Concorde Supersonic Plane May Fly Again

The Concorde, the discontinued super-airplane that can fly faster than the speed of sound and cross the Atlantic in under four hours, might be back in the air by 2019.

The supersonic passenger plane was originally operated by British Airways and Air France, but was discontinued in 2003 after it proved to expensive to operate. But Club Concorde, a group of former Concorde pilots and frequent fliers, say they may have now raised enough money to return the jet to service and build a special display pad for it in central London, The Telegraph reports.

In a blog post from July, the group says it’s compiling a business plan to use its roughly $160 million in funding to revamp a grounded Concorde to make it safe to fly. The group says the plane will be available for corporate events and charter once it is airborne.

“The main obstacle to any Concorde project to date has been ‘Where’s the money?’ a question we heard ad nauseam until we found an investor,” wrote Paul James, Concorde Club president and former Concorde charterer. “Now that money is no longer the problem it’s over to those who can help us make it happen, without financial risk to themselves.”

The Club says it is hoping to have the Concord on display by 2017, and plans to recommence flight by 2019 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the jet’s first flight.

[The Telegraph]