![]() ![]() But part of it was due to the pressurisation within the cabin. Part of that, of course, was because of the speed. "Faster than a speeding bullet." (BAE Systems) You felt well, and ready to take on the day. When we arrived in New York at 9:20 in the morning, having taken off from London at 11am, it really did feel like mid-morning. And, of course, we got the same benefits as our customers. You could fly her just with your fingertips through take off, climb, acceleration, supersonic cruise, descent and landing. More like a thoroughbred racehorse than a riding school hack. They followed the Concorde story avidly and are still captivated by this beautiful aircraft today.įrom a pilot's perspective she was an absolute joy to fly. That feeling of ownership generated so much interest. Consequently, most people had a feeling of ownership of Concorde. The research and development costs for Concorde were paid jointly by the British and the French governments - or should I say taxpayers, the British and French people. (BAE Systems)īut it wasn't just these amazing statistics that grabbed everybody's attention. They were also beloved by the British public. Feeling of ownershipīritish Airways' fleet of Concordes was small but much loved by those who worked on them or flew in them. So quickly that, in the spring and autumn, we could cross the Atlantic and watch the sunrise in the West, arriving in New York one hour and 40 minutes before we took off from London. She could travel faster than the Earth rotates. Clearly, she's beautiful, and everyone was aware of the ‘gee-whizz’ things that she could do.įaster than a rifle bullet, on the edge of space where the sky got darker and you could see the curvature of the Earth, 23 miles a minute, a mile every two-and three-quarter seconds. ![]() To the artistic side and to the technical side. Firstly, the aeroplane appeals to both sides of the brain. ![]() Even in areas where Concorde would operate up to eight times a day, people still watched, proudly. Looking back on my 22 years as a Concorde pilot, I'm still amazed that people used to stop, look up and stare as she flew over. The flight set a new record for a flight from Heathrow to the US – just 3hrs 5mins 34secs. The Sun rising in the west, and shining through Concorde G-BOAE’s visor, as we travelled faster than the Earth rotates between London and Boston on 8th October 2003. Captain MIKE BANNISTER who was Chief Pilot of British Airways' Concorde fleet from 1995 until 2003 offers his thoughts on our enduring love affair with this aviation icon. Almost 20 years since Concorde retired the supersonic airliner continues to grip our imagination. ![]()
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