Sunday, May 30, 2010 at 2:45PM

Research on the feasibility of flying the supersonic passenger jet Concorde again has begun at Le Bourget Air and Space Museum in the Parisian suburb of Le Bourget, and near the general aviation airport of the same name (IATA: LBG; ICAO: LFPB). Preliminary research is an Anglo-French joint project that is anticipated to cost around 15 million GBP (17.7 million EUR; 21.8 million USD). A British association called the Save Concorde Group, and a French association called Olympus 593, are behind the effort.

“Major tests” have been done at Le Bourget on multiple Rolls Royce engines that once powered the supersonic airliner. These engine tests are the first step, and it was always unknown whether or not the engines could even be safely started. Nevertheless, the Vice Chairman of the Save Concorde Group called the developments “amazing,” and proclaimed in a press release that the process is moving along supersonically. How fast, then? London hosts the Summer Olympics in 2012, and it is hoped that Concorde, fully-functional, could be shown off in connection with that event. The next step in getting Concorde back in the air is to perform a ground taxi with the aircraft.

Concorde flew its first test flights in 1969 and flew its first passengers in 1976. Only two airlines ever flew the supersonic aircraft on regular schedules, British Airways and Air France, the flag carriers of the United Kingdom and France respectively. For regularly scheduled trans-Atlantic flights, Concorde used Heathrow Airport in London (IATA: LHR; ICAO: EGLL) and Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris (IATA: CDG; ICAO: LFPG). The two American airports used regularly by Concorde were Dulles International in Washington, D.C. (IATA: IAD; ICAO: KIAD), and Kennedy International in New York (IATA: JFK; ICAO: KJFK).

Concorde was grounded in 2003 three years after the fatal crash of Air France 4590, a Concorde flight from Charles de Gaulle International to Kennedy International. On takeoff, the aircraft ran over a piece of metal dropped by a jet that had recently departed Charles de Gaulle. Just minutes into the flight, the Concorde captain attempted, but failed, to land the crippled aircraft at the airfield in Le Bourget. A little more than a week ago, it was revealed that the former leader of the Concorde program at Aérospatiale, Henri Perrier, faces a two-year suspended jail sentence in connection with the crash.

original stories

Work starts in £15 million plan to get Concorde flying (BBC)

Experts begin £15 million project to get Concorde flying again (UK Daily Mail)

Save Concorde Group (United Kingdom)

Olympus 593 (France - in French)

Le Bourget Air and Space Museum (official site - in French)

Le Bourget Air and Space Museum (unofficial site - in English)

clarification from www.dictionary.com

definition of "Anglo-French"