Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the first Concorde flight. It really is a shame that we are still bumbling around the sky at 500mph when 50 years ago we were capable of doing 1300mph on Concorde. I would have loved to fly on that plane but sadly now never will. Did any Clarets get the opportunity?

A good video taken by a passenger with commentary by the captain on speed etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeEB2Lxbfa4

I’ve seen TV footage of the passengers onboard and all the seats had someone sat in them.

As a teenager I was surprised to a trip to New York on Concorde, only one way. Dolly Parton was across the aisle next to me.

Such was the speed at take off it felt like you were going straight up like an elevator! A memory I’ll always cherish.

I'm in no hurry to get anywhere fast...bumbling around at 500 miles an hour is fine....Concorde flights over London just gliding in was pretty impressive though.

No but my Sister and Mum flew out to Canada on her in the mid 1990's... Mum loved it and talked about it until her passing in 2013..... nearest I've been ... is looking around the one at Duxford

Holtyclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:30 pm

As a teenager I was surprised to a trip to New York on Concorde, only one way. Dolly Parton was across the aisle next to me.

Such was the speed at take off it felt like you were going straight up like an elevator! A memory I’ll always cherish.

Dolly Parton and " straight up like an elevator" in the same post

Holtyclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:30 pm

As a teenager I was surprised to a trip to New York on Concorde, only one way. Dolly Parton was across the aisle next to me.

Such was the speed at take off it felt like you were going straight up like an elevator! A memory I’ll always cherish.

Nice to know my season ticket money was spent wisely

Bosscat wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:31 pm

No but my Sister and Mum flew out to Canada on her in the mid 1990's... Mum loved it and talked about it until her passing in 2013..... nearest I've been ... is looking around the one at Duxford

The one at Duxford is fantastic if only to demonstrate how brilliant the engineers were back then

Not fly on it but lived under its flight path for four years.
6:00 flight Heathrow to New York. The air crackled beneath it when it took off. Amazing sound and a feeling of pride in British Engineering every time I looked at it.

Zlatan wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:39 pm

The one at Duxford is fantastic if only to demonstrate how brilliant the engineers were back then

We had a bloody brilliant day there

mikeS wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:42 pm

Not fly on it but lived under its flight path for four years.
6:00 flight Heathrow to New York. The air crackled beneath it when it took off. Amazing sound and a feeling of pride in British Engineering every time I looked at it.

British-French

rufus lumley wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:26 pm

I’ve seen TV footage of the passengers onboard and all the seats had someone sat in them.

Bosscat wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:44 pm

We had a bloody brilliant day there

Fantastic place to visit, definitely recommend it to anyone

rufus lumley wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:26 pm

I’ve seen TV footage of the passengers onboard and all the seats had someone sat in them.

No safe standing on Concorde then

The second most beautiful and impressive aircraft ever built.

Saw it fly over our house once. Think it was going to Leeds/Bradford Airport. It was quite a site - more like a bird in flight than any other plane I have seen.

bobinho wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:01 pm

The second most beautiful and impressive aircraft ever built.

Spitfire at No.1 ?

karatekid wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:18 pm

Spitfire at No.1 ?

Without a doubt.

Im_not_Robbie_Blake wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 8:08 pm

Saw it fly over our house once. Think it was going to Leeds/Bradford Airport. It was quite a site - more like a bird in flight than any other plane I have seen.

We saw it fly over Headingley into LBA while we were watching an England v South Africa Test Match in the 90's... bloody marvellous plane

I remember watching cricket on terrestrial tv in the 90's and when Concorde passed over the ground all play stopped and everyone looked to the skies including the tv cameras. When it passed the game commenced. It was like a show of respect

My wife and I booked a trip back in about 1997.

First class Eurostar to Paris, two night stay. Then Concorde from Paris to Malaga, picked up by coach to Algerceras, then QE2 2 nights to Southampton and Orient Express back to Victoria. 4 nights in all.

The package was organised by a travel company who booked all the French Concordes as they flew to pick up Yanks after the Ryder cup, which is why the QE 2 was there

Concorde flew out over the Atlantic to do its stuff and we hit Mach 2 at heights that felt like being in outer space. I was surprised how small the cabin was which ultimately made it uncommercial

I still have my Concorde pen and QE2 playing cards

A good few years ago, must've been late 80's or early 90's and only from Heathrow (via the Bay of Biscay for the mach1 bit) up to Doncaster landing at the Finningly Airshow; it was for the Mrs rather than me and boy did I score some bonus points for that surprise.

If Concorde was introduced today it would be hailed as a technological marvel.

That they got a passenger plane to fly at Mach 2 in the 1960s makes it one of the most remarkable feats of engineering of all time.

I saw one fly over Accy in the 80's.

Concorde used to fly over our garden
11am out 7pm back
When I worked for Barnardos I won a staff trip with a meal on Concorde only to find the plane was chained down.
It was used as a corporate dinning experience without a flight.What struck me that it was very claustrophobic with little headroom .But it would have been nice to actually fly

Holtyclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:30 pm

Dolly Parton was across the aisle next to me.

Didn’t realise airbags had been invented for the Concorde...

What Holtyclaret really meant;

Holtyclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:30 pm

As a teenager I was surprised..... Dolly Parton was across the aisle next to me. Her t1ts really were massive! A memory I’ll always cherish. It was on concorde.

No Ney Never wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:57 pm

What Holtyclaret really meant;

Hmmmmmmm







Yeah you're probably right

Yes I have - as part of a Monaco GP deal in 1996. Flew to Nice from Manchester via standard plane, watch the GP then boarded an Air France Concorde from Nice to Charles de Gaulle. In order to go supersonic it was flown out over the med towards Corsica...... quite an experience.

Never had enough money to fly on it but I was in the next take-off waiting at the hold point when Concorde was about to take off. Our 747 dwarfed it but still shook when the Concorde pilot put the throttles on full to begin their roll out down the runway with the awesome power from those 4 RR Olympus engines. Truly impressive!

Yeah mate, I used to fly em for Dan Air!

*honest!

sure somewhere in Burnley built parts for it , best I got was seeing it fly over my outside bog one evening in Burnley. the one and only glimpse I had of it.

elwaclaret wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:34 pm

Nice to know my season ticket money was spent wisely

Haha made me chuckle. My Dads P60 for the year we won the third division, including tax and considerable bonuses was under £12k!

Bosscat wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 11:03 pm

Hmmmmmmm







Yeah you're probably right

Mid to late 80’s, she was a stunning woman and one hell of a chest!

No Ney Never wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 10:57 pm

What Holtyclaret really meant;

Spot on

Like Sutton Claret I flew on Concorde to Nice as part of a package to see the Monaco Grand Prix. Flew out from Heathrow on concorde supersonic after passing over Ireland then landing in Nice. Back by normal BA flight.

Nearly flew on it to New York once. I was flying with my boss so going first class. When I arrived at check in I was told good news you and your boss have been upgraded to Concorde. I said I don't think my boss will like that and I was right.
Much more space on the Jumbo and if you arrive early all you will do is buy your own drinks in a bar in new York rather than drinking for free on the Jumbo!!

Saw it during its test flights near Swindon and again when laying on a beach in Barbados about 30 years later.

British Airways sales pitch was:

Breakfast in London
Lunch in New York






Luggage in Barbados

In the 1980's I lived in London and would see Concorde flying in at 6pm each evening. It was awesome sight! Such an elegant, swan-like aircraft and was a noise. Personally, I think it is a disgrace that the country doesn't have a Concorde that could fly at the major UK airshows each year.

I flew to New York for our honeymoon, 25 years ago. I saw a program on the TV recently interviewing Concorde regulars "There's 1st Class and there's 1st Class" Concorde was completely and absolutely 1st Class. I was lucky enough to also book my parents a trip to New York, Dad was so made up, happy days.

I live down the road from the last ever concorde off the production line, so used to see it every day. They've made it into a fancy pants indoor exhibition now unfortunately.

Oddly I have been IN one but never FLOWN in one. I couldn't help feeling they were a tad claustrophobic inside. Okay if you wanted to get to New York before you took off though.

Never flew in her but I have worked alongside guys who worked on the design. I was down in Bristol at Filton, working in the design office. One day I found myself in the drawing archive, where there was a set of drawers marked Concorde. I couldn't help myself. I opened the top drawer and there it was, the original 001 drawing of the plane. It was hand drawn. I must admit it crossed my mind to secrete it among the documents I was carrying. Must be worth a small fortune to the right bidder.

A complete flop and dangerous aircraft not to be celebrated.

I blame the French!

Was playing golf in Barbados, the course is next to the runway, and it came in to land, the whole course stopped and stared. Because of the 5 hour time difference it had landed before it took off.

ClaretAndJew wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:44 pm

British-French

And what a great name to emphasize the cooperation (but we did the best bits).

Has anyone got a £4K watch tho?

Concorde did visit the Toronto Air Show a couple times back in the day, quite a sight to see, for sure. I'm surprised a modern version hasn't been built, I would imagine the market is there.

Boeing are building a 75 seater called Boom that will be able to travel at Mach 2.2. Problem they are having is getting it to be environmentally friendly.

karatekid wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:22 pm

A good video taken by a passenger with commentary by the captain on speed etc.

The Captain was on speed?

Could you keep up with his commentary?