Concorde question

[Mike-Bracknell]

Originally Posted by Shaggy Sheep Driver

Concorde would have been horredously inefficient at low level with a very short range, it isn't big enough to use as a military transport, so it's difficult to envisage a military role for it.

I think David Gunson covered this one quite well:

"Concorde flies faster than a speeding bullet....which is why they've never made a military version, because when it opened fire it'd shoot itself down"

[ChristiaanJ]

Originally Posted by dmussen

I am looking at my office wall in Fremantle, Western Australia at a photograph of G-BOAC after getting airbourne on its maiden flight. It is signed by my work colleges at Brooklands.

Join the club....
In my case it's a pic of G-BSST, signed by colleages and friends at Fairford.
Has been hanging over my desks in France for over 35 years, and hasn't really bleached yet.... good quality colour print....

Somewhere in a trunk I have a copy (blueprint) of prototype 01 notated in both English and French.

I still have a few Xeroxes of Xeroxes of blueprints too.... probably off ancient microfilms. AJ would know all about that...
And yes, most are annotated in both French and English, both the descriptive legends and the measurements (i.e., metric and 'imperial').

CJ

[steve-de-s]

"Project Rocket"

I understand that British Airways used G-BOAB to test the new “Project Rocket” toilets designs. What about the new galleys that were also part of “Project Rocket”, where they ever fitted to G-BOAB, and does anyone have any pictures or drawings of these galleys?

[dmussen]

More About Happy Days.

Great to hear from folk involved with this beautiful work of art (and engineering).
I tried to find that blueprint of the general arrangement of 01 but that trunk in my Garage has a lot of stuff in it.
My memory is not what it used to be and brake parachute indeed makes sense. Spinning one of these aircraft would not have been an option.
I did manage to get on board G-BOAC in the hangar at Filton and was permited to walk out onto the port wing wearing felt overshoes. When I saw that leading edge at close quarters I was stunned. Never got to fly the aircraft but once saw one over the Bristol Channel when I was in a Folland Gnat. He was climbing when I decided to take a closer look. Needless to say this was an exercise in futility. Not a hope in hell of catching him but still a wonderful sight.
Cheers.

[Shaggy Sheep Driver]

Dmussen, it is very strange to walk out onto the wing, isn't it? I, too have walked on AC's port wing and it seems to slope away from you in all directions! I didn't have the b@lls to venture near the LE! But I have seen it at close quarters from stepladders when helping to clean her when she first moved indoors at Manchester.

[ChristiaanJ]

Originally Posted by Shaggy Sheep Driver

.... it is very strange to walk out onto the wing, isn't it? I, too have walked on AC's port wing and it seems to slope away from you in all directions! I didn't have the b@lls to venture near the LE!

Been there (though not on 'AC), done that.... and yes, I agree....

CJ

[dmussen]

That Wing.

Shaggy Sheep Driver,
Absolutley true. I didn't get too close to the L.E. outboard as I would have ended up make a mess of the hangar floor. One could get closer at the wing root and take in that beautiful shape. I can't think of anything more beautiful except ,perhaps, a Spitfire wing (I'm a Spitfire tragic).

[artee]

How lucky are we?

My guess is that we're all here because we're curious/nostalgic/passionate (delete where applicable) about Concorde. To have had all this information from the people that really know, shared so patiently and graciously, has been a treat, even for a non-techie.

It also drove me to dig out a few photos from my Concorde trip, which I've put here:
Concorde pix - they're not very good, and it was a quick'n'dirty scan.

Thanks for the ride, metaphorically speaking.

[Coffin Dodger]

Gentlemen (and ladies) on this superb thread. I hope this question isn't too "spotterish" but I'm sure it can be answered here. I've learned sooooo much about this gorgeous aircraft reading these pages.

I was listening to this radio dialogue between the last Concorde to leave JFK on Youtube here: YouTube - Last concorde communication with JFK.wmv

It's actually a very lovely (well to me it is) almost 7 minutes, with the very final sentences spoken each way - such a nice touch. Just being humble SLF though, I can't work out what "Mike" means in the dialogue i.e.

For the last time, Speedbird Concorde 2 IFR London Heathrow with Mike requesting a Canarsie climb.

Also

... expect FL290 10 minutes after, Squawk 1136 and Mike is the ####

What's Mike and also the #### term?

Thanks. CD

[fleigle]

Airport advisories start with "Alpha" (A) and sequence through the alphabet in turn as conditions change, so "Mike" would be 13th change.
Look up Listen to Live ATC (Air Traffic Control) Communications | LiveATC.net on your browser and pick an airport and listen a while, its fun.
f

[Bellerophon]

Coffin Dodger

For the last time, Speedbird Concorde 2 IFR London Heathrow with Mike requesting a Canarsie climb.... expect FL290 10 minutes after, Squawk 1136 and Mike is the ####

The term ####, which you were unsure about, is ATIS, an acronym for Automatic Terminal Information Service.

The ATIS is a continuous recorded broadcast, on a separate VHF frequency, of relevant airfield conditions and information, such as wind velocity, runway in use, airfield pressure setting, air temperature, taxiway closures, delays etc.

The first such recording of the day will be designated information Alpha and every time during the day the recording is updated (say roughly every twenty minutes) the letter (NATO alphabet) increases by one.

This system spares the ATC controller from answering the same questions from every aircraft endlessly through the day, whilst also allowing him to check that each aircraft checking in with him has received the latest version of the ATIS.

Had Mike Bannister (for ‘twas he) reported that he had Lima, the controller would have realised he had an out of date ATIS report and would have asked him to copy information Mike.

Had Mike Bannister reported that he had November, the controller would have realised that he probably hadn’t copied the ATIS at all and was bluffing!


Best Regards

Bellerophon

[Coffin Dodger]

fleigle - thank you.

Bellerophon - I understand now. Many thanks for taking the trouble to answer that for me.

[Landroger]

That's the first time I've heard that clip and I have to agree with Coffin Dodger. A really emotional recollection, it must have been so difficult to stay so professional on a day like that.

And all the other aircraft saying goodbye was so thoughtful, especially the 'ordinary heavies' asking for somewhere to delay departure so they could watch Concorde's last take off. Given how much approbation she collected the first time she went to New York, it seems New Yorkers eventually found a place in their hearts for her.

Thanks for posting that CD.

Roger.

[twochai]

Given how much approbation she collected the first time she went to New York, it seems New Yorkers eventually found a place in their hearts for her.

Let's be clear folks, Concorde would have never operated to JFK without a very generous interpretation of the applicable noise abatement rules by the FAA/PoNYA guys who signed it off. Who else has ever approved a 30 degree banked turn initiated at 100' on departure as an SOP on a heavy aircraft??

Concorde had that 'je ne sais quoi' that encouraged airplane people everywhere to think big and ask themselves 'what can be done?'.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I do not remember anybody ever whining (at least in print) about the significant premium revenue traffic diverted from the competing US airlines!

Of course, if the Yanks had actually produced an SST, things might have been very different.

[M2dude]

steve-de-s

I understand that British Airways used G-BOAB to test the new “Project Rocket” toilets designs. What about the new galleys that were also part of “Project Rocket”, where they ever fitted to G-BOAB, and does anyone have any pictures or drawings of these galleys?

Steve, I remember that OAB was fitted with the new loos and part of the new galley. They tested the new vacuum loos with DOG FOOD (no I don't know the brand ) and as far as I recall 'the suckers' worked as advertised.
The plan was that OAB would test fly the new loos and galleys, but that was before the nasty little greasy assassins got their way and OAB (and OAA) never got the RTF as well as the frame 72 modifications.

Best regards
Dude

[steve-de-s]

Thats super info, a big thank you!

[mickjoebill]

Concorde on Ark Royal?

There is talk of the decommissioned Ark Royal to be moored on the Thames as a museum/heliport and residence for ex servicemen.

I'd like to raise the idea of installing a Concorde a Harrier and Spitfire on her deck as part of the museum exhibit.



Mickjoebill

[steve-de-s]

Another Concorde on a river, I think we have seen enough of that situation with G-BOAD. The damp river location isn’t the best location for a Concorde, even if it does look good.
Lets find good homes from them, undercover!

[ChristiaanJ]

Originally Posted by Flightmaster

Ahhh....Blue Wave!
Mr. Marilake

Wasn't "Blue Wave" some kind of extremely gimmicky scheme of cabin lighting, going all "blue" when passing Mach1?
And, mentioning Marilake, are you talking about the cruddy Marilake proposal to replace the cabin displays with something, again much more gimmicky, and much less legible?
I think the proposal is still on their website.

CJ

[johnjosh43]

The Marilake proposal is on their site Marilake Aero Systems under cabin displays.

Uurrgh.