Thursday, June 11, 2015

Concorde's first flight

3 comments:

Ed (Belgium) said...

I was seating in Concorde G-BBDG (1st UK production Concorde) in Brooklands last week end ... she is such a beautiful machine, so sophisticated ... It is very impressive to think that all this was developed in the 60's

Maxichamp said...

@Ed (Belgium): I would definitely have saved up for a trip on that plane.

MattC said...

Such a shame that the program was cancelled. The Concorde was never able to fully use its speed (noise regulations on both sides of the Atlantic required the Concorde to not get up to speed a fast as it could until well over the water). It was regarded as the epitome of any pilot or flight attendant's career.

I was an airline ramp rat while in college and the Concorde would occasionally stop at BWI (usually weather related especially during the summer storm months). It always amazed me how much smaller that plane was compared to the mainstay Boeing 737s the ruled BWI. (also the windows are tiny but the interior used pretty creative designs to give the illusion of a more airy cabin). We also used to line up on the ramp and watch that bird take off (nothing sounds like a Concorde taking off). I always feel that Airline designs seemed to peak in the 1960's (Concorde, , the SR-71 (actually starting in the late 1950s) etc. but emissions and noise complaints hampered a lot of designs.

Back in the day, airlines employees could purchase a "Non Rev " ticket on the Concorde one way for about $1000. I regret not ever taking that opportunity but being a poor college kid will do that.