March 14 (UPI) — An iconic British Airways Concorde aircraft returned to its home in New York City Thursday with a fresh coat of paint.
The historic supersonic jet came home after undergoing months of restoration at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, which included stripping the old paint coating, sanding it and reapplying paint, along with its iconic markings.
Crews loaded the finished plane on a barge Wednesday and sailed it up the Hudson River to Weeks Marine in Jersey City for an overnight stay. The plane then made the hours-long journey back to Pier 86 at the Intrepid Sea and Space Museum in New York City on Thursday.
The Concorde is the only commercial supersonic jet ever to take flight. The plane showcased at the Intrepid Museum holds the 1996 record for the fastest trans-Atlantic passenger flight. The plane traveled from London’s Heathrow Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens in just less than three hours.
The plane has been at the museum since 2003 and was removed for the first time in August to undergo renovation.
“It’s really so great. She was in need of restoration, there’s no doubt. She had the most beautiful facelift, that was amazing” Intrepid Museum President Susan Marenoff-Zausner told CBS News. “And we really hear from the public how much she is missed.”
The Concorde fleet was retired in 2003 following the fatal crash of Air France Flight 4590 in 2000. Passengers became wary of flying onboard the jets afterward, coupled with the expensive ticket costs.
A flight on one of these supersonic jets cost about $7,000 in 1975, according to the museum, which adjusted for inflation would be about $38,000 now. During its years of commission, the Concorde attracted many celebrities and royal figures.
Public tours of the Concorde will resume on April 4, according to the museum.
