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Aircraft history

Concorde G-BOAG had a less than glamorous start to its life as G-BFKW. After manufacture and with no buyer, it was loaned via a sale or return agreement to British Airways, to cover a 6 month period, while G-BOAC was being repaired at Filton.

 

26th April 1980: After an aborted flight to New York the aircraft was grounded with water contaminated hydraulic system. The contamination had induced an intake ramp failure at Mach 2, which in turn lead to engine surges. The aircraft did not fly again for more than a year, but at a cost of one million pounds was re-entered into service, this time as G-BOAG, in February 1981.

 

1982 – 1984: With a lack of spare parts available for its Concorde fleet BA grounded and used “Alpha Golf” as its main source of spares for Concorde. This carried on for a period of time up until 1984; at this point BA acquired G-BBDG to use as a source of spares and returned G-BOAG to service.

 

April 25th 1985: She was the first to be used to unveil and fly the new BA “Landor” livery and new interior livery in preparation for the eventual floatation of British Airways on the London Stock Exchange, before being returned to service.

 

1985: Fly past with the Red Arrows at the Royal International Air Tattoo.

 

May 27TH 1996: G-BOAG starts a refurbishment programme.

 

December 1996: G-BOAG is the last Concorde to be repainted in the new Chatham livery.

 

October 19th 2001: First flight after the post Paris crash modification programme, the third British Airways Concorde to fly again.

 

October 1st 2003: Visit to Toronto to start the North American farewell tour.

 

October 14th 2003: Visit to Dulles Airport, Washington to conclude the North American farewell tour.

 

October 22nd 2003: Visit to Manchester as part of the UK farewell tour.

 

October 24th 2003: Final flight from New York before joining G-BOAE and G-BOAF on a low circuit of London and then touching down at Heathrow together to mark the last day of Concorde commercial flights.

 

November 3rd 2003: Flight to New York on the first leg of a journey to its retirement home at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

 

November 5th 2003: Final flight is from JFK across northern Canada to Seattle. Having been given special permission to fly supersonic over land, G-BOAG sets a new record for the East to West crossing of North America.

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During 2003 Concorde G-BOAG was the aircraft furthest away from its 12000 hour major service, unlike some of the other Concordes in the BA fleet. She was one of the two Concordes that BA considered as a potential candidate for a heritage flight role; this was during the time when BA was conducting investigations into the possibilities following the retirement in 2003. But Airbus blocked every attempt that BA made at that time and finally closed the door on BA efforts.

 

Concorde G-BOAG, known as Alpha Golf, flew the last ever passenger service from New York JFK to London Heathrow during October 2003, carrying a host of stars, famous people and regular Concorde passengers as guests of British Airways.

Alpha Golf made her first flight April 21st 1978 and her final flight from New York JFK across northern Canada to Seattle. Having been given special permission to fly supersonic over land, during this flight Alpha Golf set a new record for the East to West crossing of North America.

 

Concorde Alpha Golf has become known as the “unknown Concorde”; the reason for this strange name seems to come from the fact that she is so far away, that it has nearly become the forgotten about Concorde. But there have been a number of reports concerning peeling paint and she has suffered at the hands of the harsh Seattle weather. 

During 2016 (Some 13 years after retirement) Seattle Museum has put the aircraft undercover, in future years glass sides for the now erected roof will contain the aircraft completely. Seattle has long wanted it's collection to be better protected and it seems that in 2016 these plans have come to fruition. 
 

 

PICTURES OF CONCORDE G-BOAG