It's history! The Smithsonian legally owns the first Concorde ever placed into service by Air France. BVFA is now officially a US citizen!

(to view more pics and my text, continue down to link)

IAD's famous mobile boarding/departure lounge approaches fox-alpha before the signing ceremony

BVFA (FoxAlpha) lands for the last time at her resting place-Washington D.C., Dulles airport.

BVFA over the channel at the acceleration point. Her last supersonic acceleration.

BVFA over the Channel heading westbound for Washington D.C. A beautiful day!

Air France Concorde BVFA takes off from Paris on final ferry-flight to Washington D.C.

Paris CDG to Washington Dulles IAD
AF4386 - June 12th 2003

Since my very early years, I was always fascinated by forms of transportation. Whether it was a train, plane or ocean liner. My imagination ran wild with the excitment of visiting distant places. And in the late 60's with energy and environmental issues really coming to fore, the Concorde was a controversy. It was no doubt an engineering accomplishment even if it never quite met expectations of it's designers or the world. At best it was transportation for the elite. Time-pressured CEO's needing to seal a business deal. Celebrities who had no hurry, but definitely had the bucks to fly beyond first class. The network news covered the last flight of what's going to be the swansong for this aircraft. An Air France (AF) Concorde flew into Washington D.C. for the last time before officially being signed over by the French Gov't. to The Smithsonian. Actually, aircraft F-BVFA last flew for regular passenger service on 5/31/03. And on June 12 the official "ferry" flight packed with unknown dignitaries celebrated at 60,000 ft and mach speeds for the short 3hr and 46min flight from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Washington D.C. Without the pomp of this aircraft's retirement, 3 more Concordes owned by AF were quietly laid to rest soon afterwards. Aircraft F-BVFB will be retired on 6/24/03 to the Technic Museum Sinsheim in Germany with the final flight of F-BVFC set for 6/2703 to the Airbus factory in Toulouse. Air France's record-breaking Concorde F-BTSD was retired to Le Bourget on Saturday June 14th, with very little of the pomp and circumstance that should have surrounded the final flight of such an important aircraft. Sierra Delta flew overhead during the opening air display of the 2003 Paris airshow before landing at the airfield, where she will go on display at the French Air and Space museum. And lets not forget the 5th and only Concorde owned by AF to ever have had an accident. On June XX, 2000, aircraft F-BVFF crashed on take-off from Paris killing all aboard. After an investigation it was found a piece of debris from a previously departing aircraft left on the runway was struck by the Concorde rupturing a fuel cell. The aircraft was already beyond VR speed (velocity rotate) and had to become airborn. The resulting fire doomed the aircraft as it was never able to gain enough altitude for a go-around.*

F-BVFA was the first Concorde to join Air France's fleet on Dec. 18, 1975. The following month, on Jan. 21, 1976, Air France launched its supersonic service with this aircraft on the Paris - Dakar, Senegal - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil route. F-BVFA accomplished a round-the-world trip from Jan. 11 to Feb. 1, 1998, traveling 51,655 kilometers in 41 hours 27 minutes, including 19 hours 20 minutes at supersonic speed. F-BVFA has totaled 17,824 flight hours, and completed 6,967 flights.

*An interesting side-note: Richard Branson the owner of Virgin Air and British multi-billionaire contacted AF and wanted to purchase one of the Concordes to keep it flying for the public. The French have not dignified his offer with a response. Also, this October British Airways will begin it's official retirement ceremonies for it's fleet of Concordes. Maybe Richard Branson will have more pull with his own government trying to convince the British to allow him to purchase a new "toy."

There's so much history and some (in)decision still going into the final demise of these aircraft. Possibly in future postings I will write more, but for now enjoy the pics.