CONCOREDE TO BE RETIRED !

[Guest xoio]

It is a sad day indeed...Both British Airways & Air France have made the joint decision to retire the entire Concorde fleet by October this year.The reasons are aparrently due to falling numbers of passengers since the Concorde crash, & numerious less serious faults with the rudder, engines & other systems. Despite the modernisation that has been done recently that would have seen Concorde fly until 2010-or so, It seems she simply isn't cost effective any more.Lets hope that NONE of them get scrapped, but are ALL offered to private collectors & air museums, & as many as possible are kept air worthy for displays.What a gal! She'll be missed.Alistair 'Lazarus'

[Guest xoio]

Bloody hell!!! I Can't even SPELL Concorde properly!!! *LOL*.. Apologies!Al :-)

[Guest]

I know it has been whispered for months that the end may be near but i still stared at the TV this morning in silence as it was announced that Concorde will fly no more as from november! There are lots of things i'd like to write to honor the achievement and pride i have for her but at present remain speechless. Is anyone else feeling the same? Share your thoughts!!!I want to put her on my AI list just for the last few months! Has anyone achieved it yet?Can someone share with me your nowledge? Ie where did you aquire the flightplans , aircraft etc so i can get her into the air!Many thanksDaren UK

[Guest AndrewW]

My thoughts at this time are with a number of the crew, who are finding out the hard way this morning that early retirement is not too far off :( Andrewhttp://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e931daf674e7c54.jpg

[Guest]

"isn't cost effective any more"Was it ever? Hasn't it always been subsidized because it's horribly inefficient?I'm happy that more reasonable heads will prevail!Come on, sentiment aside, it's a dinosaur, tech prowess is in planes such as the 747, 777., and Airbuses that can fly the route profitably without govt. handouts.Park it next to the brontosaurus bones where it belongs...;o)John

[Guest Tim W]

>"isn't cost effective any more" >>Was it ever? Hasn't it always been subsidized because it's >horribly inefficient? >>I'm happy that more reasonable heads will prevail! >>Come on, sentiment aside, it's a dinosaur, tech prowess is >in planes such as the 747, 777., and Airbuses that can fly >the route profitably without govt. handouts. >>Park it next to the brontosaurus bones where it >belongs...;o) >>John You are obviously not English then!, and if you are you should be ashamed of yourself! Perhaps Concorde is "inefficient" perhaps it does not have the "technical prowess" of an Airbus or a 777, however It was and remains a marvelous example of British (and French of course) engineering that was way ahead of it's time when it was designed and built and in fact still is way ahead of it's time.I cannot believe anyone who has even the slightest interest in aviation would want to celebrate the demise of such an elegant machine. Your comments sound like those of a typical "bean counter" that have been the ruination of the aviation business that I have been involved with and loved for more years than I care to remember.I for one am sad to see the end of an era. I have never had the pleasure to fly on the aircraft and it's highly unlikely that I will be able to find the money to fulfill a dream and make a flight on Concorde before it finally stops flying. The aircraft you mention may be tecnically superior but they won't get you to New York in under 4 hours! As for Government handouts, when I last looked British Airways was a public company and as such finances the operation of Concorde itself. Hence their sad decision to terminate the service. TimEHAM

[crvm 0]

This is very sad news indeed. We must remember that airlines are here for one reason only = to make money. It is much cheaper to fly a Airbus or a Boeing fuel wise and really not many people want to spend thousands extra for a few hours less flight time. I do hope the birds get a good home though..Best Wishes, Randy J. Smith[h5]San Jose Ca[/h5][h3]" A little learning is a dangerous thing"[/h3]AMD XP 2200 |MUNCHKIN 512 DDR RAM |ECS[/b ][i] K7S5A MB[/i] |GF3 64 MEG |WIN XP PRO |MITSUBISHI DIAMOND PLUS 91 19"

[Guest xoio]

Actually WFO "John"For your Information, prior to the crash, (Which incidentally was caused by crap falling off another supposidly more modern aircraft.)Concorde WAS running a profitable service for BA.She is unique, & respect where respect is due i think :-)Al

[Guest Mark Hazeldine]

Well, it had to come at sometime, but yes, it will be sad to see it go. Like the majority, i've never flown on Concorde, but for the last twenty one years i've been living a few miles south of Heathrow and it'll be earily quiet not hearing that roar at 11.05am that shakes the ground and rattles our windows and doors!I had the 'pleasure' once of having my ears blown off while standing next to rwy 27R watching it take off! then later in the day i stood under the approach as it landed. So graceful! Unfortunately it takes a mad man or someone insanely rich to blow

[edetroit 933]

I can't stand to see any a/c go !........let alone Concorde!.......very sad. :-( http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e8c9d8340158953.jpg

[alastairmonk 0]

Hear hear ! Like most, I've never been on it, and regret that I probably never will. Like Mark, the noise at 1105 will always be music to my ears. Interestingly, Concorde is always referred to in the singular, as if there's only ever been just the one ! You'd never get someone saying "Oh, there goes the Jumbo"I remember watching live TV coverage of the first trans-Atlantic flight, as Concorde touched down at JFK (if I remember correctly.)Hopefully the fleet will get a dignified retirement at the various Museums.End of an era. The modern planes may be far more efficient, but can't compare with the gut-churning, heart-in-mouth thrill of looking up and seeing the Big White Bird thundering overhead.Alastair

[Guest Muppet22]

Yup very sad, will miss it roaring over my house at various times of day. Anyway I'm off to Heathrow later on today to watch it take off at about 7pm local on 09L, make the most of it whilst you can!

[Guest]

"WAS running a profitable SERVICE"At 10,000+USD, a service to whom?The rich and famous that's who, and nothing but a trophy 'round the neck of the governments that were subsidizing them.More like an ALBATROSS round the neck!!Nothing but a dinosaur, and just as useful!!!!!777!!!And yes I have the extra 2 hours to spare, and I can afford a ticket!!LOL....;o)

[Guest AndrewW]

Well as one pilot put it to a similar individual on another forum: Such bold assertions from one who does not even have the data to do the sums. Thankfully you're not the one whose opinion counts.Even so, 34 years after she first flew, the Concorde can still do what no other aircraft could or can - at M2.0 the Olympus 593-610 is the most efficient internal combustion engine yet to fly and on top of that she is flying after most other civil airliners designed in the 50s and 60s have long since been turned into ashtrays. And by airframe use markers she is still younger than the 777.She was right first time, did exactly what the designers asked for (more than anyone has ever asked of a civil transport before or since) and still does. She can and does still cut a profit, fortunately her continued existance is not in the hands of the green-eyes.The fat lady has not sung yet (rumours of her demise are, as yet, exaggerated), but even if she were "on in 10" the Concorde has already proved herself with a flight envelope and life cycle other types have not and will not come close to. A magnificent achievment by any standard, and still going strong.I cannot begin to understand the source of your cynical, almost gleeful anticipation at the unproven concept of the retirement of such a high achievment in aviation.Long may the Concorde continue to lead the way - and it can and still does. But it will be the airline executives who must decide - not the stone chuckers from the pits - but whenever that decision may be (all good things must come to an end) you will be unable to erase over 3 decades of unparalleled (by more than a factor of 2) achievement.Couldn't have said it better myself ! http://ftp.avsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3e931daf674e7c54.jpg

[Guest]

Not sure where you got your info. Concorde never recouped its R&D costs but to hte best of my knowledge it did operate to cover its operational costs. It was never a big money earner though and, because of this, was deemed a commercial failure.JP