Concorde | | Modern icon - Concorde in its heyday |
There's a hole in our Concorde! The Bristol Concorde is losing its battle with the elements. Inside Out West reveals that a hole has opened up on the leading edge of one of the aircraft's wings. It's already big enough to poke a finger into - and experts fear it may get bigger as the plane continues to be buffeted by the wind and rain. Concorde corrosion is now a real concern. James Kingdon, from the Concorde maintenance team says: "There's nothing we can do about it really apart from cut the corrosion out. It's like cancer of the aircraft in effect."
 | | The hole story - we investigate Concorde's state of repair |
Enthusiasts are desperate for the aircraft to be put under cover to try to prevent any further damage. They're worried that Bristol's aviation heritage is literally being allowed to crumble away. Frank Nutbeen, a senior engineer with Concorde throughout its history, says: "I want to get this aircraft under cover. Everybody does. Everybody is working to that end - to get this aircraft under cover and stop it deteriorating."
Museum prospects? As well as the hole on the wing, there is a problem with the rubber seal around one of the doors which has started to corrode. Inside Out West guest reporter Chris Serle flew on Concorde himself and is saddened that she's been left languishing in the open air on the side of a runway: "A big part of it was being treated like royalty it was the best cabin service you could have. And of course you felt, just for those three and a half hours across the Atlantic surrounded by the jet set, like a fully paid up member of the rich and famous."
 | | Chris Serle with Concorde |
The Bristol Concorde, 216 Alpha Foxtrot, was the last one to fly. When she landed at Filton more than two years ago, the emotional crowds who welcomed her home assumed she would become a high profile visitor attraction. But progress on the plans for an aviation museum has been less than supersonic. CONCORDE
| 1969 - She flies!
1970 - PanAm launch the Jumbo, which offers cheap transatlantic flight and proves to be Concorde's nemesis.
1972 - Over a dozen airlines place orders for Concorde.
1976 - Of 16 Concorde's built only nine have been sold. In the end planes are sold for £1 each. 1976 - Concorde's first true commercial flight is a success 2000 - All Concordes grounded after one crashes outside Paris, killing everyone aboard.
2002 - Concordes are back in service after bulletproof fuel tanks are fitted.
2003 - Last Concorde flights to take place after a 'rescue bid' by Richard Branson's Virgin fails. |
Chris Serle would like Concorde to follow the example of the SS Great Britain, which secured lottery funding to become a major tourist attraction in a prominent, highly visible location. It now attracts more than 100,000 visitors every year. The plane is being looked after by a dedicated band of volunteers. Once a week, a small maintenance team from Airbus come to give Concorde a look over. They carry out a whole series of checks throughout the plane. But, as hard as they try, they can't do anything about the constant battering Concorde gets from the salty winds which blow in off the Bristol Channel.
They're disappointed there hasn't been more momentum to get the great white bird under cover. Visit the Inside Out Concorde photo gallery
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Inside Out - West: Monday February 6, 2006
