David Learmount/LONDON Julian Moxon/PARIS
It is not definite that Air France would resume Aerospatiale/British Aerospace Concorde commercial operations even if the aircraft's certificates of airworthiness were returned, according to the executive director general Pierre-Henri Gourgeon.
The surprise admission comes as Air France and British Airways revealed in detail, for the first time, the programme of modifications and tests designed to enable the Concorde fleet to enter service again. If everything goes perfectly, according to BA engineering technical and quality director Jim O'Sullivan, its operations would start "by late spring". O'Sullivan makes clear, however, that "no firm dates" have been set in case of unforeseen problems.
Gourgeon says it is "too early" to predict if and when commercial flights will resume. "That depends entirely on the certification authorities, which will take the data collected during the test programme, from which they will decide if the aircraft can be made airworthy or not". He adds "we hope to refly Concorde. But safety is our absolute priority."
Gourgeon, meanwhile, emphasises that Air France is playing its part in the rectification programme and will be sharing the costs with aircraft manufacturer EADS. He explains: "At the moment our concern is to get the work done. We'll discuss costs later."
An Air France Concorde was ferried from Paris to Istres airfield on 18 January for ground tests.
The main modification makes the fuel tanks self-sealing in the event of rupture following a tyre explosion, such as that which happened in the Air France accident.
The fix consists of more than 100 sections of Kevlar/rubber tank lining formed to fit between inner wing ribs and over stringers in the lower wing, mainly forward and inboard of the engines, each made to fit a specific tank space.
Engineers will take up to 10 weeks to complete the work. BA estimates that fleet fitting and testing of this and other relatively minor modifications will cost £17 million ($25 million). BA's planned cabin upgrade will add £14 million.
When BA's daily Concorde departures eventually re-start, says the airline, the airport will check the runway ahead of every take-off to ensure that there is no debris such as that which caused the fatal tyre explosion at Paris.
BA has no doubts about its passengers' keenness to fly. It has been keeping in close touch with regular Concorde travellers, who say their lives have been transformed by flights which take 8h instead of 3h.
Source: Flight International
