I am just a tad disappointed ...

[PAXboy]

... in you lot.

Just because I got to go on Concorde, you arrange for the biggest power failure the world has ever known, to include JFK.

You ensure that my return (744) flight is cancelled and that I have to spend more money on hotels than my travel insurance is likely to pay.

Really, you lot are such bad sports. :hmm:

[av8boy]

AAAAAGH!

You did tell us that you were going to do that!:D

You got there but then got stranded? Is THAT the case? But you DID get your once-in-a-lifetime ride, right? Excellent.

Congrats!

Sorry it turned into an adventure though...:ugh:

Dave

[pilotwolf]

Must be something about PPRuners and Concorde cos Aerbabe and I got our trip extended by nearly 3 days too!

And the insurance company paid for our luxury hotel! ;) - even if we didn't get to enjoy the facilities to the full!

[BAe 146-100]

Hi,

PAXboy, I wish I had the chance to fly on Concorde :(. How was the flight?

http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/concorde-landing1.jpg

BAe 146-100

[PAXboy]

Thanks folks :D

Well, it was Stupendous and I say that only because I cannot spell Superfrajilisticexpealidotious.

I am just about to hit the sack for an early start on the 08:00 out of EWR and will enjoy posting a full report when I get back to base.

Pilotwolf: What's your story?

[SkySista]

You forgot the "cali" after "super"....... ;)

Seriously now, the Concorde must have been one fantastic ride.... and the adventure only makes it more memorable....!

SS

[Pax Vobiscum]

Welcome back PAXboy - trust my hacking the US power grid didn't cause you too much angst (for any CIA operatives listening, this is what we Brits call irony). If it's any consolation, things could have been worse:

How BA turned the dream of a trip on Concorde into a flight of fancy (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-785431,00.html)

Seriously, in his position I'd have asked for an upgrade to R on the return leg.

[PAXboy]

Pax V. You are a Wag, Sir!

Nasty story, I would have screamed the place down. On Friday morning at JFK, the Conc pax (also on their dream flight) were horrified to find the flight canx by power. However, they were told that, as there is not a summer rotation on Saturday, the Friday flight would be held over until Saturday.

SkySista: I think that Concorde has me all Cali-ed out. ;)

I won't bore you with the delayed departure due to having to fix a motor on one of the intakes and sitting in the baking sun, with the external air-con truck unable to handle the 90+ heat.

As we taxied out, the Captain explained about the noise during take off, due to the re-heat and that the a/c was often known to crews as 'The Rocket' on account of the re-heat being rocket technology, more than regular a/c tech.

The departure from 27R (North, westly heading) was utterly superb. From zero to 250 mph in about 40 seconds, with a totally fabulous noise reverberating through everything. By the time we rotated - I was simply laughing out loud.

The climb out was very fast. I was astounded at how rapidly we were ascending. The meter at the front of the cabin was flipping so fast, I had difficulty timing how fast each 1,000 foot came up. (Someone here will tell us soon enough?)

The CC were fast out with the Champagne to have it served by the time we were alongside Swansea and ready to really accelerate.

The Captain let us know that they put the afterburners on in pairs and not all four at once, "So as not to spill your champagne". I guess it has more to do with not stressing the air-frame!!

Certainly, when the re-heat came on, there was a nice smart 'kick' in the small of the back and off we went! :ok:

Have to get back to work, further episode later!!

[PAXboy]

Next chapter ...

My flight was Friday 8th August and in the middle of the heatwave. The 100F mark was reached soon after that. The previous day, the flight had diverted via Gander due to fuel shortage with high temps.

We were briefed for a possible diversion and through to about 2/3 of the journey, did not know if we would go direct or not. I have to confess that I was really hoping for the diversion. I mean, an extra landing and departure - for free??? :8

However, our expert captain knew that his glourious masters would prefer him to get us there in one hop and save the fuel - which is what he did. But the heat did mean a long slow climb from the initial acceleration point.

The cruise was magnificent! The smoothness was breathtaking, I really cannot describe how beautiful it was.

Pax were taking pictures of the Mach meter all the time. They were jumping up and down and handing cameras back and forth. The CC were simply brilliant. They were carrying out the main service and then the duty free service and pax were clogging the aisles. How they did not handcuff them to their seats, I do not know. It was BA staff at their best. I had not bothered with a camera. I do not need a photograph to remind me of what I experienced.

The food was dreamy beyond my anticipation. The finest food I have tasted whilst airborne. That is not just being nice - it was exceptional and I am very picky about food.

The cabin is elegant, the current fit-out is of the highest quality and BA must be galled at having to lose them. The seats are fine and the pitch is OK, although I am of average build. That said, next to me was a retired fireman and he was burly and he felt perfectly comfortable.

I succumbed to buying the Conc. Sterling Silver cuff-links, as they were available and were also travelling at M2! It also meant that I picked up some BA miles to join the 10,374 that I got for the ride and a goodly amount for paying for it all on BA plastic! Oh yes - and 240 tier points!

The landing was great, with fabbo noise from the reversers. On the ground, you become aware of her fragility as she flexes more than conventional a/c. Aloft she is firm and sure, on the ground, a delicate thing.

I was on G-BOAC, which was neat, as the first a/c I travelled on was a BOAC VC-10. We reached 57,500" and Mach 2.0 at 1,330 mph.

Yes the windows were hot.
Yes the sky above was dark.
Yes the horizon was curved.
Yes, I knew all those things before I set out.
So ... did I have to see them for myself?
Yes.

In the days immediately before my flight - I was very worried. What if my boyhood dream did not live up to my expectations? I cursed myself for a fool. Better to have let the dream remain safely a dream and not ruined it with the truth.

On the Friday afternoon, as I checked in, it was not just the heat that gave me a headache. What a fool I was! How silly to have got carried away and wasted all this money! I knew that - when I got to the carousel at JFK, I was going to be thinking, "Was that it?". But it was too late ...

But, when I got to the carousel in T7, I was thinking, "Oh Wow. Oh Wow. Oh Wow".

My boyhood dream was more than I could have hoped. I have to say that, as the Mach meter stepped up through the numbers, I could hardly see them for the tears in my eyes.

My thanks to all crew on BA 0001 on Friday 8th August 2003. It is a day for the rest of my life.

[takenthe5thamendment]

Excellent report PAXboy:ok:

You really made me envious:D

[SkySista]

I'm happy for you that you got your dream. It's always great to hear of a fellow flier's great moments. Wish we had more stories like this. You write really well - I felt like I was there! :D

Reminds me of my first flight in a jet - I was very very happy - close to tears. I guess it sounds strange to non-flyers/ flying obssessed :p but its how it is for some of us.

Sounds like the crew were great - specially the Capt for keeping you all informed..... I bet he LOVES his job.....

Heh. Calls to mind the "Dan the Man" pic on A.Net.

Anyway. I can bet we'll come back in a month you'll still be grinning!!

Have a good one!

SS

[BrightonGirl]

Thanks for the really nice post, PAXboy! I am so envious!

[pilotwolf]

Well.... can't really go into detail - patient confidentiality and all that crap ;)

But a certain aviation obsessed young thing decided she couldn't get on the lowly Airbus for return to LHR so we spent 3 days spotting at CDG, without leaving the hotel room for more than 15 mins, (it overlooked the apron) :oh: Thanks Tesco insurance!

Said young thing now fully recovered and able to force herself into flying machines other than those which travel at Mach 2 - yes she even managed to force herself into one of those whirly things :ok:

I ll convert her yet! :D

[PAXboy]

Three days in a hotel room with only 15 minute breaks, PW? And with Aerbabe?? :E

My goodness, you poor old thing!! What a dreadful experience. I am sure that you have the sympathies of all of us ... :*

A word of advice, do be careful when whirling that thing around - she just might take fright and run away. Run away into the sympathetic arms of a pax who understands the difficulties of life in the airline world ... "There, there, now that nastly pilotwolf won't be allowed to frighten you any more." :}

[AerBabe]

Hmm... I think that would have sounded less bad had you stuck to the full story, and betrayed patient confidentiality... :rolleyes:

The complete story involved two French men in wellies asking me to take my trousers off. :confused:

[PAXboy]

two French men in wellies asking me to take my trousers off Wow, AerBabe, I've always heard that Frenchmen really know how to treat a girl ... and here's the proof! :ooh:

[NOJACKETSREQUIRED2]

Some nice pics of Concorde on:-

www.worldairlinephotography.co.uk

NJR.

[flapsforty]

Lovely read PAXboy, thanks for that! :ok:

I'm sure the indomitable Aerbabe prevailed over those poor frenchies; they propbably never even knew what hit 'em. ;)