It's Just a Rumor; and It's Not Even a Good One

With our April First edition already passed, we hesitate to bring you this one; but, because we've been contacted by various media for the story, we thought we'd tell all of you: no Concorde is slated to find a place in any EAA museum. That's official.

Here's how the rumor got started: a Fond du Lac (WI) radio host (Joe Scheibinger, at KFIZ), a big supporter of EAA, was interviewing the EAA Museum's Adam Smith, and up came the topic of how great it would be, if one of the soon-to-retire Concordes were to wind up with the EAA. (The Concordes have made appearances at five Oshkosh extravaganzas, after all -- the sixth, the year 2000 appearance, was canceled due to that crash.)

At any rate, Joe was saying how great it would be, if "somebody" would sponsor a Concorde donation.

The sponsorship would cost about four million dollars; the EAA has the acreage...

Can't happen:

"There's at least four things that mean it can't happen," said EAA's Dick Knapinski.

The machine cannot be stored outdoors for extended periods; that means a hangar would have to be built; and, as a museum, that means "We can't just put up a pole barn," he told us.

The machine hasn't been offered -- not by BA; not by Air France.

There's no money to procure a Concorde; there's no money for its transport; and there's no money for its storage, and eventual display.

Well, that's more than four things... In sum, Knapinski said, "It's not an EAA thing... We've had exactly no contact with BA... We're talking pure speculation here."

Anyway, if you'd like to send a big ol' check to EAA, that'd be OK, in any event.

FMI: www.eaa.org