BCanr2d2 Posted April 10, 2003 Share Posted April 10, 2003 After 27 years in service, the technical wonder that was the Concorde is to be taken out of the skies due to the flagging economy and low passenger numbers. Sadly, the 747 series from Boeing, which was cheaper, and a more reliable alternative, made many of the orders for the Concorde to be cancelled, with only about 16 making it into the skies instead of the planned numbers over 100. Designed for Mach 2 and over, it made the trans-Atlantic flight in about 3 hours, and had the droop nose that needed to be lowered so that the pilots could see where they were landing, so long and pointy was the nose. It was a plane ahead of it's time, a wing span that fitted inside the sonic boom cone created by the nose, allowing for this supersonic speed..... Let's hope they go cheap, I am sure I could afford one soon!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leXX Posted April 10, 2003 Share Posted April 10, 2003 This is sad news indeed, I love Concorde. I remember my dad took us to Heathrow when I was but a wee lass to see the planes landing and taking off. Concorde flew right over our heads coming in to land, it was so close I swear if I reached up I could have touched it. Such a beautiful sight, and the sound it made, I will never forget it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arán Posted April 10, 2003 Share Posted April 10, 2003 Thats sad:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reborn Outcast Posted April 10, 2003 Share Posted April 10, 2003 Its sad but... its about time actually. They were always breaking down and needing repairs and yes, the passengers weren't coming back anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZePhyR Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 I dont think i would've ridden in one, but they were cool none-the-less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wassup Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 Damn... I wonder how this will affect future developments of supersonic and hypersonic air travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCanr2d2 Posted April 11, 2003 Author Share Posted April 11, 2003 They'll probably keep with the current wide body designs that were made so popular by the 747, which is relatively cheap to fly and maintain, even if it is only half the speed of the Concorde. Those wide wings prevent it from going too fast, they don't fit inside the sonic cone, so going over Mach 1 isn't possible.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova_wolf Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 Shame - what an AMAZING piece of engineering, and one f the best pieces of european team work between the French and Brisitsh.. Never mind the channel tunnel... I hope that the aircraft end up in good home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clem Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 Originally posted by Reborn Outcast Its sad but... its about time actually. They were always breaking down and needing repairs and yes, the passengers weren't coming back anymore. dont think they were that unreliable .... the only reason they dont make money nemore (which is y theyre being taken out of service by BA) is cos its so expensive to fly on them its a wonder of engineering and miles be4 its time ... but after its first and only crash .... it never really recovered a crying shame i wonder if the french still fly theirs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luc Solar Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 IIRC it costs 12.000+ $ to fly from New York to London and back on a Concorde. Gee... too bad they will stop flying. I was just about to sell my house & car and fly a couple of times to NY. I wonder how all those people are now supposed to travel across the Atlantic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taos Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 I am sad....I have always wanted to fly on a concorde. They are the coolest looking commercial liners anywhere. It is understandable why they won't be flying though.....$12.000 for a flight? I thought it was like 3 or 4 thousand......guess I was wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clem Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 different dollars leemu its costing about £2000 for a 1 way trip across the atlantic atm. and normal flight back for the last few flights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luc Solar Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 I checked. It costs just about 12.000 €/$ to fly from London to NY and back. BUT you do get free(!!) champagne and oysters! How about that! Makes it all worth it...if you like oysters, that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digl Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 Originally posted by Luc Solar I wonder how all those people are now supposed to travel across the Atlantic. slower? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacky_Baccy Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 Posted by digl, Lord of the Understatement I wonder how all those people are now supposed to travel across the Atlantic. slower? BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Oh dear lord I've missed your sense of humour, digl! You make damn sure you stay here now that you're back, okay? ...The place wasn't the same without you *goes off to start saving up for a flight on Concorde before they turn into nothing more than a bunch of memories and museum pieces* ...I think I need a job x.x; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBK Posted April 11, 2003 Share Posted April 11, 2003 I didn't even know they were flying again. Weren' they grounded after an accident? Am I thinking the wrong thoughts again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dark jedi 8 Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 damn! that sucks, i always wanted to fly on the concorde. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
git_sum_stuka Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 bummer:crybaby: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCanr2d2 Posted April 12, 2003 Author Share Posted April 12, 2003 Originally posted by HBK I didn't even know they were flying again. Weren' they grounded after an accident? Am I thinking the wrong thoughts again? They were grounded after a tyre exploded on take off and ruptured a fuel tank on one of them. It had a fireball coming from the wing and the pilot did a great job to keep it away from any built up areas. They had barely returned to service, but with the low numbers of the Concordes in use, the cost to keep them flying was climbing quite high. They were lucky to return back into service after the accident, mainly due to the costs involved to fly them.. Will we see them fall into private hands, and a rock star or two have them as their own personal "tour" jets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luc Solar Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 Originally posted by digl slower? that's what I was....trying to imply. People who think it's ok to spend 12.000+ $ extra so that they don't have to sit in a plane for a few hours longer aren't exactly getting much sympathy from me. That's like eating from disposable plates made of gold. Damn filthy rich bastards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arán Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 There aren't many people who would pay $12.000 to fly a concored back and forth to where ever they are going...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clem Posted April 12, 2003 Share Posted April 12, 2003 Originally posted by Luc Solar that's what I was....trying to imply. People who think it's ok to spend 12.000+ $ extra so that they don't have to sit in a plane for a few hours longer aren't exactly getting much sympathy from me. That's like eating from disposable plates made of gold. Damn filthy rich bastards! people dont fly on concorde cos its faster .... they fly cos its special ... an experience id love to have flied on concorde Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.