Concorde is Back!

[bennymac]

http://www.theguardian.com/world/200...se.focus/print

THE REAL STORY OF FLIGHT 4590: SPECIAL INVESTIGATION: A freak 'single cause' accident was blamed when an Air France Concorde crashed in flames in Paris last year, killing 114 people. But a number of errors which could have been avoided may have played a part in the disaster.

The investigation by The Observer suggests the truth may not only be more complicated, but also sadder, more sordid. Men, not God, caused Concorde to crash, and their omissions and errors may have turned an escapable mishap to catastrophe.

[ötzi]

I used to live 7 miles straight north of Dulles airport. The Concorde took its weekly trip to France around noon Sundays. You could hear that thing on the runway down in Dulles as it was taking off, then it would head north and do a big slow curve until it was heading east, it basically curved around us. You could hear that thing forever as it traveled east, it had to be audible for 40 miles at least. Crazy unmuffled pure horsepower.

[BmillsSkier]

The industry term is "bus riders". As soon as the airlines saw them as a potential revenue stream, it was all over.

Please tell me the industry term for coach is also “Steerage”.

I’d at least feel a little classier sitting there.

[PNWbrit]

My 88 year old dad volunteers at the Duxford Air Museum in the UK.

He's "in charge" of their Concorde.

And loves showing that he has the key to one on his key ring.

I dont think they actually had keys in service, Ted could possibly confirm.

[abraham]

My 88 year old dad volunteers at the Duxford Air Museum in the UK.

He's "in charge" of their Concorde.

And loves showing that he has the key to one on his key ring.

I dont think they actually had keys in service, Ted could possibly confirm.

Badass.
Pretty sure I remember visiting there as a kid. They have/had one of the very few remaining airworthy Mosquitos.

[Timberridge]

I dont think they actually had keys in service, Ted could possibly confirm.

They seem to steal anything not locked up in the UK.

[BmillsSkier]

That’s why Clarkson says he can’t understand pick up trucks for the life of him. It’s like the lost pole swap bin at the base of Copper.

Help yourself.

[Benny Profane]

I used to live 7 miles straight north of Dulles airport. The Concorde took its weekly trip to France around noon Sundays. You could hear that thing on the runway down in Dulles as it was taking off, then it would head north and do a big slow curve until it was heading east, it basically curved around us. You could hear that thing forever as it traveled east, it had to be audible for 40 miles at least. Crazy unmuffled pure horsepower.

I forgot about that noise issue. It pretty much severely limited the spread of those things.

[subtle plague]

Well, since old fashioned subsonic air travel has become such a shitshow--city buses are a more pleasant way to travel--don't discount the desire of people who have the means to travel this way.

Why buy a Ticket? If you can own your own boom?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=onPaMnxQ3lo

[Timberridge]

I forgot about that noise issue. It pretty much severely limited the spread of those things.

And the sonic boom thing preventing them from flying over land.

[ötzi]

That thing was crazy loud even without the boom. By far the loudest plane I've ever heard.

[Timberridge]

They were loud. It needed afterburners for takeoff. The current reigning noise champion is the B1 bomber.

[BmillsSkier]

Yeah but can the B1 have me drinking wine at a sidewalk cafe in Paris in 3 hours?

[bennymac]

Yeah but can the B1 have me drinking wine at a sidewalk cafe in Paris in 3 hours?

Probably yeah

[Ted Striker]

My 88 year old dad volunteers at the Duxford Air Museum in the UK.

He's "in charge" of their Concorde.

And loves showing that he has the key to one on his key ring.

I dont think they actually had keys in service, Ted could possibly confirm.

It's an old practical joke, along the lines of "We're going to need to get this higher to work on it. Go to the tool room and ask them for a long stand" or "go down to spares, and ask them for some flight line"

I think the idea originated from the real Concorde keyrings that BA gave out (or sold?) onboard.

[Ted Striker]

Yeah but can the B1 have me drinking wine at a sidewalk cafe in Paris in 3 hours?

Probably yeah

From ATL? no.

The Concorde was way faster.

[bennymac]

From ATL? no.

The Concorde was way faster.

The original B1 had max speed over Mach 2.

But yes - the final B1 topped out at 1.25 - so Concorde would have you there much earlier.

[CantDog]

I used to live 7 miles straight north of Dulles airport. The Concorde took its weekly trip to France around noon Sundays. You could hear that thing on the runway down in Dulles as it was taking off, then it would head north and do a big slow curve until it was heading east, it basically curved around us. You could hear that thing forever as it traveled east, it had to be audible for 40 miles at least. Crazy unmuffled pure horsepower.

Yes! Growing up in NOVA that was such a distinctive sound and image. As a kid my Dad would take me to Dulles to watch them take off. So cool.

[Mazderati]

Fun fact: NYC, DC, London, Paris, and...Barbados of all places were the only regular destinations for the Concorde. Barbados has or had an example setup as a museum. The planes are huDge.

[Ted Striker]

The original B1 had max speed over Mach 2.

The prototype? I didn't realize it was that fast.

The reason the production B-1B isn't anywhere near as fast as the Concorde is that it needed to have a way larger flight envelope, i.e. it's fast everywhere. The Concorde is only fast above FL400.

[Ted Striker]

The planes are huDge.

But the inside is tiny.

[bennymac]

The prototype? I didn't realize it was that fast.

The reason the production B-1B isn't anywhere near as fast as the Concorde is that it needed to have a way larger flight envelope, i.e. it's fast everywhere. The Concorde is only fast above FL400.

To be clear my plane knowledge is at a Wikipedia level.

[abraham]

But the inside is tiny.

Yeah I'd be surprised if people would fly in one now even with the faster speed. Walking into one felt really cramped.

[huckbucket]

To be clear my plane knowledge is at a Wikipedia level.

Oh, Oh! I know this one. FL400 = 40K feet above sea level

[PNWbrit]

Fun fact: NYC, DC, London, Paris, and...Barbados of all places were the only regular destinations for the Concorde. Barbados has or had an example setup as a museum. The planes are huDge.

Didn't Air France fly to Rio and Mexico City?