Concorde

[centurian]

Airbus "inherited" Concorde, and it seemed they just couldn't accept having a flagship aircraft that was something they never designed as a company.

Instead, they wanted their showpiece aircraft to be the A380, something they created from scratch - and Concorde would get in the way of that.

The A380, while very nice, has hardly been a commercial bonanza though. It could be another decade before the project breaks even.

 

[Drewster]

I remember in another life when I used to arrange visits for VIPs....

We were responsible for them until "wheels up" ie until the plane actually took off...
If the flight aborted before take off we were still stuck with them but once it took off we we home free - even if it then turned round and came back....

For normal flights we sat in the Special Facilities Suite watching the ATC monitors to be updated until they had officially left.... then we could have a Wheels up drink before we went home...

With Concord we got our drinkie a few minutes early.... because when Concord took off the deafening din penetrated the SF Lounge and made the cups rattle so we didn't need to wait for ATC screens to update.....

I got to "go on" it several times including a quick visit to the cockpit (rather less security in those days)...... but not to fly in it unfortunately.

 

[scooterscot]

What was the name of the program?

Is it available on iplayer?

 

[Moscow Mule]

What was the name of the program?

Is it available on iplayer?

Concorde's Last Flight.

or something.

It was on CH4.

 

[Drewster]

What was the name of the program?

Is it available on iplayer?

Flight of the Conchords - Shirley?

 

[TheFaQQer]

Airbus "inherited" Concorde, and it seemed they just couldn't accept having a flagship aircraft that was something they never designed as a company.

Instead, they wanted their showpiece aircraft to be the A380, something they created from scratch - and Concorde would get in the way of that.

The A380, while very nice, has hardly been a commercial bonanza though. It could be another decade before the project breaks even.

The A380 is a mighty impressive beast though. My A320 taxied past two A380s and an A319 at Heathrow on Monday morning and they absolutely dwarfed the other planes.

I used to have a Concorde wallet, but don't know where it is these days.

Someone I used to work for bought his gran a flight on Concorde as an 80th birthday treat when they were taking them out of service - just a quick flight out over the ocean, hit top speed, then head back. She got tanked up in the lounge beforehand because it was free, had a couple of Scotch on the plane, fell asleep before take off, her false teeth fell out onto her lap, and she had to be woken by the stewardess after they landed. Money well spent

 

[ads1980]

Concorde's Last Flight.

or something.

It was on CH4.

You can watch on 4od Concorde's Last Flight - 4oD - Channel 4

very interesting