On 5/25/2023 at 11:17 PM, jarmstro said:

Outside of the two state airlines who's governments had funded Concorde's  development not one single plane was sold to a commercial airline. These two, very small fleets were ridiculously expensive to operate and maintain. As an aeroplane Concorde was a technological marvel and surely one of the most beautiful machines ever built by mankind. But as an airliner it was, to all intents and purposes, absolutely useless.

Id recommend you go and listen the comments of the people who used Concorde extensively for travel about how amazing a tool it was and why it was turned into a profitable aircraft by BA.

The people who used it loved the aircraft and the service thats why they flew regularly and where so devastated to be forced back to subsonic travel when retired.

BA showed what could be done with it and carved a niche market for high speed travel a void which remains today.

I cannot think of another aircraft that attracted the general public like Concorde did. Whenever it visited any airport in the world the sheer number of people who came to see it wasn’t a surprise.

It was legendary. This BA video gets me every time.

 

I've seen (and heard!) it a couple of times when it visited Berlin. It must have been the late 80s early 90s. I was in elementary school and already loved aviation. I can remember it taking off very differently compared to the usual pax flights, banking very hard and early making it an even more impressive sight.

If FSL is able to tackle it for MSFS for a reasonable price, I might consider buying it. My problem would be performance on iniBuilds EGGL and KJFK, lol.

Is there a list among enthusiasts what flights it took? I mean I've seen it at least three times in Berlin. What was it doing there? 

These companies still focusing on platforms that are quickly dying just makes me sad, soooooo much wasted time (re: Eaglesoft). Oh well, decisions...

1 minute ago, Nuno Pinto said:

These companies still focusing on platforms that are quickly dying just makes me sad, soooooo much wasted time (re: Eaglesoft). Oh well, decisions...

To focus would suggest we are only looking at P3D. 

On an aside, I was in Portugal yesterday and the weather was really nice.  I find going out in the sun makes it much more difficult for me to be sad.

3 hours ago, DEHowie said:

Id recommend you go and listen the comments of the people who used Concorde extensively for travel about how amazing a tool it was and why it was turned into a profitable aircraft by BA.

Whilst it was certainly an amazing aircraft and I agree it’s really unusual to abandon a piece of technology that’s up and running; Concorde was only’profitable’ for BA and AF because they were given their Concorde fleet.

Concorde came into service just in time to became a hostage to world events way beyond the ability of it’s designers or operators to control.

At the end of the day, it’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that a great deal of British and French taxpayers money was spent enabling David Frost to appear on live TV on both sides of the Atlantic on a daily basis.☹️

1 hour ago, Norman Blackburn said:

To focus would suggest we are only looking at P3D. 

On an aside, I was in Portugal yesterday and the weather was really nice.  I find going out in the sun makes it much more difficult for me to be sad.

Well Norman it does seem so, it is the priority for release, but hey, i guess you know what you're doing 🙂

As for Portugal, we're getting some real good weather here (unfortunately too dry for the season, and causing problems down south). I'm going out just after typing these words to enjoy a bit more 🙂

@DD_Arthur, forget the costs and politics. That was decades ago. Think about the thrill of full power + reheat takeoffs. Rotating at 195kts and hitting 250mph before wheels up.

Then accelerating from Mach 0.95 to 1.7 in under 8 minutes. Or overtaking modern Airbus and Boeing aircraft faster than those aircraft’s ground speed.

Being at the edge of space 190nm from your destination but descending up to 8,000fpm so you merge in with subsonic traffic 30 miles out.

And then the approach at 190kts slowing to 160kts 3 miles out with the nose pitched up 10° for the landing at 156kts.

There will never be another rival to Concorde in our lifetimes. We’re extremely lucky we have people who have the skill to create it for flight sim. 🇬🇧🇫🇷

5 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

I cannot think of another aircraft that attracted the general public like Concorde did. Whenever it visited any airport in the world the sheer number of people who came to see it wasn’t a surprise.

It was legendary. This BA video gets me every time.

 

Unfortunately I was able to see the Concorde flying only once, and it was not during one of it's short hops in Lisboa...

I was once at the British MetOffice, but staying in London for the night, and in the afternoon I always tried to go plane spotting at one og EGLL terraces, but was never on schedule to see the Concorde landing or taking off 😞

One day as I was arriving to London I did see it on short final, right above me, I believe aiming for 27L 🙂

Edited June 3, 20233 yr by jcomm

6 minutes ago, jcomm said:

Unfortunately I was able to see the Concorde flying only once, and it was not during one of it's short hops in Lisboa...

Once is better than none. Lisbon is one of my favourite hops from Manchester. A whole hour quicker than subsonic despite the longer flight path down the Irish Sea.

I’ve seen her at Heathrow from a building just north of 09L/27R. That was an easterly takeoff with her banking hard right soon after wheels up for the CPT SID.

Then at Manchester in July 2000 3 weeks before the Paris crash. We were in the Airport Pub garden which is 150 metres from the 23R departure point. The noise was brilliant! 😁

In 1998 I was waiting for a connection flight at JFK when a very loud noise made me look towards the 31L runway where the BA morning arrival was departing on the Canarsie departure.

Then finally at Manchester in October 2003 for its final arrival and departure. A sad day witnessed by thousands.

So many memories.

8 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Once is better than none. Lisbon is one of my favourite hops from Manchester. A whole hour quicker than subsonic despite the longer flight path down the Irish Sea.

I’ve seen her at Heathrow from a building just north of 09L/27R. That was an easterly takeoff with her banking hard right soon after wheels up for the CPT SID.

Then at Manchester in July 2000 3 weeks before the Paris crash. We were in the Airport Pub garden which is 150 metres from the 23R departure point. The noise was brilliant! 😁

In 1998 I was waiting for a connection flight at JFK when a very loud noise made me look towards the 31L runway where the BA morning arrival was departing on the Canarsie departure.

Then finally at Manchester in October 2003 for its final arrival and departure. A sad day witnessed by thousands.

So many memories.

Let me know when you're in transit at LPPT. I'm usually there at the Portuguese MetOffice 🙂

Edited June 3, 20233 yr by jcomm

2 minutes ago, jcomm said:

Let me know if you're in transit at LPPT. I'm usually there at the Portuguese MetOffice 🙂

Unlikely these days but I appreciate the offer. 👍

I also miss the numerous air displays where Concorde flew with the Red Arrows. That was a very moving sight.

2 hours ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

@DD_Arthur, forget the costs and politics. That was decades ago. Think about the thrill of full power + reheat takeoffs. Rotating at 195kts and hitting 250mph before wheels up.

Then accelerating from Mach 0.95 to 1.7 in under 8 minutes. Or overtaking modern Airbus and Boeing aircraft faster than those aircraft’s ground speed.

Being at the edge of space 190nm from your destination but descending up to 8,000fpm so you merge in with subsonic traffic 30 miles out.

And then the approach at 190kts slowing to 160kts 3 miles out with the nose pitched up 10° for the landing at 156kts.

There will never be another rival to Concorde in our lifetimes. We’re extremely lucky we have people who have the skill to create it for flight sim. 🇬🇧🇫🇷

That's a very lively telling, was a pleasure to read 🙂