Ex Concorde Pilots

[J32/41]

Was just watching Concorde's final flight progamme on Discovery Wings last night and it got me wondering, what are the ex Pilots doing now.

Fleet Manager Capt Bannister? Anyone know what he does now?

Thanks

[Rainboe]

Fleet Manager- retired, I think probably playing a lot of golf. Many of the older pilots happily retired. The younger ones all went off to take commands or promotions to Captain in all fleets when their turns came up.

I suppose it takes a bit of getting used to to get to JFK in 7 hours instead of 3, but, they would then get a wide variety of destinations instead of just one or two. It might surprise you, but the Concorde fleet was strictly for the supersonic enthusiasts. The pay was not as good as on many other fleets too, but work levels were low. They did it for the glory! Most pilots did not find the thought of never getting beyond New York or Washington, or once in a blue moon Barbados (for a week) very attractive. A lot preferred visits on more sedentary aeroplanes to Bangkok, Singapore, Sydney, Joburg, Cape Town, Phoenix, LA, Hong Kong, and postings to Sydney for 3 months.....get the idea?

[future captain]

I was lucky to get work experience with BA. I had a great time there, met the man himself and he took me abaord the concorde and gave me and my mate a little close up look, it was going on a test flight so we had to hurry up. Me and mate then ran to the 747 and got guided around again. And to think the main guy in charge said we wouldnt be allowed, there was a vending machine near the concordes hanger, whilst there we poped next to the concorde wheel and asked the man if we could take a closer look, done same thing at the 747 and the engineer was happy to take us round :p :ok:

[cessna l plate]

Whatever happened to Brian Walpole? During recent years we have seen a lot of the former concorde pilots wheeled out by documentary makers for comments on this and that, but never him. Where is he now?

[scruggs]

I think Mike Bannister went onto the Airbus fleet (thats what I heard anyway).

[MadameConcorde]

Mike Bannister is enjoying his well deserved retirement with his family.

He was one the VVIPs invited to see the A-380 at Heathrow. :)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a285/madameconcorde/4d5970ba.jpg

[scruggs]

Cheers for the update, I wasn't aware he'd retired.

I had the pleasure of having Mike as my Captain on a short charter Concorde operation from EGLL to EGBB back in 99. It was a fun 25 minutes!

[Rainboe]

Whatever happened to Brian Walpole?
This is pprune- ask, and you will be told! Amazing what Google unearths! Hail Google!
http://www.brianwalpole.co.uk/

[Wycombe]

I've seen Les Brodie instructing with BAFC at Wycombe.

[MrAngry]

Peter Horton was working until recently as Chief Pilot for Gold Air International. He is now freelancing.