Club Concorde, as the group is called, is comprised of former pilots and frequent Concorde fliers and charterers that have kept the spirit of the plane alive over the years.
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Paul James, president of Club Concorde reveals that the group plans to acquire the aircraft by 2017.
The iconic shape of the Concorde could once again grace the skies, but this time as the world’s most exclusive charter jet.
In a post on the club website published earlier this year, James said: “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”. However their plan is to use the Concorde as a tourist attraction in London, and restore another Concorde plane for use in air shows and for private charters, so unless you think you can afford to charter a Concorde, there seems to be little chance of you riding in one. “Now that money is no longer the problem it’s over to those who can help us make it happen”.
Concorde was once the the doyen of British Airways and Air France’s fleets, but the expense of operating the supersonic jets and a devastating crash in France eventually consigned the symbol of the future to the scrapheap in 2003. While British Airways and Air France have no plans to resume Concorde flights, Club Concorde hope to resume flights by 2019, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the inaugural Concorde flight.
Concorde Club, with around £160 million, wants to purchase two planes located in Paris airports.
A British businessman has provided a £40m investment for the displays, which Club Concorde hopes will be completed by late 2016.
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An on-board restaurant at the tourist attraction would offer meals originally served on Concorde flights. Recently, Airbus filed patents for an aircraft that would be capable of traversing the distance between New York and London in just an hour – while travelling at four times the speed of sound, or twice the speed of the Concorde.
