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Aviation History
1976
1976 - 0357.PDF
FLIGHT International, b March 1976 517 AIR TRANSPORT CONCORDE: AMERICAN MOVES ENVIRONMENTALISTS and anti-Concorde groups have filed an appeal against Secretary Coleman's decision to allow Concorde services for a 16-month trial period. Both British Airways and Air France are willing for the appeal to be dealt with expeditiously, but foresee a head-on collision between the Federal Government and State legis lative procedures. Both houses of the New York State legislature last week moved to block proposed Concorde operations into New York Kennedy. Overwhelming support for the move was apparent in the voting figures, but if this action is to succeed both the New York and New Jersey Governors must approve in identical form any proposed measures. Anti-Concorde feeling in New Jersey is less strong and its senate last week rejected by 12 votes to 8 a resolution urging the two governors to ban Concorde. New York's Governor Carey has yet to approve the bills formally, although he has indicated his intention of doing so. Carey has apparently instructed his Commissioners of Environmental Protection and Transportation to urge the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to ban Concorde flights into Kennedy. So far Carey has always expressed sympathy with the anti-Concorde lobby, without committing himself to any decision. It seems that the Governor will shortly have to make a firm decision. But Secretary Coleman doubts that any New York legislation will stand against international treaties. Asked by Flight how British Airways would react to a New York Concorde operating ban, Angus McCalum, the airline's special duties manager in the US, confirms that the airline "will go to court if we have to," but the airline questions New York State's right to ban Concorde opera tions. It has no plans to use Montreal and is concentrating its efforts on the introduction of Concorde services to the USA on April 10. Air France's vice-president in North America, Claude Lalanne, tells Flight that Concorde meets the minimum noise requirements of the international trade treaty, and that his airline "will fight if it is the only way. It is not the right way but we will fight if it is the only way." M Cavaille, the French transport secretary, confirmed on French radio that "we are going to attack this decision, arguing that it is against the United States Constitution." Fearing perhaps that Concorde might slip in the back door, nine assemblymen of the New York senate are oppos ing the use by Concorde of Stewart Airport in Orange County. The nine apparently realise its suitability for Concorde operations should they succeed in banning the aircraft from New York. AIR FRANCE HAPPY WITH CONCORDE LOADS EXCLUDING the inaugural service, which included non- revenue passengers and an engineering delay, Air France is happy with a 66-9 per cent revenue load factor on the first 17 Concorde flights from Paris to Rio de Janeiro. Load factor on the first 17 return flights from Rio to Paris has been 58-3 per cent. Total number of passengers carried has been 1,137, of whom 612 flew from Paris to Rio. Air France tells Flight that under the present fare arrange ment break-even load factor is 55 per cent. Thick fog at all three Paris airports on February 23 forced Concorde to divert to Lille in northern France after a flight from Rio de Janeiro. It is the first time in service that Concorde has diverted and Air France tells Flight that Lyons and London were the other possible diversion airfields. Most of the 82 passengers were taken the 155 miles to Paris by coach. Air France is to begin a weekly Concorde service from Paris to Caracas on April 9. Leaving Paris every Friday, Concorde will route via the Azores and complete the journey in 6hr elapsed time, compared with about 12hr for subsonic types. The first of four Gulf Air TriStars seen at Heathrow in company with a British Airways Concorde and Boeing 747, two of the types with which the TriStars will compete when scheduled services begin on April I
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