Concorde Transcrpt released

[Kimberley]

Here's a link to the first release of the Concorde transcripts: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_905000/905308.stm

[Pete_O'Heeter]

Poor buggers didn't stand a chance.
Not a very nice scenario.
May they rest in peace.
What a great A/C and what a terrible ending.
Pete.

[Capt_Night_Freight]

Transcript: The crew's last words

The official transcript of the last conversation between the crew of Air France Flight 4590 and the control tower.

Date: 25 July Time: 16:42 17 secs (local time)

Control tower: "Air France 4590, runway 26 right, wind zero 90 knots, takeoff authorised."

Co-pilot: "4590 taking off 26 right" (sound of switch).

Pilot: "Is everyone ready?"

Co-pilot: "Yes."

Mechanic: "Yes."

Pilot: "Up to 100, 150" (followed by unclear words, sound of switch). "Top" (noise similar to engines increasing power).

Unidentified voice on radio channel: "Go on, Christian."

Mechanic: "We have four heated up" (sound of switch).

Co-pilot: "100 knots."

Pilot: "Confirmed."

Mechanic: "Four green."

Co-pilot: "V one" (Low-frequency noise).

Pilot: (unclear)

Co-pilot: "Watch out."

Control tower: "Concorde zero ... 4590, you have flames (unclear) you have flames behind you."

Unidentified voice: (simultaneously on radio) "Right" (background noise changes, sound of switch).

Mechanic: "Stop (unclear)."

Co-pilot: "Well received."

Mechanic: "Breakdown, eng, breakdown engine two" (two sounds of switches, followed by fire alarm).

Unidentified voice on radio: "It's burning badly, huh" (Gong)

Mechanic: "Cut engine two."

Pilot: "Engine fire procedure" (sound of switch, end of ringing).

Co-pilot: "Warning, the airspeed indicator, the airspeed indicator, the airspeed indicator" (sound of switch, gong).

Person in control tower: "It's burning badly and I'm not sure it's coming from the engine" (Switch sound similar to fire extinguisher handle being activated).

Pilot: "Gear on the way up."

Control tower: "4590, you have strong flames behind you."

Mechanic: "The gear" (alarm, similar to toilet smoke alert).

Control tower: "Beginning reception of a Middle Marker."

Co-pilot: "Yes, well received."

Mechanic: "The gear, no" (Gong).

Control tower: "So, at your convenience, you have priority to land."

Mechanic: "Gear."

Co-pilot: "No" (two switch noises).

Pilot: "Gear (unclear), coming up."

Co-pilot: "Well received" (fire alarm, gong, three switch sounds).

Co-pilot: "I'm trying (unclear)."

Mechanic: "I'm hitting."

Pilot: "Are (unclear) you cutting engine two" (end of smoke alarm).

Mechanic: "I've cut it."

Control tower: "End reception Middle Marker."

Co-pilot: "The airspeed indicator" (sound of switch, end of ringing).

Co-pilot: "The gear won't come up" (fire alarm rings).

Aircraft instrument: "Whoop whoop pull up".

Aircraft instrument: "Whoop whoop pull up".

Co-pilot: "The airspeed indicator."

Aircraft instrument: "Whoop whoop pull up".

Fire service leader: "De Gaulle tower from fire service leader."

Control tower: "Fire service leader, uh ... the Concorde, I don't know its intentions, get yourself in position near the south doublet" (sound of switch).

Pilot: (unclear).

Fire service leader: "De Gaulle tower from fire service leader authorisation to enter 26 right."

Co-pilot: "Le Bourget, Le Bourget, Le Bourget."

Pilot: "Too late (unclear)."

Control tower: "Fire service leader, correction, the Concorde is returning to runway zero nine in the opposite direction."

Pilot: "No time, no (unclear)."

Co-pilot: "Negative, we're trying Le Bourget" (four switching sounds).

Co-pilot: "No (unclear)."

Fire service leader: "De Gaulle tower from fire service leader, can you give me the situation of the Concorde" (two gongs and sound of switch, followed by another switch and sounds likened to objects being moved).

Pilot: (unclear, sounds like exertion).

Pilot: (unclear, sounds like exertion).

Pilot: (unclear, sounds like exertion).

I agree a tragic end may they all rest in peace and condolences to all concerned

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When the weight of the paper equals the weight of the airplane, only then you can go flying.

[This message has been edited by Capt Night Freight (edited September 01, 2000).]

[Kimberley]

http://www.crewstart.com/ubb/images/icons/frown.gif
I'm not crazy about CVR formats other than the official transcripts issued by the investigating authority. I prefer to see it paired up with the FDR and Tower Communications tapes - but this gives us all an idea of what that crew was struggling with.
It really is heartbreaking http://www.crewstart.com/ubb/images/icons/frown.gif

I have an idea:
I've been a shameless fan of Russian aeronautical engineering for years now...I think it's time American and European designers consult the Suhkoi, Tupolev, and Antonov teams about retrofitting safety features into aircraft that will broaden the options. Suhkoi could, today, more than likely come up with a way to land the Concorde on it's gut at 200+kts without breaking or burning up! It wouldn't be the first time they've engineered to meet that challenge. The a/c wouldn't look good afterwards and its crew and passengers would certainly be bruised and seriously shaken; but they may have survived. Maybe.
I think a great way to memorialize all of those who've died in airplane accidents is to start talking to the masters of creating rugged aircraft and start DOING something to enhace the rate of survival in the face of trouble rather than sit around shaking our heads afterward. The technology is out there, trouble will always be there, isn't it time to get serious about fixing one on the other??



[This message has been edited by mriya225 (edited September 01, 2000).]

[Captain_Anonymous]

From the BBC news:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/905000/images/_906610_tyrestrip150.jpg

The BEA released photos of the burst tyre and the metal strip supposedly behind the gash

If the BBC changes her webpage, the image will probably disappear...


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[Kimberley]

What is that strip of metal? Some king of seal guard or tacking strip? Anyone??

[Capt_Night_Freight]

From the BBC News
......................
Concorde crash investigators in France are probing the possibility that a metal strip that burst the aircraft's tyres may have come from another aircraft.
US-based Continental Airline has said that one of its DC-10 aircrafts was missing a metal piece similar to the one found on runway at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport.

Investigators believe this piece of metal began the trouble

The DC-10 had passed through the airport on 25 July, shortly before the New York-bound Concorde plunged into a hotel killing 113 people.

Investigators of France's Accident Investigation Bureau (BEA) said the 43 cm (17 inch) metal piece fitted the shape of a cut in one of the tyres.

The investigators believe that shreds of a split tyre could have set off a fire on the aircraft by piercing a fuel tank or damaging one of its engines.

The aircraft was travelling at 315km an hour (195mph) when the tyre burst.

Preliminary report

The BEA released its preliminary report into the fatal crash last week.

The report stresses that the destruction of a forward tyre on the plane's left landing gear - probably torn by the metal strip - set of a chain of events that brought the plane down.

British and French air safety authorities suspended the plane's airworthiness certificates in August.

France and Britain have grounded Concordes

The two nations have said the 12 remaining Concordes will remain grounded until the risk stemming from tyre blowouts is addressed.

The report also contained a chilling transcript of the conversation in the plane's cockpit, which shows the crew were unaware of the engine fire which was to bring the plane down until alerted by the control tower.

Last words

The jet tried to gain speed for an emergency landing, but pilot Christian Marty was heard to say: "Too late... no time."

As the crew apparently tried to steer the plane towards the nearby Le Bourget airport, the final words from the plane came from the co-pilot: "Negative, we're trying Le Bourg...".

Communication between the control tower and the plane was then lost.

At 1645, the control tower announced: "The Concorde has crashed near Le Bourget..."

A minute later it issued this general message: "For all planes listening, I'll get back to you in a minute. We're going to pull ourselves together and restart take-offs."



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When the weight of the paper equals the weight of the airplane, only then you can go flying.