finchyboy

Quite simply a masterpiece of Engineering and design. I can't believe She's gone i suppose we'll have to get used to not being believed by bare grandchildren when we say " We used to be able to fly to New York in 4 hour's"

Don't tell me this soesn't give you a lump in the throat!!

YouTube - Concorde

Freak

3 hrs 19mins


I REALLY needed the rocket coming back last weekend...would have binned my club ticket and paid walk up full fare one way for it as I had to be back ASAFP.
Not as luxurious or spacious as business or first class- but for those where time is money it was a godsend. Take off 11am uk time, land 9am NY time Awesome.

I seriously regret that I didn't fly it when I had the chance

Bubba po

Get some clothes on them grandchildren, they'll catch their death.

JackClark

I blew 100,000 BA miles on a return to NY and will never regret it.

FlightMan

The record was 2h 52m 59s!

I was responsible for the official press photographers gallery on her last day at LHR. There were many of us in tears that day, hard bitten press guys and all. When I think of the way Airbus/AF/BA acted to bring about its demise, it makes me very angry. So I try to think of the roar of those engines and the effect they had on the human body as it passed over.

This video shows the effect the plane had on those who were involved in her operations.

YouTube - Concorde clear take off emotional message from cockpit (1\2)

Like you, I'd have loved to have flown in her.

David Lock

Super - thanks for that. I used to see her coming home when I lived in Battersea. I always saluted

What was the longest trip she did?

Are there any left that could fly again given funding?

dl

Leslie

It is a very special aircraft and we have to remember that the US aircraft industry was well and truly stuffed by it's success since they were unable to build their own version and gave up. This was in spite of the nasty bout of sour grapes when they tried to ban it from landing in the USA.

It is a real achievement and one we can be proud of.

Les

finchyboy

Sadly as far as i know BA still own all the aircraft and rather then sell them to the like's of Richard Branson who had genuine aspiration's of flying her again. They seem content to loan them to various museum's around the globe where they sit at mother nature's mercy in many cases.
I should imagine the spares would be in very short supply.
However i have heard a rumour that the only near flight ready one is an Air France example cared for daily by engineers.
Keep the faith but i fear the chance's are almost zero of seeing her airborne again.

miff13

There's one at Filton airport in Bristol, just over the road from my house, which unfortunately is just sat in the open rotting away, very sad indeed.

Flash Earth ...satellite and aerial imagery of the Earth in Flash

FlightMan

The AF rumour isn't, its a fact. We can live in hope.

finchyboy

Please tell more !! Is there any info online on this near flight ready concorde ?

DaveMiddleton

I flew it on a chartered flight with Goodwood Travel to Le Mans 24Hour race in '85 including Mach 2 over the Atlantic- with a cockpit visit to see the curviture of the earth and a display like a fighter jet over the Sarthe circuit. One of the great things that will live with me for ever. Unbelievable aircraft!!!

Wish

iTrader: (2)

Is that the year it made a very very low fly by ???

Sadly Goodwood travel has also gone ...


I will be seeing the Concorde at Barbados Airport in 2 weeks time. They have just built a massive hanger just for her to sit in and the public to visit.

finchyboy

After a bit of research i assume the near flight ready AIR FRANCE concorde is concorde 209 the one that was returned to the Airbus Factory in Toulouse where it was actually built. Slightly surprising that the French have the best preserved concorde in the world considering it was never really held in as high regard on the French side of the channel as it was here in the u.k

FlightMan

There are a team of engineers assigned to keep the aircraft "flight ready". Its electrical systems and conteol services are regularly operated and checked. What I'm not sure about is how often, if at all, the engines are started. And, more importantly, if the French CAA have withdrawn its airworthiness certificate.

finchyboy

It is the concorde at the airbus factory in toulouse ?

FlightMan

No, IIRC its at Le Bourget.

finchyboy

Le Bourget concorde look's like the Frog's are keeping the faith B.A should be bloody ashamed of itself!!

YouTube - concorde news item

Wish

iTrader: (2)

She might look after Concorde, but she dont look after herself... That hair hasnt been washed for months

The Snug Rhino

i dont get this - concord is old, if it was a viable means of transport we could now build something better - but its not, it looses money and is a rubbish commercial option.

you might as well get nostalgic for jet packs......the pinnacle of modern transportation........but equally as useless as concord.

Bubba po

I disagree. We now cannot do what we were once able to - it's a step backwards. Jeremy Clarkson wrote a very entertaining and informative article on this very subject. Even if it lost money, as a flagship it was invaluable.

David Lock

Don't be so boring

Yes we know it's not viable as a transport option (although it's a pity Branson wasn't given a chance).

But it's a classic piece of British achievement and it looked the part as well. Like the World Cup in '66 or being the first to climb Everest.

I am a bit old fashioned and am proud of some of the things Britain has done - and Concord is one of them. There seems sod all else recently. So there

dl

The Snug Rhino

Nice...unless your a BA shareholder!

Its a commercial airliner that's not profitable........what is it with the Brits that they hang onto their "hero's" even when they are failures? Its about as good a commercial airliner as Eddie Edwards was a ski jumper!

FlightMan

You know the price of everything, and the value of nothing.

Or maybe you don't.

"How much profit did Concorde make for British Airways?

On average Concorde made and operating profit of £30-50 Million a year for British Airways. British Airways reportedly received £1.75 Billion in revenue for Concorde services against an operating cost of around £1 Billion. Air France made a much smaller profit."

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

I might be too young to actually understand this.. but whats the big deal?

The Snug Rhino

They made a plane about a zillion years ago....it was very fast but you could only get 8 people on it and they had no leg room. It didnt make much money so they got rid of it......people here think it should still fly because....errrr....errr.....it went fast? and was pointy?

finchyboy

You are a complete and utter philostine my friend !!!

finchyboy

I take it you have watched the youtube tribute video in the orig post.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

yeah... got bored.. its a fast plane ?? I dont understand the emotion ?

Maybe for the people who where involved with it day to day like !

David Lock

Quite understandable.

I'd stay with Big Brother. Seems about your level of intellectual appreciation of the finer things in life