantic to under three hours.
However, despite its almost entirely unblemished safety record, in July, 2000, an Air France Concorde crashed shortly after taking off from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris killing all 109 people on board.
Rising maintenance costs and a significant drop in air travel after the 9/11 attacks resulted in the last flight taking place in 2003, after which all 19 remaining Concorde planes were grounded.
But Club Concorde wants to see that changed. Describing the project as a “dream of the global Concorde fraternity”, the group began seeking investors since the day the planes were grounded.
The group said it is now planning to purchase two of the three Concordes from France, and secure air-worthiness for one of the aircraft.
The other two planes will be displayed on twin decked platforms along the Thames in London’s Southbank and along the Seine in Paris, museums due to open their doors in 2017. The lower deck will consist of restaurants, bars and a gift shop, as well as an aircrew presentation area.
Image Credit: Club Concorde
The Concorde on Filton Airfield is already set to find a new home at the proposed Bristol Aerospace Centre, a £13.5 million museum funded by BAE Systems, Airbus, Rolls-Royce and the Heritage Lottery Fund.