1.
LV CONCORDE BEING ASSEMBLED IN HANGAR
0.03

2.
CU TECHNICIAN WORKING ON NOSE
0.08

3.
SV DITTO WORKING ON WING
0.13

4.
CU & SV TECHNICIAN WORKING UNDER WING
0.20

5.
GTV CONCORDE UNDERGOING CONSTRUCTION
0.25

6.
CU DR RUSSELL SPEAKING
1.33


TRANSCRIPT: (SEQ. 6): RUSSELL: THERE ARE TWO WAYS OF LOOKING AT IT - AND THE FIRST AND SIMPLE WAY IS TO REGARD THIS AS THE ELIMINATION OF A POSSIBLE COMPETITOR. ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK THE AIRLINES DON'T WANT TO EMBARK UPON THE OPERATION OF SSTS UNLESS THEY CAN SEE A CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT FOR MANY YEARS TO COME. THEY HAD PREVIOUSLY ASSURED THE CONCORDE WOULD BE THE FIRST GENERATION SST, FOLLOWED BY THE BOEING FIVE OR SIX YEARS LATER. WITHOUT AN AMERICAN SST, IT COULD BE THAT THERE ARE INFLUENCES IN THE STATES WHICH COULD OUTREGULATE CONCORDE, AND TO PREVENT IT OPERATING THROUGH THE STATES. THIS WOULD BE A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION, OBVIOUSLY.



REPORTER: BUT THE LATER THE AMERICAN SUPERSONIC AIRLINER IS, PRESUMABLY THE LONGER CONCORDE HAS TO SELL MORE AND FOR THE AIRLINES TO GET MORE MILEAGE OUT OF EACH AIRCRAFT THEY BUY?



RUSSELL: IF WE COULD BE ASSURED THAT THE BOEING SST IS EVENTUALLY COMING IN, TWO OR THREE YEARS LATER, THIS WOULD BE SPLENDID - BUT NOT SO GOOD IF ITS POSTPONED INDEFINITELY.




Initials SGM/0125 SGM/0130



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: WITH THE UNITED STATES SENATE DECISION LAST NIGHT (WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24) NOT TO PUT ANY FURTHER MONEY INTO DEVELOPING BOEING'S SUPERSONIC TRANSPORT (SST), IT IS VERY PROBABLE THAT THE WHOLE SST PROGRAMME IN THE U.S. WILL COME TO A HALT. THIS WOULD REMOVE THE ONLY WESTERN RIVAL TO THE ANGLO-FRENCH CONCORDE. BUT STRANGELY ENOUGH, THIS MOVE MAY ALSO GIVE THE OPPONENTS OF CONCORDE BASIC GROUNDS TO POINT OUT THE "WISE" DECISION OF THE U.S. SENATE.

AN AMERICAN SENATOR HAS PREDICTED THAT U.S. AIRLINES - WHO WOLD SEVEN OF THE SIXTEEN OPTIONS ON CONCORDE - WILL NOT TAKE THESE OPTIONS UP. BUT THE BRITISH AIRCRAFT CORPORATION (BAC) AND FRANCE'S SUD AVIATION ARE NOT LETTING THIS POSSIBILITY AFFECT THEIR CURRENT PRODUCTION PLANS. ONE MAN - RECENTLY RETIRED, BUT FOR MANY YEARS ONE OF THE HEADS OF BAC'S CONCORDE PROJECT - IS DR A.E. RUSSELL. HE WAS ASKED TODAY (THURSDAY) BY A BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION (BBC) REPORTER, HOW HE SAW THE FUTURE OF THE SST IN VIEW OF THE POSSIBLE COLLAPSE OF THE BOEING PROJECT. HE REPLIED: