During the past week disaster struck the supersonic Concorde fleet with the loss of an aircraft - the first to be involved in any major incident in over 30 years of high-speed passenger carrying flight operations that were carried out beyond the speed-of-sound
 
During take-off at Charles de Gaulle airport Paris France last Wednesday July 26 (OZ time) one of the afterburning Rolls Royce Olympus engines on the Concorde malfunctioned causing what appears to be a follow on failure of the second engine alongside

The airborne 185-ton Mach 2.2 aircraft then failed to gain sufficient altitude for safe flight
 
The 1960's designed Concorde is held dear by just about all aviators for its unique ability to fly faster - as a passenger jet - than most of the current front line fighter aircraft in service to-day around the world such as the FA-18 Hornet (C=Mach 2.2 -v- H=1.8)
 
Back in September 1996 a visiting Concorde overflew Archerfield - click HERE for details recorded by the News Desk at that time - it was during the 'early days' of AirCentre News on the Internet!

• The so-called 'cold war' was in full swing at the time!
  

In Other News
Archerfield's new Allison powered Yak-3 has finally completed the paperwork 'war' with CASA and is now certificated as airworthy and entered on the OZ aircraft register
 
The first of the OZ based flights was carried out successfully on Wednesday July 26
 
Click HERE for a previous news article on the Yak with further links to the news of arrival at Archerfield

Meanwhile evidence of the slow but sure "pack up and leave" process continues to make itself felt around the airfield
 
With CASA vacating the main terminal building where they have been in one shape or form over the past 60 years and the Hawker Pacific Pilot Shop ceasing operations a short while ago, the business of operating a GA airport must be of some concern to the 'new' owners
 
A number of the 'old' aircraft hangars (3) are now vacant and in demand of new tenants
 
It was a very different situation about 20 years ago with hangers and airport buildings in high demand by tenants!