Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#1
Today was the 40th anniversary of the first UK test flight of Concorde - I still find it amazing that this is probably the first time in history that technology has taken a backwards step and it is not not possible to travel supersonic as an air passenger ?
Did anyone here ever travel as a passenger ?
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#2
on the news yesterday that concorde was being moved out to some backwater where no-one will see it.
plane spotters are up in arms, quite rightly, in my view.
hardly seems 40 years since the first majestic flight took place.
Guest 657- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,037
#3
Didn't get to fly on one but did meet a guy who was involved with building them and got to look around one.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#4
Yes Howard, I just read an article that they are even considering selling it to Dubai. Seems BA have no interest in their history :(
10 years ago a mate and I ended up at Duxford airshow proper VIP style with Wing Commanders and Sirs !!! We had the pleasure of chatting to the chief test pilot through the show which was amazing.
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#5
was the pilot brian trubshaw or something that sounded similar?
the dubai bit is a done deal, if my info is correct.
so very sad.
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
#6
Back when Concorde was being built I worked in the production control office of an American company who supplied a lot of the precision made electrical components for this aircraft. I remember that whenever we received an order marked "Concorde" it was given top priority and if any delays were anticipated our MD would personally come to our office to find out what that delay was and he would personally make sure the parts needed were there in time. At that time I just knew it was a new aircraft being built and it wasn't until some years later when she was launched that I really apreciated what the fuss had been about.
I remember feeling very proud on seeing her take off for the first time, knowing that I had (in an extremely small way!) contributed to such a beautiful aircraft taking to the skies.
Sad that she's no longer in service.
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
#7
Very interesting stuff there guys and yes indeed it was probably the most beautiful plane ever to fly. When I lived in London it used to go fairly low over the flat every day at four o clock roaring happily and always gleaming majestically in the blue sky. I also saw it much lower at an air display when it roared over Brands Hatch in all its glory rattling the earth beneath. It sure was noisy, but it was a good noise, a ferrari type noise. Some noises are good.
Paul refers to the backward step...as we are not now all flying supersonic. Well yes indeed. Economy is the reason. More volume in the air, rather than speed, was what was required by the 1990's. So many of us ordinary bods were travelling then, so many of us flying to Spain and wherever, that small high speed planes with expensive tickets were no longer required at a large enough scale to justify their exhorbitant development costs. It was a sad end though as everybody loved it. Very sad end over Paris.
Guest 644- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,214
#8
Jeane's photo is of Concorde 002, the prototype that is currently on display at the Fleet Air Arm museum at Yeovilton. Here is a photo of the cockpit of 101, another prototype, currently on display at RAF Duxford. Concorde is incredibly cramped inside due to its pencil thin fuselage. The dreadful but weirdly entertaining film disaster film Airport 80 is highly amusing as it shows the interior as being about twice as wide as it actually is, the reality is not much better than a Routemaster bus.
I think the internet partially sunk Concorde. When it was introduced into service the customers targeted were business types, to enable them to jet across to New York and back to take part in meetings. These days of video conferencing and the internet, why bother with the hassle, delay and expense? A shame though, it was a beautiful aircraft and it is a loss not to see it flying.
All you could ever want to know, and more:
http://www.concordesst.com/home.html
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
#9
I have seen the one at Duxford and Brooklands and they are impressive but rather cramped inside, glad you only had to spend a few hours in there !
Nearest I got to a flying Concorde was at Manston when I was at school - I was biking along the road alongside the runway, which is rather close, and it got up to full speed next to me and then made an emercency stop. Rather odd racing it on a bike !!!
I wonder if Russia are still working on their Concordski/Tupolev project ?
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 644- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,214
#10
Last thing I remember seeing about the TU-144 was that NASA were actually using one for high speed research but there were no longer any flying in Russia. It's probably gone the way of Buran, the Soviet space shuttle. Didn't one break up at the Paris airshow in the mid seventies?
Time for Wikipedia methinks...
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
#11
I flew from New York to London on Concorde in 1986. The flight took just 3 hours and 17 minutes which was barely enough time to be fed and watered but what a super day.
I was also presented with a pile of goodies and because I'm a cheeky Northerner I managed to get the flight crew to sign the large photo of Concorde that I had been presented with.I have a mound of stuff that they gave me...but boy what a flight...
Hope that doesn't sound like boasting but Paul aka Scotchie did ask...
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
#12
Has anyone else..other than me... flown on Concorde?
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
#13
Blimey, I wish. Here is a beautiful photo of Concorde and Spitfire flying over the Dover Patrol Memorial. It was issued by After the Battle magazine and is copyright MOD so better not upload it direct to this site. Pops up from time to time on Ebay.
http://shipsintheportofdover.fotopic.net/p57468127.htmlGuest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
#14
Wow! Marek! It was one of my boyhood dreams to fly on Concorde, an amazing aircraft.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#15
My Wifes Step Mothers Brother worked on board,she has got alot of the freebies they gave away,in our display cabinet we have a concorde and a Wright flyer model from my trip to Dayton for the 100 anniversary of the Wright Brothers first flight.
No Marek never flown on Concorde but I have flown on a 1911 Wright 'B' flyer replicar now that was scary,flying goggles, leather hat,lawn mower engine and wire.To make matters worse the pilot said when we get back remind me to put some fuel in it,I said is there any chance of putting some in before we fly.
The flight was to last the length of the Wright Brothers first flight,now I am not very good on heights,and my friend put a camera round my neck and said take some photo's I said you are joking I am hanging on for dear life,but I did manage to take some,the real frightening thing was there was a TV crew there and the reporter was due to fly before me,but they cancelled because it was too windy,then 20mins late out came the plane and I was then told I would be going up,squeeky bum cheek time.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
