Concorde is floated up East River on barge after months-long refurbishment, with retired former British Airways airliner now set to return to its home at Manhattan’s Intrepid Museum
A British Airways Concorde floated up the East River on a barge to be returned to its museum home after months of renovation.
The Intrepid Museum in New York City has housed the iconic aircraft since 2003, when it first arrived at Pier 86.
It has been a key part of the museum since its arrival, offering visitors the opportunity to take in the power of the aircraft and learn about its history. It is the only British Airways Concorde to be seen in the North East.
However, the Concorde took a brief break from the spotlight of the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s under-renovation museum after arriving there last August.
“The months-long restoration project involved stripping the aircraft of paint, sanding and recoating, using the same colors and markings that made Concorde a true aviation legend,” a museum update said.
A British Airways Concorde floated up the East River on a barge to be returned to its home after months of renovation
Finally, on Wednesday, March 13, the Concorde was loaded onto a barge for transport up the Hudson River from Brooklyn to Weeks Marine in Jersey City, New Jersey.
The Intrepid Museum in New York City has housed the iconic aircraft since 2003, when it first arrived at Pier 86
Part of Pier 86 has also been given a makeover to match Concorde’s shiny new look.
Finally, on Wednesday, March 13, the Concorde was loaded onto a ship that would be transported up the Hudson River from Brooklyn to Weeks Marine in New Jersey for an overnight stay.
The remainder of the short journey ends on Thursday, with Concorde arriving between 9:15 and 9:30 am.
Visitors can watch the plane arrive from Pier 86, which opens to the public at 9 a.m.
About two hours after arrival, the Concorde will be lifted by a 300-foot crane and returned to Pier 86, which will be streamed live via ‘Concorde Cam’ on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
‘The Concorde is a product of British-French cooperation. When the Concorde entered transatlantic service with Air France and British Airways in 1976, it was the only operational supersonic passenger carrier in the world,” the Intrepid Museum website explains.
‘With a crew of nine, Concorde could fly at a speed of 2,150 km per hour at an altitude of 18,181 metres, high enough that its 100 passengers could see the curvature of the Earth.’
It has been a key part of the museum since its arrival, offering visitors the opportunity to take in the power of the aircraft and learn about its history. It is the only British Airways Concorde to be seen in the North East
After moving due to ‘necessary maintenance’, the Concorde will return home on Thursday, March 14, arriving between 9:15 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.
The Concorde has set several records, including the world speed records ‘Westbound Around the World’ and ‘Eastbound Around the World’.
The fastest flight by a transatlantic aircraft was from New York JFK to London Heathrow on February 7, 1996 by the British Airways G-BOAD in 2 hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds from take-off to landing, aided by a speed of 186 mph.
Flights between New York and London were the most popular and iconic route for the aircraft.
Because of the sonic boom, it was not allowed to go supersonic over many countries and was favored by Hollywood stars who could transfer between the United States and Europe much faster than on a conventional passenger plane.
The Concorde was withdrawn from service in 2003 due to high operating costs. Since then, multiple attempts to develop a supersonic successor have failed to bear fruit.
Concorde tours will resume on April 4, 2024, and visitors can enter the Concorde and learn about its history.