Concorde Loses Flight Certification

Aug. 16 -- British aviation officials today formally suspended the Concorde’s certificate of airworthiness, saying a burst tire was the “primary cause” of the crash of an Air France supersonic jet last month.

British officials said the troubled jet’s right to fly would remain suspended until changes are made to prevent a similar disaster.

“Evidence is now emerging that the tire burst of itself was the primary cause of this accident,” said Civil Aviation Authority chairman Sir Malcolm Field. “What is uniquelydifferent in this case is that tire debris alone is thought to have led to this catastrophic accident.”

“It is clear to us all in the [Civil Aviation Authority] that a tire burst alone should never cause the loss of a public transport aircraft,” said Field, adding that Concorde has experienced 70 tire incidents since 1976.

The CAA would not say how long it would be before the plane could fly again, but a top French official says the aircraft will have to undergo significant changes if they are expected to take wing again.

Both French and British investigators have recommended that the airworthiness certificate of Concorde jets be suspended.

With all Concordes now grounded and with investigators concerned about a fatal design flaw, this may mean the end of the supersonic Concorde, reports ABCNEWS aviation correspondent Lisa Stark. An empty flight, to be flown from New York to London later today, to join others in the hangar, may be the last touchdown the troubled jet makes.

British Airways Wants Jet to Fly Again

British Airways, which had already halted flights on its sevenConcordes on Tuesday in anticipation of the official grounding,immediately said it would seek urgent meetings with the authorityand the plane’s manufacturers in an attempt to get the supersonicjet flying again.

The airline said it had canceled Concorde flights until earlySeptember, but could resume them on 24 hours’ notice once clearancewas given.