Concorde flies from Istres to Paris at end of test series

A spokesman for the European defence and aviation group EADS said earlier that "the tests went very well, on first impression. We are completely satisfied."

EADS, which absorbed one of the Concorde's builders, Aerospatiale, carried out the tests at the air base in Istres, near Marseilles.

The experiments attempted to determine how a fuel leak, caused by a burst tyre, led to the July 25 crash of an Air France Concorde that killed 113 people.

The remaining five Air France and seven British Airways (BA) Concordes have been grounded since August, when French and British aviation authorities suspended the plane's certificate of navigation.

The EADS spokesman said test results must still be analysed. He could not say if the analyses would be ready by February 9, the next meeting of a French and British working group attempting to devise safety measures that would enable the Concorde to fly again.

The tests in Istres were carried out on the ground at speeds of 180 knots (about 300 kilometres per hour). Fuel tanks were filled with coloured water and the crash scenario was simulated.

In February, BA will carry out test flights of a Concorde with fuel tanks reinforced with kevlar. The company hopes to have its Concordes in the air again by spring.

(kil/dpa)