See It: British Airways Concorde supersonic jet removed from Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum for restoration
NEW YORK -- The British Airways Concorde was on the move Wednesday.
The historic jet was removed from the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum to undergo a few months of restorations.
The Concorde was once the fastest commercial aircraft in the world. In stark contrast, its transit down the Hudson River was much slower Wednesday.
It took hours to lift the supersonic jet off Pier 86 and onto a barge, which will take about two hours to reach the Brooklyn Navy Yard, depending on the tide -- just about 52 minutes less than the Concorde's record setting flight from New York to London in 1996.
The British Airways jet has been at the museum since 2003, and this was the first time it left for restoration work.
Lots of excited spectators were there snapping photos, saying they never had the opportunity to fly aboard a Concorde, so this was the next best thing.
"I remember the first Concorde flight," one woman said. "I think it's fabulous. I think it's just incredible and exciting and a piece of history."
"I had never seen it up close, but it's pretty cool," another woman added.
"It's really cool to see this amazing piece of engineering. It's a cool shape and pointy," said a young boy.
Museum curators say the plane will undergo meticulous treatment, including the removal of its paint coating and interior inspections for corrosion. The restoration process is expected to take three months, and then the Concorde will make its way back.
