Grounded By Change In Tides

Golf Bravo Oscar Alpha Alpha was the first Concorde ever put into service by British Airways. Now, it's on its final journey, after being retired along with the rest of the supersonic passenger fleet. But the line's quiet passing has been delayed -- not because of weather or any other aviation consideration. But because of low tides.

The Concorde was to have traveled by barge along the Thames River from London to near Edinburgh, Scotland. It was to have been carried on a newly-built barge, the Terra Marique, in a move costing almost $4 million. But because the tides have changed, the move will have to wait a week.

The plane had been due to arrive at the Museum Of Flight at East Fortune on April 13. It is now expected to reach its final resting place around April 20 before going on display this summer.

G-BOAA is the last of BA's seven Concordes to find a home after last year's decision to retire the supersonic aircraft. One of the retired Concordes now resides at Heathrow Airport. Another is in Manchester, England. A third is now on display at Filton in Bristol, where the Concordes were made and from where the Concorde flew its first test flight 35 years ago. Other Concordes are on display in Barbados, Seattle (WA) and New York (below).

This first/last Concorde logged almost 22,769 hours of flight time between 1975 and 2000.

FMI: www.nms.ac.uk/concorde/asp/main.asp?day=1