John Farley
I just want to thank you for a beautifully simple and professional analysis of what Capt Marty had to deal with. I am "just" a private pilot but would have been more if I wasn't so short-sighted. I have loved Concorde since she first flew and anything that will keep this wonderful bird flying safely and help mere mortals (regular non-Concorde/non Delta-wing pilots) understand the issue is very welcome. From what others have said, and I have read, of the career of Capt Marty, I suspect he would be delighted that (a) we appreciate his predicament and (b) we are debating what happened in Paris so that it need never happen again.
I have to say your analysis of the incredibly fine balance he would have had to maintain in extraordinarily stressful circumstances just shows what a great pilot he was -
in extremisrelying on his skills, experience and instinct while knowing, probably, that he and his aircraft would not survive the incident.
P.S. any word on when Concorde will make her first flight to/from LHR?