British Airways expects to carry out a test flight this week with the Aerospatiale/British Aerospace Concorde which it has fitted with Kevlar/rubber fuel tank liners.
During the last three weeks, engine runs and low speed taxi tests have been carried out on a first modified aircraft (G-BOAF) at London Heathrow. BA says that the pre-flight preparations are as much to do with readying an aircraft which has been immobile under maintenance for a long time as checking new installations.
The test flight is expected to take about the same time as a one-way Atlantic crossing, with the aircraft spending nearly 2h at supersonic speeds, after which it will return to land at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. BA says that the RAF base was chosen as it is one of Concorde's standard diversion airfields.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority says that the aircraft will not need a temporary certificate of airworthiness to make the flight.
Source: Flight International
