Concorde dangling the dunlops
 

My first post but only because "New Bloke" got lost during the last server move.

I saw Concord over Croydon yesterday at about 18:30 with the gear down. Heck of a racket as quite a bit of power was being used. Whats the gossip then?

It's called "landing"...an often-used procedure which aircraft adopt at the end of a flight.

The noise comes from devices called "engines" which assist the aircraft in completing its journey.

Croydon is located near Heathrow Airport, a favourite destination for Concorde flights. :D :D :D

Doh
 

For the pedants, It was pointing AWAY from Heathrow, it was at about 5/6000' and was NOT landing.

If it had been landing I wouldn't have asked the question now would I ?

Actually now that I think about it, isn't Concorde usually due in from NY at around 21:00 rather than 18:30?

Modification test flight?

Konkordski wins the prize for the correct guess:D

Ahhh So
 

So that was it.

About a couple of hours later we saw another (same one?) going the same way (East) and about 2/3000' higher than the first.

Why wasn't the gear raised the first time it came over, would this be due to some tests that were being carried out?

We had a 20-over Cricket match yesterday evening so much of my time was spent spotting. I just added that as I don't want anyone to think I hang arond Croydon with my notebook:D

nothing wrong with croydon mate, actually, sorry, nothing right with croydon... mind you even when landing on 27 a/c may still pass over croydon at 3/4000ft heading east before they turn back to lhr...

Old NB


I find it very difficult to concentrate on the game when playing cricket near an airfield or under a SID or STAR.

Only last week while playing at a lovely little Hertfordshire village a mile or so north of the approach to Luton, I must have spent as much time watching to see what aircraft types and companies were flying in as I spent searching the hedgerows for the sixes and fours that went whistling past me.

It could be psychological though: as a kid I was standing in the middle of a cricket square when a Hawker Hunter dived into the deck only 300 yards away after the pilot ejected at 12000ft or so.

Even since then I have looked up on hearing any type of aircraft engine - even when batting.

Despite this handicap when playing last week I got a few wickets and runs and did stop a few balls from being belted to the boundary.

You lot leave Croydon alone!After all it's the home town of the mighty EAGLES![CPFC for those not educated in the finer points of english football!]

It was a sheer joy for me who lives under the Biggin Stack to have a double-dose of Concorde at 1830-ish last night (and the night before 'cos I was walking the dog) as well as the later arrival (usually about 2125) - whatever the mod on the earlier flight it seemed a darn sight noisier than usual which is great because it meant that folks who are usually too daft to look at aircraft in flight actually did so!! YAY!!!



:D :D

Hi Stan

Yes I remember you telling me that, wasn't that the pitch that is now over the M25?

I ended up out 2nd ball to a dodgy lbw and 1 wicket off the last over (stumped off of a wide)

I still don't know why the gear would be down even if it was landing on 27. Surley the gear wouldn't be down until finals???

As a matter of fact ONB ;) I saw the same Concorde at 1812, but at Mitcham, quite close to Croydon. Indeed the gear was down and I saw it turn on to finals at about 14/18 miles.

BA 2 has been landing at 2105 (ish) but used to land at about 1720 (ish). The second JFK might just about be ready to start - maybe, PERHAPS!

Thanks for that Pop.

(I couldn't get my old name back no matter how I tried!!!!)

:( :( :(

All correct - it was G-BOAC fresh out from her airworthiness mods and on a shake-down flight - first time she'd had air under her wings since the grounding and great to have her back (now the earliest Conc. in service in order of production - #204). Well earned beer for all those engineers - thanks guys. The 002 would have arrived a couple of hours or so later on the temporary later timing.

The "regular" 002 timing (1725 local arrival LHR) should resume in August (as will a weekend BGI schedule for that month), the late schedule being necessary to avoid nightstopping an airframe in JFK until we have enough back in service, 'AC should provide that when her release to service is complete.

As for double daily - we're still waiting on the decision, but in should be in the forseeable...... G-BOAB will take G-BOAC's place in the hanger....

dangling the dunlops

That'll be the Michelin Dunlops...

Just a mixing the metaphors. Dangling the Michelins doesn't sound as good does it.



;)

OOI could they still build a new Concorde if they wanted to ? I.e. are all the bits 'commercially available' if not a bit old? Or would they need to use new bits that would require certification all over again ?

I fell off the chair when I read the comment about it going the wrong way. Reminds me of a BA bloke some years ago.... heading 090 downwind for 27s. I said "24 miles from touchdown" he said "but my DME says 12 miles"... I said "but you're going the wrong way!

It would be unlikely in the extreme for a Heathrow inbound to be heading east over Croydon at 3-4000 ft. Maybe 4000, but even that would be unlikely.. more like 5-6000. We're not usually allowed to descend below 4000 ft until a/c are within 13nm of touchdown.

Ummmm..quite agree HD. I didn't notice that height assessment had been used, and I would agree that it was nearer 6000' - hard to be precise of course.

Still, the sight was all that mattered. :D

All I know is that I wish the +/- 9.20pm arrival would make its turn onto LHR approach a little more westward so if I am not out I don't have to lean across my sink and half out of my kitchen window (to the curiosity of neighbours and folks passing by)!! OK so once she is heading 270 and beginning descent I can see her but she is too far away then!!!

So HD can you fix it for her northerly track prior to the turn be a mile more eastward please?!!

:D :D :D