Alan Peaford
Events at Farnborough 2000 were overshadowed yesterday as news of the Concorde crash spread around the showground just before 4pm local time.
Latest reports at press time said 113 people were believed to have died when the Air France Concorde en route to New York crashed outside Paris shortly after take-off from Charles de Gaulle airport. The aircraft is believed to have crashed into a field before slamming into a hotel in the town of Gonesse, just slightly to the north of Le Bourget.
Eye witnesses said the SST had flames and smoke pouring from the port wing as it was taking off. The Concorde had been chartered from Air France by a German tour company. All 100 passengers are believed to be Germans on their way to join a cruise liner. The crew were all French. It is believed that four people on the ground were also killed.
The crash came just a day after BA grounded one of its Concordes because of cracks in the wing. Industry experts believe the two events are unrelated.
However, the crash and the concerns over the ageing supersonic jet¹s frame throw into doubt the future viability of the aircraft. At $10,000 for a return London-New York ticket, BA and Air France - the only two operators of the aircraft - target the rich, the famous and the top corporate managers.
Concern over safety could see a move to greater use of the ultra large or fast business aircraft.
The major players are all at Farnborough and even before the crash were reporting increased interest from potential customers of business jets for transatlantic travel.
The tragedy will also kick off interest in the concept of supersonic business jets. Netjets chairman Richard Santulli has made it clear that he would welcome such an aircraft in his fractional ownership fleet.Industry insiders say that an $80 million supersonic jet could be available as a fractional aircraft at just $10 million for a one-eighth share.
Dassault, Gulfstream, Boeing and Lockheed Martin are all looking at the concept. Gulfstream is currently seeking government funding to be first to market.
Source: Flight Daily News
