PARIS (Jan. 17)—Air France plans to test a modified Concorde supersonic airliner Jan. 18 to study the effectiveness of new safety modifications, which feature Kevlar-reinforced fluoroelastomer liners to protect the fuel system. Tests on the Air France flight from Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris to Istres, France, near Marseilles, will include a simulated fuel leak with the engine running at full throttle, said a spokesman for EADS, the French aerospace company which manufactured the liner system. The liners are made from Viton vinylidiene fluoride-based copolymer material from DuPont Dow Elastomers. The fuel tank liners are designed to contain the fuel if the wing is punctured, and is based on technology used in military helicopters and Formula One racing cars.
Air France Concorde set for trial flight
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