An Air France Concorde supersonic jet completed its second successful test flight since one of the aircraft crashed over a year ago killing 113 people, an airline spokesman said today.
However the 3 3/4 hour flight, which took the plane over the Atlantic Ocean before returning to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, did not simulate an emergency descent nor make a landing using just three engines, as initially planned.
The spokesman said the simulations were dropped after the crew was told that civil aviation authorities did not consider the exercises a condition for allowing Concorde to fly again.
The two exercises were not necessary, the spokesman said. They preferred to concentrate their attention on a test that would resemble a normal flight.
Air France conducted its first Concorde test flight on Friday - including a brief spell at supersonic speed - to check modifications made to the aircraft aimed at getting back its licence and resuming commercial flights.
The modifications include stronger fuel tanks and tougher tyres.