Concorde's 10 year anniversary

[Ledhead27]

On this day 10 years ago three British Airways Concordes made their final revenue flights, thus ending the reign of the greatest aircraft of the world. It's amazing to think how long it's been l and yet I still remember it clear in my mind. Long may she be remembered!

[Ian G]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24629451

[Unknown74]

I remember it well, stood at the end of runway 24 at Edinburgh with loads of other people - the place was packed - at Edinburgh Airport when 'AE arrived. Strange it doesn't seem 10 Years ago.

[Thumper]

Makes me feel quite old! I went to Heathrow which was probably a mistake as it was absolutely packed out, never seen so many people in my life but it was a really special day that I'll never forget.

He told me that he is certain he can get a Concorde flying again for £20m ($32m) and he reckons Sir Richard Branson would still help him out with the money.

This has to be one of the most common quotes in aviation with regards to returning aircraft to flight. Poor Branson, he's treated like an ATM.

[Ledhead27]

I remember watching it on BBC news, was about 8 and my Mum came in and saw me just glued to the TV. Ive never paid so much interest to a program on the TV, so much so it made me sob.

[pbeardmore]

On that day I promised myself I would never fly BA again as a mark of protest. Unfortunaelty, a choice between BA and RyanAir on one occasion meant I went back on that promise. I was at Heathrow up in the spectator stand that had been constructed. A very very sad day. Hard to beleive that my kids can only see her fly on video.

[Trident 3B]

Whilst I’d love to see / hear Concorde fly again, the comments (plan?) that the 'Save Concorde Trust' have regarding a RTF, are madness. They do NOT have a clue of the costs and technicalities of returning something very much in the 'complex' category back to flight. Such comments as "more hydraulic fluid might be needed but most of the systems weren’t drained anyway" (or similar) shows a complete lack of knowledge on aircraft maintenance.

without a LOT of money and more importantly the design authority passing to a third party (which will not happen) we won’t see one back in the sky. the best you can hope for is a ground running exhibit one day (probably French !)

[TheDuck]

Although sad from an aviation point of view - in a world of Skype and other such video technology Concorde - in my opinion - became more and more of an experience rather than a practical method of travel. It simply isn't fast - and cost efficient - enough when compared with modern technology.

[Robin]

I had forgotten that it was ten years ago last Saturday that I flew from JFK to LHR on Flight BA002, G-BOAC, a wonderful experience, 1.430 mph at 60.000 ft.

Robin.

[The Dudster]

Whilst I’d love to see / hear Concorde fly again, the comments (plan?) that the 'Save Concorde Trust' have regarding a RTF, are madness. They do NOT have a clue of the costs and technicalities of returning something very much in the 'complex' category back to flight. Such comments as "more hydraulic fluid might be needed but most of the systems weren’t drained anyway" (or similar) shows a complete lack of knowledge on aircraft maintenance.

without a LOT of money and more importantly the design authority passing to a third party (which will not happen) we won’t see one back in the sky. the best you can hope for is a ground running exhibit one day (probably French !)

mmm and how much has the Vulcan cost to get flying ... i think you would get more people to watch Concord fly past than the Vulcan and charged a premium
I remember grown men with tears watching the last 3 land at Heathrow cant believe how many people where their and that 10 years has gone rather quickly

[Abingdonman]

I first saw Concorde in the air July 1971 + a good few times pilot training at Brize Norton 1977 + a couple of times taking off from Heathrow + a couple of air shows flypasts......and once a distant view from our front room window( 80s)......
but the greatest memory we have of Concorde is of a spectacular & noisy climb from low level that carried her almost over our houses in Hemel Hempstead(1993?) from that day to this we never saw or heard of a reason why it did it,and why here!

[Buzz]

I also vowed never to fly BA again (unless it's the only option!!). I thought a visit to at least one airshow during the final year wasn't too much to ask of BA?? Can a thread be started without a vulcan swipe popping up somewhere in there. Jeeze!

[pbeardmore]

with reference to the group that we are not allowed to refererence (sorry), if you look at the example of the BBC wwebsite, they give them coverage as if the idea was reasonable and that fuels the fairy tale.

[FGR2]

I visited Heathrow a number of times in the last few months of operations. It is hard to describe the atmosphere at Heathrow every evening. People were there from all ages, backgrounds, it was not just your average aviation enthusiast.

I was speaking one evening to an Indian guy who first saw Concorde when he arrived in the UK as a child. He was there to see it depart one last time. A French lady in her 60's was there on her own a couple of times as well. It was just a massive turn out of people all to witness the end of an era.

I was there for the last BA001 departure in the dark, and for the arrivals on the 24th as well.

There were so many stories going on about the reason for its demise, and I think they have all been discussed at one point or another. Apparently BA wanted to go into 2004, but Airbus wanted out as soon as possible, BA could only get an extension until October 2003.

I have been to Heathrow since 2003, mainly to test out new camera equipment I had bought, but everything now is vitually the same. Boring buses to carry people as cheaply and efficiently as possible. I cannot get interested in them at all, it is like watching the aviation equivalent of Ford Mondeos and Vauxhall Vectras coming in to land.
I suppose the only thing we can say is at least we witnessed a never to be repeated era, where a noisy, fast, elegant aircraft, powered by afterburning engines, could take you to the edge of space, and to New York in 3 hours.
You could chase the setting sun and see it rise again in the west. (I tried to do a similar thing in my Focus the other year westbound down the M4 but didn't succeed )

It's just a shame that 50 years ago people could design something so revolutionary with just drawing boards and their brains. It does make you think that with all the computer processing power we have today, that we cannot design or make things that don't end up cracking (wings), or blowing themselves to pieces (engines).

As someone wrote Concorde was "yesterday's tomorrow," and I think that summed it up. In a way it was the optimism of the era, the fact that you could build something because you could. Pushing boundaries and advancement of technology.

Its all about economics and the environment these days, slow, generic planes, efficient, quiet engines, and although more sensible, it is a less magical and more boring world because of it.

[pbeardmore]

Thats a great point you make regarding the fact that Concorde was deisned on drawing boards. You can have the fastest, most advanced computer in the World but, as a design tool, without imagination and ambition, its a piece of scrap.

From my own perspective, if you wanted to design a graphical time line of our demise as a Country (sorry to be so down) then the last flight of Concorde would be on that line.

[tankbuster]

What I find amazing is that I bunked off school and caught the train to Bristol to see 002s first flight. I am now approaching retirement yet if something similar flew for the first time tomorrow people would still be marvelling at what a great technological achievement it would be.

[loadcontrol]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wzjqqh8Gf0

About 1.30 mins in - "I'm thrilled, every single cell in my body is thrilled" I agree with the lady. They just don't build 'em like that anymore.

Loadcontrol

[pbeardmore]

Thanks for posting, great video.

Out of pure coincidence last night , I watched an episode of the West Wing that dealt with the deline of Nasa etc and contained this great dialogue:

Leo McGarry: My generation never got the future it was promised... Thirty-five years later, cars, air travel is exactly the same. We don't even have the Concorde anymore. Technology stopped.

Josh Lyman: The personal computer...

Leo McGarry: A more efficient delivery system for gossip and pornography? Where's my jet pack, my colonies on the Moon?

This is a double whammy is not only is it spot in the point it makes but also the fact that it uses Concorde as a cultural reference point (rather than something with USA DNA) within an all American show clearly shows what a global icon it was.

Do kids still get excited at the thought of opening a packet of tea and finding this?

http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/1972-brooke ... 354127.htm

[The Dudster]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wzjqqh8Gf0

About 1.30 mins in - "I'm thrilled, every single cell in my body is thrilled" I agree with the lady. They just don't build 'em like that anymore.

Loadcontrol

gave me shivers watching that thank you for posting

[2e1var]

I still can't watch anything about her without a tear in my eye

[tankbuster]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wzjqqh8Gf0

About 1.30 mins in - "I'm thrilled, every single cell in my body is thrilled" I agree with the lady. They just don't build 'em like that anymore.

Loadcontrol

Bloody Helll, thankyou for posting. It bought a tear to my eye. I doubt they will be showing 27 years of the A320. Why did we stop adventuring after 500+ years of being the nation who did it best.

[psquiddy]

Why did we stop adventuring after 500+ years of being the nation who did it best.

Yeah - but it was a bit French.

[Gregg]

The brass neck of British Airways to put that video together as a promotional tool, after they binned the aircraft, making damn sure a rival would never operate them...

They didn't have much choice, Airbus pulled support for the aircraft so game over. All this talk of another carrier operating them is just talk. Nice bit of publicity for a beardy dude but he had no more chance than BA did.

[FGR2]

I am sure that BA would have continued for a while longer if Air France hadn't pulled out. Air France after nearly losing a second Concorde in a fuel leak incident, the airline being privatised, and only carry a few passengers each flight, decided to pull the plug. All support costs which were split, would now have had to be bourn solely by BA. There were apparently some in BA who wanted to see the back of Concorde, although it was still turning a profit for them. Had they got AA and AB back in service and got the second flights to JFK up and running then maybe they would have been in a stronger financial position, and have more justification for keeping it.

Video here I took from Hatton Cross on 23rd October of the last flight to JFK.

http://smg.photobucket.com/user/LL75/me ... 3.mp4.html

[tankbuster]

Why did we stop adventuring after 500+ years of being the nation who did it best.

Yeah - but it was a bit French.

and a great example why partnrrships need to be built on opposites and not agreement. Better to get the best of both worlds...