hebig.org/blog
Personal webnode of Haiko Hebig

Concorde's commercial operation has ended today, but there are five final ferry flights to come later this month or in November when the British Airways Supersonic Fleet members will reach their retirement retreats. To end today's aviation special, a quick look at the final homes:

AIR FRANCE RETIREMENTS
F-BVFA to Smithsonian Museum, Washington D.C., USA on June 12
F-BTSD to Air and Space Museum, Le Bourget, France on June 14
F-BVFB to Baden-Baden Airport / Sinsheim, Germany on June 24 (additional photos)
F-BVFC to Airbus A380 factory, Toulouse, France on June 27

F-BTSD holds the world records for fastest flights around the world in both directions and received a special Pepsi promo livery in 1996. F-BVFD and F-BVFF have been used as a spare parts donors. F-BVFD's nose has been sold to an American for EUR 45k in 1995, F-BVFF will go on display at Paris CDG. F-BTSC was lost near Paris in July 2000.

TENTATIVE BRITISH AIRWAYS RETIREMENTS
G-BOAC to Manchester Airport viewing park, UK
G-BOAD Record Setter to Intrepid Air and Space Museum, New York City, USA
G-BOAE to Museum of Flight, Seattle, USA
G-BOAG to Grantley Adams Airport, Barbados
G-BOAF to Filton, UK

G-BBDG is stored at Filton and has been used for spares. G-BOAA and G-BOAB are candidates for display at Heathrow Airport or Brooklands Museum, Weybridge. They did not receive the 2001 update and have been in storage at London Heathrow since. Listed retirement retreats are tentative only. Final homes for BA's Concorde fleet are to be announced later this week. One machine is already on exhibition at the Imperial War Museum Duxford.

Once the ferry flight to Filton will be accomplished, it is more than doubtful to see any of the machines in the skies again. Plans for air show displays and a special commemorative flight on December 17 (100th anniversary the Wright Brothers flight), as supported even by British Airways, are strongly opposed by Airbus that wants to see a final end of all Concorde operations.