The iconic aircraft has been officially unveiled in her new home created by structure specialist De Boer and is protected from the elements after spending five years in the open air. The building of the Concorde hangar – together with cafe and visitor facilities – formed part of a major project to upgrade the viewing park.
The environmentally friendly building was opened at an exclusive event by British Airways Chief Executive Willie Walsh and Manchester Airport Group’s Chief Executive Geoff Muirhead. Among the guests was Tim Orchard who jointly holds the Concorde World Record time for piloting the aircraft from New York to London in 2 hours, 52 minutes on February 7, 1996.
Other guests included representatives of the companies and organisations involved in the construction of the centre as well as former Concorde pilots, crew and engineers.
All Weather Hall
De Boer used one of its versatile All Weather Hall structures to create a bespoke hangar for the supersonic plane. Concorde’s new home measures 33 metres by 66 metres, reaches 15 metres at its highest point and features a stunning glass gable end. The hangar incorporates a restaurant and is physically linked to a visitor centre, created in a separate All Weather Hall measuring 12 metres by 36 metres.
Once De Boer had erected the structure for the visitor centre a comprehensive internal fit-out was carried out by Hurst Stores & Interiors to create a hospitality suite, an aviation exhibition and an education centre for school tours.
The hangar provides a stunning shelter for the iconic Concorde aircraft which can still be seen from the outside at the viewing park. A range of tours can be taken to get inside the aircraft and couples can even marry on board!
Robert Alvarez, De Boer’s Sales Director – Commercial, said: “More than five years after being withdrawn from service, Concorde retains its iconic status in the aviation world and remains a firm favourite in the hearts of the public.”
He added: “As a company that has produced semi-permanent structures for a succession of high-profile assignments, De Boer was immensely proud to have been asked to create a hangar for such a famous and enduringly popular aircraft. There was been a great mood within the team as Concorde’s new home took shape.”
The project represented the culmination of planning, manufacturing and on-site delivery processes that have been under way since early 2008.
Flagship of the British Airways fleet
Despite being the second Concorde off the production line, the aircraft being housed at Manchester was always considered to be the flagship of the British Airways fleet. It carried the registration plate BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) – the forerunner to BA. The aircraft went on display in the open air after arriving at Manchester on October 31, 2003. Its final flight – from Heathrow – had followed nearly three decades of service transporting passengers around the world. The plane had even earned its place in the record books when it flew at 1,488 mph, the highest recorded ground speed for a commercial airliner.
Years of experience
The contract at Manchester Airport builds on De Boer’s considerable experience within the airport and aviation industry. Previous contracts have included the supply of restaurant and storage facilities at London’s Heathrow, the creation of a baggage-handling hall at Amsterdam’s Schiphol and the erection of a production unit at Cardiff International for LSG Sky Chefs, the world’s largest airline caterer.
