@ Aéroport de Paris-Charles de Gaulle, France
April 2025
A recent trip to Paris provided an opportunity to get semi-close to this Concorde located at Charles de Gaulle Airport. Here is a good view of the two engine nacelles, each one housing two engines. Note the retractable tail bumper wheel, designed to protect the rear of Concorde during takeoff and landing. The Concorde required a high angle of attack to optimize lift from the delta wing. F-BVFF first flew in December 1978, delivered to Air France in October 1980, and has the honor of being the first Air France Concorde to travel around the world. It remains on display here at Charles de Gaulle International Airport, being cosmetically reassembled, after the Concorde’s retirement mid-way while heavy maintenance was underway. This aircraft last flew on a charter flight on 11 June 2000 after flying 12,421 hours and 3,734 supersonic flights.
