A few nice slim fast images I found:
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center: Concorde (view underneath)
Image by Chris Devers
Quoting Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum | Concorde, Fox Alpha, Air France:
The first supersonic airliner to enter service, the Concorde flew thousands of passengers across the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound for over 25 years. Designed and built by Aérospatiale of France and the British Aviation Corporation, the graceful Concorde was a stunning technological achievement that could not overcome serious economic problems.
In 1976 Air France and British Airways jointly inaugurated Concorde service to destinations around the globe. Carrying up to 100 passengers in great comfort, the Concorde catered to first class passengers for whom speed was critical. It could cross the Atlantic in fewer than four hours – half the time of a conventional jet airliner. However its high operating costs resulted in very high fares that limited the number of passengers who could afford to fly it. These problems and a shrinking market eventually forced the reduction of service until all Concordes were retired in 2003.
In 1989, Air France signed a letter of agreement to donate a Concorde to the National Air and Space Museum upon the aircraft’s retirement. On June 12, 2003, Air France honored that agreement, donating Concorde F-BVFA to the Museum upon the completion of its last flight. This aircraft was the first Air France Concorde to open service to Rio de Janeiro, Washington, D.C., and New York and had flown 17,824 hours.
Gift of Air France.
Manufacturer:
Societe Nationale Industrielle Aerospatiale
British Aircraft Corporation
Dimensions:
Wingspan: 25.56 m (83 ft 10 in)
Length: 61.66 m (202 ft 3 in)
Height: 11.3 m (37 ft 1 in)
Weight, empty: 79,265 kg (174,750 lb)
Weight, gross: 181,435 kg (400,000 lb)
Top speed: 2,179 km/h (1350 mph)
Engine: Four Rolls-Royce/SNECMA Olympus 593 Mk 602, 17,259 kg (38,050 lb) thrust each
Manufacturer: Société Nationale Industrielle Aérospatiale, Paris, France, and British Aircraft Corporation, London, United Kingdom
Physical Description:
Aircaft Serial Number: 205. Including four (4) engines, bearing respectively the serial number: CBE066, CBE062, CBE086 and CBE085.
Also included, aircraft plaque: "AIR FRANCE Lorsque viendra le jour d’exposer Concorde dans un musee, la Smithsonian Institution a dores et deja choisi, pour le Musee de l’Air et de l’Espace de Washington, un appariel portant le couleurs d’Air France."
The many cameras and lights on steel girders over the 520 Floating bridge, view of the Olympic mountains, U District buildings, Bellevue to Seattle, Washington, USA
Image by Wonderlane
WSDOT has marked a major milestone in its effort to replace the aging and vulnerable State Route 520 floating bridge. After 13 years of thorough analysis and input from thousands of people, the state has announced a preferred alternative for the I-5 to Medina: Bridge Replacement and HOV Project.
Major safety, transit and environmental improvements are in store for the SR 520 corridor from I-5 in Seattle across Lake Washington to Medina. The SR 520 preferred alternative takes key steps to get ready for future light rail, help manage traffic in the Arboretum and transform the future highway with a landscaped lid and median for a parkway experience.
The new floating bridge and highway will have six lanes, including two general-purpose lanes and a new transit/HOV lane in each direction. Adding transit/HOV lanes makes travel in the corridor faster and more reliable for buses and carpools and supports regional plans for completing the HOV system to reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicles.
Details are on our website, including images of what a new, larger landscaped lid at Montlake Boulevard would look like. The preferred SR 520 alternative directly responds to input we received from the public, the City of Seattle, the University of Washington and environmental regulatory agencies. Work continues on design refinements for the Montlake area with those groups as well as transit agencies.
Highlights include:
Room for future light rail: The bridge deck will accommodate future light rail trains and the west end of the floating bridge will have room for trains to leave the corridor and head to the University of Washington area. Pontoons could be added to the floating bridge in the future to carry the weight of the trains.
Less traffic in the Arboretum: The project removes the ramps that currently carry traffic directly to Lake Washington Boulevard and the Washington Park Arboretum. Westbound off-ramps instead will carry buses and general purpose traffic to 24th Avenue E. and continue on to Montlake Boulevard.
Buses and a lid at Montlake: New direct-access ramps will carry buses to a new landscaped park lid at the Montlake Boulevard interchange. The open space will extend from Montlake Boulevard into the Arboretum.
Parkway on Portage Bay: A slimmed-down Portage Bay Bridge will be built as a 45-mph landscaped parkway with a 6-foot-wide planted median. The 105-foot-wide bridge is narrower than the 154 feet previously planned in the 2006 draft environmental impact statement.
Identifying a preferred design keeps us on track for opening a new bridge to traffic in 2014.
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Communications/ExpressLane/2010/05_07.htm
www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR520Bridge/I5ToMedina/Default….
SR 520 – I-5 to Medina: Bridge Replacement and HOV Project
Status
February 2011
ESSB 6392 reports now available
We’ve sent two final reports to the governor and state legislators (High Capacity Transit Planning and Financing and the Washington Park Arboretum Mitigation Plan). This completes the requirements of Senate Bill 6392.
Floating bridge construction
Three teams have until spring to submit their bids and proposals for the new SR 520 floating bridge. Construction starts in 2012 and the bridge opens in 2014.
Overview
The I-5 to Medina: Bridge Replacement and HOV Project will replace the interchanges and roadway between I-5 in Seattle and the eastern end of the floating bridge.
Why is WSDOT pursuing this project?
About 115,000 vehicles and more than 190,000 people cross Lake Washington every day on the SR 520 floating bridge. It’s a key regional route for commuters and freight.
After floating for nearly 50 years, the four-lane bridge is often clogged by traffic and is showing its age.
The floating bridge pontoons are vulnerable to windstorms, and bridge support columns are vulnerable to earthquakes.
The End Result
The I-5 to Medina Bridge Replacement and HOV Project includes a new floating bridge and highway with six lanes, including two general-purpose lanes and one new transit/HOV lane in each direction.
The project also takes key steps to get ready for future light rail, help manage traffic in the Arboretum and transform the future corridor from Montlake to I-5 into a city parkway with landscaped lids and medians.
Project Benefits
The new SR 520 corridor through Seattle will:
Provide transit connections and priority.
Create a pedestrian-friendly urban interchange at Montlake Boulevard.
Restore park area and connections next to the Washington Park Arboretum.
Reduce noise levels from the Portage Bay Bridge.
Be ready for light rail if the region chooses to fund it in the future.
What is the project timeline?
Spring 2011: Publish final environmental impact statement
Mid-2011: Select contractor team for new SR 520 floating bridge
2012: Begin construction of floating bridge
2014: Open new floating bridge to drivers
The schedule for constructing the segments of the corridor west of Lake Washington is pending additional funding.
Financial Information
We are moving forward with construction on a new SR 520 floating bridge, which is fully funded by a variety of state and federal sources, including SR 520 tolling that is set to begin in spring 2011.
We are continuining to work with the Legislature to fund the elements of the project from I-5 to the floating bridge.
Visit the SR 520 Costs, Funding and Tolling page for additional information.
How can I get more information?
Contact:
E-mail: SR520bridge@wsdot.wa.gov
Phone: 206-770-3500
Infoline: 1-888-520-NEWS (6397)
Mail: I-5 to Medina: Bridge Replacement and HOV Project
SR 520 Bridge Replacement and HOV Program
600 Stewart Street, Suite 520
Seattle, WA 98101
Watching His Daddy. 50`52weeksfordogs
Image by Anita & Greg
The hectic week continued here for us all. We were concerned with Julian’s not wanting to eat. But he frequently self regulates as well as on occasion just snub his meals.
After a week (Duh Mom!) I had a good look in his mouth. One nasty fracture there on a front tooth. He has an apointment to see the Doc. tomorrow. The Vet said he couldn’t pull it until Tuesday. Hopefully now that I can get him to eat, (better living through pharmaceuticals) I can work on building back up some of that whopping pound of fat he sometimes carries! I am glad he is so slim, but times like this I worry. I hate to think of him going under anesthesia with no insulation. One of the things I read when checking "online", was that dogs with builds like his can get into serious trouble fast with hypothermia. That internet! ;-(
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