Concorde retires
10 April 2003, 10:26 PM
#31
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Gutted. I live to the west of the airport and heard it everyday when i worked round here as well. It was noisy an polluted the air like nothing else. But on a summers day when the noise was SOOOOO loud and she was kicking it up across the sky.
It was
as ****. I'm gonna miss it.
astraboy.
It was
as ****. I'm gonna miss it.astraboy.
10 April 2003, 10:36 PM
#32
Astraboy, is Concorde one of the quieter things in your life ?
Telboy, dont know, there are three groups I think and they do seem to communicate but I havent checked in a while, perhaps you and I could donate some of our Tennents super to help it get airborne !
I think I would well up if I saw a Vulcan fly again, will never forget seeing it fly at Woodford Air show.
A Vulcan shares quite a lot with the Concorde being of the same period, same basic shape and having the same engines as Concorde but without the afterburners, Vulcan is better through the twisties though.
Telboy, dont know, there are three groups I think and they do seem to communicate but I havent checked in a while, perhaps you and I could donate some of our Tennents super to help it get airborne !
I think I would well up if I saw a Vulcan fly again, will never forget seeing it fly at Woodford Air show.
A Vulcan shares quite a lot with the Concorde being of the same period, same basic shape and having the same engines as Concorde but without the afterburners, Vulcan is better through the twisties though.
!!
11 April 2003, 09:54 AM
#35
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I was at Heathrow last week one evening when Concorde took off - almost directly overhead. I've seen it takeoff many times before, but never at such close quartes - it was the most awesome sight and sound in the world. The whole world shook with the power, it was just dark and the glow of the afterburners was fantastic.
It's amazing that people still stop and look at it when it flys over - it's been up there for 30 years, and yet it's still the pinnacle of civil aviation. A very sad day when the last one finally lands.
It's amazing that people still stop and look at it when it flys over - it's been up there for 30 years, and yet it's still the pinnacle of civil aviation. A very sad day when the last one finally lands.
11 April 2003, 09:59 AM
#36
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Vulcan can pull a loop..wouldnt want to do that in Concorde!!!
But it so cramped in the thing....wouldnt want to sit next to an fatty...(But thats another thread!!)
But it so cramped in the thing....wouldnt want to sit next to an fatty...(But thats another thread!!)
11 April 2003, 10:27 AM
#38
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My Wife and I did!
However, she was the first person to get through when BA did the 200 seats for £10 each back in 1997
Although there wasn't the space you'd get on a long haul business class seat, it was far from cramped. It was very comfy indeed, and the service and food were exceptional. I spent the outbound flight looking over the shoulder of the guy in front as he was going through Sting's new contract. Now that was SERIOUS money.
Josh
However, she was the first person to get through when BA did the 200 seats for £10 each back in 1997
Although there wasn't the space you'd get on a long haul business class seat, it was far from cramped. It was very comfy indeed, and the service and food were exceptional. I spent the outbound flight looking over the shoulder of the guy in front as he was going through Sting's new contract. Now that was SERIOUS money.
Josh
11 April 2003, 01:26 PM
#44
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Shame to see it go - hopefully there will be a few 'goodbye' flights around the UK this summer.
I've been sat in a boring old 737 waiting to fly back up to Edinburgh when Concorde has taken off in front - awesome ! The noise Concorde made was louder inside the plane I was on than the noise made by the 737's own engines.
I've also seen Concorde land at Leuchars airbase a good few years ago after bringing up all the golfers from Heathrow for the open. Me and my folks were standing at the perimeter fence of the base level with the end of the runway and watched as Concorde landed coming towards us. Absolutely fantastic view of it but the fact that the gits in the RAF decided to raise the big plastic net plane catcher 50 yards ahead of us at the end of the runway as Concorde was still thundering towards us did cause a wee bit of panic
I'm off to find out if I have enough airmiles for a free trip on concorde - I always promised myself that I would do that if I could.
11 April 2003, 02:16 PM
#45
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I am also very sorry that the Concord is being taken out of service. Apart from being such a beautiful looking design, it is a "one off." No one else has produced a supersonic passenger aircraft. The safety record over the years for such a high performance machine is very good also, notwithstanding the Paris crash which was basically the fault of another operator.
I am glad you mentioned that other very honourable aircraft the Vulcan J4CKO. For your interest the basic handling of both aircraft was very similar. And you are right about the Vulcan being good through the twisties as some F15 Eagle drivers found out the hard way when they discovered that they could not turn with one at 40K feet!
One thing it would not do though Luke was complete a loop. It would get over the top very easily but it did not have a high enough G limit to pull out of the second half. It was quite able to roll of the top of the loop though. Not bad for an aircraft with a wingspan of better than 100 feet. One of its impressive tricks was to come off the runway truly vertical to 3000 plus feet with a rolling stall turn off the top. Hooligan machine or what!
Les
I am glad you mentioned that other very honourable aircraft the Vulcan J4CKO. For your interest the basic handling of both aircraft was very similar. And you are right about the Vulcan being good through the twisties as some F15 Eagle drivers found out the hard way when they discovered that they could not turn with one at 40K feet!
One thing it would not do though Luke was complete a loop. It would get over the top very easily but it did not have a high enough G limit to pull out of the second half. It was quite able to roll of the top of the loop though. Not bad for an aircraft with a wingspan of better than 100 feet. One of its impressive tricks was to come off the runway truly vertical to 3000 plus feet with a rolling stall turn off the top. Hooligan machine or what! Les
11 April 2003, 05:27 PM
#47
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I paid for my return trip with airmiles!! Still have the Senheiser headphones, menu, and anything else that wasn't nailed down. Left a deposit in the toilet at MachII as well 
11 April 2003, 06:39 PM
#48
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Listening to Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 today and Branson was on.He would love to get his hands on Concorde even if he has to run it at a loss just for the prestige and publicity.Hope he gets it as its a crime to put this magnificent plane in a museum.
11 April 2003, 06:44 PM
#49
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Christian, I remember the windows being super hot and much smaller than I'd imagined.
Plenty of space on board, managed to sleep the whole 3 hours home with broken ribs.
11 April 2003, 07:15 PM
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"Vulcan can pull a loop..wouldnt want to do that in Concorde!!!"
Watched a programme once where the chief test pilot did a barrel roll in a concorde to prove it could be done - now he had *****
Was a guest of the base commander at RAF Waddington just as the Vulcans were starting to come out of service. I was about 8 I guess (I went to school with his son) - Vulcan did a touch a go just for us. We were in the tower and I swear it felt like the whole building was going to just explode.
I also flew the vulvan simulator - computer took up one hall and the scenery was courtesy of a real model world with a camera that went zooming around it.
Fantastic Aircraft
Deano
Watched a programme once where the chief test pilot did a barrel roll in a concorde to prove it could be done - now he had *****
Was a guest of the base commander at RAF Waddington just as the Vulcans were starting to come out of service. I was about 8 I guess (I went to school with his son) - Vulcan did a touch a go just for us. We were in the tower and I swear it felt like the whole building was going to just explode.
I also flew the vulvan simulator - computer took up one hall and the scenery was courtesy of a real model world with a camera that went zooming around it.
Fantastic Aircraft
Deano
12 April 2003, 01:15 PM
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Luke
I was at Waddington and we always thought the crews at Scampton were a bit different but I never heard of anyone completing a loop and being able to tell the tale. It would accelerate too quickly on the second half of the loop and it would not be possible to control the speed since the G limit was not high enough. It would roll from inverted on the top of the loop and as you say would also do a barrel roll quite easily. Maybe the original Mk 1 which was a lot lighter might just have managed that though. Deano, you must be a hell of a lot younger than me
Lol @ Brendan
Les
I was at Waddington and we always thought the crews at Scampton were a bit different
but I never heard of anyone completing a loop and being able to tell the tale. It would accelerate too quickly on the second half of the loop and it would not be possible to control the speed since the G limit was not high enough. It would roll from inverted on the top of the loop and as you say would also do a barrel roll quite easily. Maybe the original Mk 1 which was a lot lighter might just have managed that though. Deano, you must be a hell of a lot younger than me Lol @ Brendan
Les
12 April 2003, 08:05 PM
#57
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Back in 1985, I booked and flew with Concorde to Le Mans 24 hours.Did it with Goodwood Travel.
Champagne breakfast at check in. Mach 2 out over Irish sea at 55000ft and a trip to the cockpit to see earth's curviture(stunning!!!). Then a fly past along Mulsanne straight at Le Mans before standing it on it's tail and going up like a rocket with full afterburners. Grandstand seat at race, Hotel if you wished to leave the overnight part. All for £550 - Can hardly believe I did this for that kind of money. It was incredible. We were even talked through every moment of take off over the intercom.
Champagne breakfast at check in. Mach 2 out over Irish sea at 55000ft and a trip to the cockpit to see earth's curviture(stunning!!!). Then a fly past along Mulsanne straight at Le Mans before standing it on it's tail and going up like a rocket with full afterburners. Grandstand seat at race, Hotel if you wished to leave the overnight part. All for £550 - Can hardly believe I did this for that kind of money. It was incredible. We were even talked through every moment of take off over the intercom.
04 October 2003, 11:58 AM
#58
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Just passed one around the back of Heathrow near term 4. Looks Box fresh on design..I know someone who bought at auction 75 first class seats from one..... he is planning on getting them mounted on high quality swivel platforms and selling them as the ultimate office chair
[Edited by Luke - 4/10/2003 12:33:52 PM]
[Edited by Luke - 4/10/2003 12:33:52 PM]
04 October 2003, 10:27 PM
#60
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..I'll have to hope my numbers come up before the end of October.Btw did anybody hear that Mr Branson offered BA 1p for the whole fleet of Concorde's?,it was declined...Probably a **** take but atleast he was willing to fly and pay for the up keep for a few more years.
[Edited by planky - 4/10/2003 10:29:46 PM]