Review: the new Aerospace Bristol museum – Part 2 (Concorde)

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• Nick says:

  3 May3 May 06:01

  A wonderful aircraft! On numerous occasions, when I was on the first BA 747 flight arriving at LHR from BOS, we’d park next to it at the gate. It always sent a tingle up my spine as the American pax wowed over it.

• Paul says:

  3 May3 May 06:38

  I did fly Concorde and can assure you that the experience was nothing like a club Europe flight today.
  It was a slick, polished, impeccable and thoroughly exciting experience every time. Leg room was not an issue and I personally found the leather seats comfortable.

• Nick F says:

  3 May3 May 07:22

  I flew back from NYC on one and, as a BA crewmember, was lucky enough to sit behind the captain in that tiny, cramped flightdeck for take-off out of JFK. An unforgettable experience. The thrust from those four engines was pretty incredible and I remember the flight being absolutely turbulence-free, due the to altitude at which it flew. Flight time was 3hrs 10mins. Wouldn’t we all love that today!

• James says:

  3 May3 May 07:30

  I used to see it go overhead everyday where I lived as a kid and was determined to fly it one day.
  Fortunately I worked for BA for a few years whilst Concorde was still flying and managed to get myself & my Brother a trip to NYC on ‘The Bird’ for £250 (with biz class return).
  So glad I did.
  You could book this after 2yrs of employment and I was genuinely could ting down the mo the, weeks & days until I could get on the phone & book.
  I was always amazed that so few people did it.

  • James says:

    3 May3 May 07:31

    *counting…..not ‘could ting’ !!!

    *months…..not ‘mo’ !

    I give up.

    • David says:

      3 May3 May 07:58

      You need to get a BlackBerry…

• Fred Finn says:

  3 May3 May 07:49

  Your comments are very biased, I am 6ft 2in in height and found that the seats were extremely comfortable as they are contoured your feet easily go under the seat in front of you. You should compare these seats are rather like a Ferrari as against a Rolls Royce. Since flying on Concorde was rather like going out to a business lunch with fantastic service and world class drinks and wines. By the time lunch was over you were in New York. I did this over 700 times and I can tell you it’s very comfortable. The one at Duxford is great as you get the opportunity to visit the rest of a fantastic collection and like Brooklands they still drop the nose on their Concorde’s. Aeroscopial in Tolouse houses a fabulous museum with two Concorde’s including the last one to be decommissioned. I flew many of my flights on the jump seat behind the captain when they wanted to carry 101 passengers instead of the usual 100 Concorde the best experience ever

  • Will says:

    3 May3 May 07:53

    Hi five Fred Finn, was too young to ever fly Concorde. Absolutely love your story, a real compliment to the whole Concorde history.

  • Jamesay says:

    3 May3 May 08:18

    Epic! How wonderful to hear your story and your enthusiasm! You Sir were an astronaut 700 times ! Thanks for sharing!

  • Evan says:

    3 May3 May 08:57

    “Biased”? By what?

• Mikeact says:

  3 May3 May 08:14

  Most definitely the highlight of my flying days. It was fabulous.

• eBungle says:

  3 May3 May 08:18

  So which concode is the best to visit in the UK? I have never been a “plane nut” but there is definitely something about Concorde. Like others I was too young to fly in it as it was withdrawn before I had ever managed to get on a plane. But my first job from school was under the Heathrow flight path and we used to hear it take off everyday as the whole building shook (So we knew when to go for a cigarette – Don’t worry it was legal for under 18’s to smoke then.)

  • Tilly says:

    3 May3 May 08:43

    We visited the one at duxford. I was so excited. Also never gotbthe chance to fly it. Wish I had.

  • john says:

    3 May3 May 09:57

    Brooklands Museum is good if you also like cars!

    • Stuart says:

      3 May3 May 15:50

      And buses, and all sorts of Brooklands built aircraft. Wonderful museum especially with the new “factory”, flight shed and finishing straight open.

      I loved their Concorde which captures the pre-refurb era, and also has a bare rear cabin (no seats) for those interested in the build of the aircraft. (While Filton assembled the aircraft, Brooklands apparently did more of the manufacturing.)

  • trickster says:

    3 May3 May 13:15

    There is one in Manchester in a purpose built hanger at the Aviation Park, as well as a handful of other planes outside, plus great views of the runway for spotting if that’s your thing.

    I did the Concorde tour there a few years ago with my Dad for Father’s Day and it was run by local enthusiasts and very interesting indeed. I was struck by how small it is inside. Alas, I wish I had flown in it, but I discovered BA Miles too late….

• Tim M says:

  3 May3 May 08:53

  I was a lecturer at Reading University 2000-2004. One morning I was in a meeting when this deep rumble filled the room – too loud to hear anyone talk. Once it had passed I asked, “What was that?”. “Concorde”, was the reply. Flights had resumed after their suspension following the Air France crash. From that day onwards, there was around half a minute everyday when all communication, including teaching, ceased at Reading University.

  • Gavin says:

    3 May3 May 10:49

    Hi Tim, I studied at Reading University in the same time period, it was about 11am as I recall when Concorde flew over and I too remember a massive rumble disrupting my lectures!

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