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What Happened to the Missing Concorde? The Story of F-BVFD
about 1 year agoGB
The Concorde, an icon of supersonic passenger flight, graced the skies for 27 years with its distinctive shape and speed. Only 20 were ever built, making each one a prized piece of aviation history. While the fates of 19 are well-documented – displayed in museums, stored, or tragically lost – the story of the 20th Concorde, F-BVFD, is less known, concluding three decades ago.
Key Insights
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Exclusive Fleet: Only 20 Concorde aircraft were ever produced (prototypes and production models combined).
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Known Fates: 16 are preserved in museums or airports globally, 2 are in storage (Heathrow, Barbados - currently closed display), and 1 (F-BTSC) crashed in Paris in 2000.
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The Missing Plane: The 20th Concorde, Air France's F-BVFD, had a surprisingly short service life compared to its siblings.
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Short Career: F-BVFD flew commercially from Feb 1977 to May 1982, accumulating only 5,814 flying hours, significantly less than others (some exceeded 22,000 hours).
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The Incident: A heavy landing in Dakar, Senegal, in November 1977 damaged the aircraft's tail section.
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Why this matters: Understanding the fate of F-BVFD completes the history of this legendary fleet. It highlights the operational challenges, economic factors, and meticulous tracking involved in managing such unique aircraft, even leading to one being dismantled for parts to keep others flying.
In-Depth Analysis
The Concorde story is synonymous with transatlantic speed and luxury, connecting cities like Paris, London, and New York. However, Air France also operated routes to South America, including Rio de Janeiro via Dakar.
It was during a landing in Dakar on November 28, 1977, that F-BVFD suffered significant damage. The landing was harder than regulations allowed (14 m/s vs. 10 m/s limit), causing the tail-wheel to crush and the rear fuselage to scrape the runway.
Although cleared to fly afterwards, later inspections revealed substantial structural issues stemming from this incident. Compounded by economic factors – Air France ceased less profitable Latin American Concorde services in 1982 due to changing geo-political climates (like Venezuela's decline) and lower demand compared to New York routes – F-BVFD was grounded in May 1982.
Unlike its counterpart F-BTSC (also grounded temporarily in 1982 but later restored), F-BVFD was deemed too costly to repair fully, especially with a reduced need for operational Concordes. Over the next 12 years at Charles de Gaulle airport, it was gradually cannibalized – its parts used to maintain the remaining Air France and British Airways fleets. Exposed to the elements, the remaining shell corroded and was broken up for scrap in 1994. The nosecone was sold separately to a US collector in March 1995.
Though gone, remnants exist: its exhaust cowlings are displayed at the Farnborough Air Sciences Museum in the UK, and a section of its fuselage is reportedly part of an outdoor exhibit at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, home to the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace and two other Concordes (F-WTSS and F-BTSD).
FAQs
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Q: How many Concordes were built in total?
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A: A total of 20 Concordes were built, including prototypes and production aircraft.
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Q: Where are most Concordes now?
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A: Most (16) are on public display in museums and at airports across the UK, France, Germany, the US, and Barbados (though the Barbados display is currently closed). Two more are in storage.
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Q: Which Concorde crashed?
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A: Air France Concorde F-BTSC crashed shortly after takeoff from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on July 25, 2000.
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Q: Why was F-BVFD retired so early?
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A: It suffered structural damage from a hard landing in 1977. Later, economic factors and the cost of repair led Air France to retire and eventually dismantle it for parts in the early 1980s and 1990s.
Key Takeaways
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The Concorde program, while iconic, involved a small, exclusive fleet where each aircraft's history is significant.
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Operational incidents and economic viability heavily influenced the lifespan and fate of individual Concordes like F-BVFD.
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Even advanced aircraft can be cannibalized for parts to maintain the operational status of the remaining fleet, highlighting the practicalities of aviation maintenance.
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Preservation efforts ensure that most of the Concorde fleet remains accessible to the public, celebrating this feat of engineering.
Discussion
The story of F-BVFD adds another layer to the Concorde legend. It's a reminder of the complex factors behind operating such groundbreaking technology.
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Sources & References
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Original Article Basis: All but one of the 20 Concordes are accounted for. Here’s what happened to the missing plane (via Yahoo News / The Telegraph),
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ConcordeSST Website (General Concorde Info): https://www.concordesst.com/?ref=yanuki.com,
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