Reply to: Concorde

[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

[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

[Drewster]

What was the name of the program?

Is it available on iplayer?

Flight of the Conchords - Shirley?

[Moscow Mule]

What was the name of the program?

Is it available on iplayer?

Concorde's Last Flight.

or something.

It was on CH4.

[scooterscot]

What was the name of the program?

Is it available on iplayer?

[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.

[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.

[ads1980]

Concorde was another government balls-up. It was virtually given away to BA and BA ended up with free of charge Concordes when privatised. What should have happened was that the government should have loaned them to BA and then taken them back when BA didn’t want them. Branson said he would use them but BA trashed them to stop Virgin getting their hands on them

I would love to see Branson take them over and bring Concorde back to life!

[Paddy]

Concorde was another government balls-up. It was virtually given away to BA and BA ended up with free of charge Concordes when privatised. What should have happened was that the government should have loaned them to BA and then taken them back when BA didn’t want them. Branson said he would use them but BA trashed them to stop Virgin getting their hands on them

[Moscow Mule]

I reckon Branson will buy a couple for use as shuttles to his spaceport...

[ads1980]

The engines are being tested in France just now to see if they can be brought back, if the tests go OK then it is onto the next stage. Nothing is certain.

Well ,I have just found this on google..... Save Concorde Group

[minestrone]

The engines are being tested in France just now to see if they can be brought back, if the tests go OK then it is onto the next stage. Nothing is certain.

[TimberWolf]

BBC News - Fears Concorde attraction in Bristol will close

The Concorde visitor attraction in Bristol is to be closed in October for maintenance leading to fears that it could be shut down permanently...Airbus said the plane would move into a hangar until further notice.

Our problem is that we do have two paid staff and I have to sort out in the next couple of weeks whether or not to take steps to make them redundant.

[ads1980]

That would be cool if they did bring one back for the olympics.

I am sure they could also bring one or two back full time and make money out of them?

[SupremeSpod]

I live near Filton in Bristol and the last flying one here dissapeared in the last couple of weeks - word is on the street is that its gone to France to be brought back into service for the Olympics

shhhh.......

nothing to see here

Are you sure that it's not just been moved to the Aviation Heritage Centre?