Concorde G-BBDG History
|
Type: |
Aérospatiale/British Aircraft Corporation Concorde |
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Registration: |
G-BBDG (registered on 7th August 1973 to BAC Ltd.) |
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Construction Nº: |
202 |
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Production Variant: |
100 |
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Maiden Flight: |
13th February 1974: Filton to Fairford |
|
Final Flight: |
24th December 1981: Filton to Filton (see photo) |
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BA Ownership: |
1st April 1984 (as part of Concorde buyout from Government) |
|
Number of Flights: |
633 (374 supersonic; 259 subsonic) |
|
Total Block Hours: |
1435 hrs, 3mins |
|
Total Flying Hours: |
1282 hrs, 9mins (514 hrs, 9mins supersonic) |
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Current Status: |
On display at Brooklands Museum, Weybridge, Surrey, UK. |
G-BBDG was one of two production test aircraft (F-WTSB, c/n 201 being the other). They were different in many ways from their four predecessors, making it necessary to repeat certain work to obtain certification. However, like the prototype and pre-production aircraft, 202 also had flight observer's stations installed in the forward cabin. Even though 201 and 202 were called production aircraft, they never went into service because the final version of the aircraft, as specified by the airlines, was different yet again - although not in a way that affected handling or performance certification. It was therefore ultimately these two aircraft that did the bulk of the flying that allowed the final certification of Concorde for airline service.
202 carried on flying after the 14 production aircraft had been delivered to the airlines. Work included further performance enhancements, such as the certification of the re-designed air intake profile. This modification, coupled to an uprated engine, allowed an increase in payload of 1,500-2,000lbs. Another change was the extension of the control surface trailing edges by around two inches - a modification that many now feel was part of the reason for the rudder de-laminations seen on the fleet over the years. The aircraft was kept serviceable at Filton throughout early 1982 for any more development work or test flights that were required.
At the end of the Concorde project, the aircraft was placed in storage out on the airfield at Filton. British Airways had a support contract which allowed them access to the aircraft and enabled them to use it for certain parts that were not immediately available. In April 1984, they acquired title to the aircraft and started using it as one of the main spare part sources. Up until that point, the airline had only been flying six of it's seven aircraft and had been using a four year old aircraft, G-BOAG, for spares. With access to Delta Golf, British Airways set out on returning G-BOAG to flight status.
To protect their investment and to keep prying eyes from seeing what was very quickly becoming an eyesore, British Airways constructed a special hangar for G-BBDG. The '202 hangar', as it became known, was completed in early 1988. The aircraft (minus tail fin) was moved inside in May 1988.
As the aircraft was structurally sound, in the early 90s British Airways investigated the possibility of refitting Delta Golf for airline service. This would have allowed the airline to keep a fleet of six or seven serviceable aircraft duing engineering checks. However, the plan was found to be too costly and was rejected. The study did prove though that if one of the seven BA aircraft suffered serious damage, parts from the damaged (and written-off) aircraft could be fitted to 202 and the airframe used to bring the fleet back up to strength. That said, there were some doubts on certification due to the fuselage skin being slightly thinner.
In 1995, Concorde G-BOAF's droop nose was damaged by a hangar door during a ground handling accident at Heathrow and BA decided to swap it for the droop nose on 202. Alpha-Foxtrot's nose was not too badly damaged and was kept as a spare that could be repaired in the future if required. It was not fitted on to 202.
Even as it looked like the end of the road was near for Delta Golf, she was again found to be useful in late 2002 for trial fittings of the prototype of the new strengthened cockpit doors required by the authorities on the British Airways and Air France fleets after the tragic events of September 11th 2001.
In late 2003, Delta Golf was offered to the Brooklands Museum Trust for restoration and in May 2004 she was moved to the museum's Weybridge site.
Source: www.concordesst.com
