Concorde Ebay special

[Dav the wheel nut]

One of the most interesting facts I didn’t know was that the high temperatures caused Concorde's titanium and steel skin to expand—the plane stretched as much as ten inches in length

[pvr]

Unfortunately missed out on the flights, was going to NY every two weeks at the time and BA did a deal where you could fly from Paris one way for a standard business ticket. Never had to go during the deal time and then it ended

[paddy wright]

So sad it lost its right to fly. I was lucky enough to have been on a flight when I was younger- it was immense!

[TitanTim]

They've been trying to sell it for quite a few years now. It might be worth that money if it had the right paperwork with it but to be made into furniture - not a chance.
To be honest even if it did have its paperwork (the BA restriction of use would mean they have destroyed all the paperwork it needs to be airworthy) its no use as an airworthy engine as there are no aircraft flying that could use that kind of engine.

I did think who would actually buy it and pay that much for it, its not exactly cheap even for a museum.

Can't see it selling unless it was broken up and the parts sold separately to collectors.

Tim.

[TitanTim]

So sad it lost its right to fly. I was lucky enough to have been on a flight when I was younger- it was immense!

I'm sure at one time you could book a 30 minute pleasure flight that went along the south coast and back, I'm pretty sure that's what I was saving up for as it still wasn't cheap even for a 30 minute flight.

Apart from trips to Australia on a 747 the only other noteworthy aircraft I used to travel on each year to Airshows was a Dakota DC3 operated by Air Atlantique based at Coventry who sadly folded

Tim.

[Bmwz4ruby]

So sad it lost its right to fly. I was lucky enough to have been on a flight when I was younger- it was immense!

I'm sure at one time you could book a 30 minute pleasure flight that went along the south coast and back, I'm pretty sure that's what I was saving up for as it still wasn't cheap even for a 30 minute flight.

Apart from trips to Australia on a 747 the only other noteworthy aircraft I used to travel on each year to Airshows was a Dakota DC3 operated by Air Atlantique based at Coventry who sadly folded

Tim.

Yes you could. When Concorde used to cone to RAF St Mawgan (Cornwall) airday you could pay for a 30 minute flight over the Bay of Biscay. It was but a dream for me.

[TitanTim]

So sad it lost its right to fly. I was lucky enough to have been on a flight when I was younger- it was immense!

I'm sure at one time you could book a 30 minute pleasure flight that went along the south coast and back, I'm pretty sure that's what I was saving up for as it still wasn't cheap even for a 30 minute flight.

Apart from trips to Australia on a 747 the only other noteworthy aircraft I used to travel on each year to Airshows was a Dakota DC3 operated by Air Atlantique based at Coventry who sadly folded

Tim.

Yes you could. When Concorde used to cone to RAF St Mawgan (Cornwall) airday you could pay for a 30 minute flight over the Bay of Biscay. It was but a dream for me.

Ahh thanks for the confirmation, I think thats the flight I was thinking of, Bay of Biscay rings a bell now. I know I was saving up at the time

Tim.

[Mr Tidy]

I'm sure there were quite a few charter flights that used to get advertised in daily papers in the 80s and 90s, but I could never afford them back then.

My aviation highlight so far has been a return trip to Melbourne on an A380 in Business Class.

And now I've stopped working it will probably stay top of the list!

[buzyg]

I recon Bedub could get that engine into an ///M.

What an aircraft that was. I remember well sitting on the tarmac in the dark at Heathrow, when a Concorde lit up it engines right before my eyes. Perfect diamonds of red and purple flames. Our aircraft shook like a kyte in it's mighty wake.

[mmm-five]

So sad it lost its right to fly. I was lucky enough to have been on a flight when I was younger- it was immense!

I'm sure at one time you could book a 30 minute pleasure flight that went along the south coast and back, I'm pretty sure that's what I was saving up for as it still wasn't cheap even for a 30 minute flight.

Apart from trips to Australia on a 747 the only other noteworthy aircraft I used to travel on each year to Airshows was a Dakota DC3 operated by Air Atlantique based at Coventry who sadly folded

Tim.

Along with some sporadic visits (from 1979 onwards), we also had a few flights during the 150th Grand National weekend that took you on a short trip across Liverpool to see Aintree (from Liverpool Airport).

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/no ... r-26694637#

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/no ... s-28954316#

0_h_01792386.jpg (144.78 KiB) Viewed 99 times

0_JS296497188.jpg (143.69 KiB) Viewed 98 times

[enuff_zed]

Apart from trips to Australia on a 747 the only other noteworthy aircraft I used to travel on each year to Airshows was a Dakota DC3 operated by Air Atlantique based at Coventry who sadly folded

My two extremes are 13 hours in a C130 Herc to get to Saudi for the first Gulf (bloody Frogs wouldn't let us cross their airspace, so down the coast and in past Gibraltar). That was the worst!
The best? 1hr 40 minutes, never above 250ft in a Tornado, Norfolk to the Brecons in 18 minutes, through the Mach Loop, looking up at everyone, back to the Wash, dropped 4 practice bombs on a sunken boat, up to Newcastle, supersonic back down to Cromer and back to base. That was the best, but once was enough. Just about contained my breakfast.
(In ZA601, which is my avatar)

[TitanTim]

So sad it lost its right to fly. I was lucky enough to have been on a flight when I was younger- it was immense!

I'm sure at one time you could book a 30 minute pleasure flight that went along the south coast and back, I'm pretty sure that's what I was saving up for as it still wasn't cheap even for a 30 minute flight.

Apart from trips to Australia on a 747 the only other noteworthy aircraft I used to travel on each year to Airshows was a Dakota DC3 operated by Air Atlantique based at Coventry who sadly folded

Tim.

Along with some sporadic visits (from 1979 onwards), we also had a few flights during the 150th Grand National weekend that took you on a short trip across Liverpool to see Aintree (from Liverpool Airport).

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/no ... r-26694637#

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/no ... s-28954316#

0_h_01792386.jpg

0_JS296497188.jpg

Great pic with the bus I was searching last night on charter flights and was surprised how many there were to various events over the years. I wondered if these increased as the normal passenger flights decreased with ticket prices being so high and business users using cheaper flights.

Tim.

[TitanTim]

Apart from trips to Australia on a 747 the only other noteworthy aircraft I used to travel on each year to Airshows was a Dakota DC3 operated by Air Atlantique based at Coventry who sadly folded

My two extremes are 13 hours in a C130 Herc to get to Saudi for the first Gulf (bloody Frogs wouldn't let us cross their airspace, so down the coast and in past Gibraltar). That was the worst!
The best? 1hr 40 minutes, never above 250ft in a Tornado, Norfolk to the Brecons in 18 minutes, through the Mach Loop, looking up at everyone, back to the Wash, dropped 4 practice bombs on a sunken boat, up to Newcastle, supersonic back down to Cromer and back to base. That was the best, but once was enough. Just about contained my breakfast.
(In ZA601, which is my avatar)

Wow some noteworthy aircraft

My only scary moment was one year on the DC3. It was lashing it down and due to fly from Coventry to Duxford airshow. I was sitting next to the engine and we bombed down the runway for take off and the engine started misfiring with a bit of flame out the exhaust. I think the pilot had to think quick whether go up or abort and decided to abort take off. Brakes were applied pretty smartish and we taxied back. 30 minutes later back on board and everything fine on 2nd attempt. Think the engine had got a bit wet over night. In reality you knew it would have been fine on one engine

Tim.

[buzyg]

Apart from trips to Australia on a 747 the only other noteworthy aircraft I used to travel on each year to Airshows was a Dakota DC3 operated by Air Atlantique based at Coventry who sadly folded

My two extremes are 13 hours in a C130 Herc to get to Saudi for the first Gulf (bloody Frogs wouldn't let us cross their airspace, so down the coast and in past Gibraltar). That was the worst!
The best? 1hr 40 minutes, never above 250ft in a Tornado, Norfolk to the Brecons in 18 minutes, through the Mach Loop, looking up at everyone, back to the Wash, dropped 4 practice bombs on a sunken boat, up to Newcastle, supersonic back down to Cromer and back to base. That was the best, but once was enough. Just about contained my breakfast.
(In ZA601, which is my avatar)

Nice back story for your Avatar.

[Bmwz4ruby]

Apart from trips to Australia on a 747 the only other noteworthy aircraft I used to travel on each year to Airshows was a Dakota DC3 operated by Air Atlantique based at Coventry who sadly folded

My two extremes are 13 hours in a C130 Herc to get to Saudi for the first Gulf (bloody Frogs wouldn't let us cross their airspace, so down the coast and in past Gibraltar). That was the worst!
The best? 1hr 40 minutes, never above 250ft in a Tornado, Norfolk to the Brecons in 18 minutes, through the Mach Loop, looking up at everyone, back to the Wash, dropped 4 practice bombs on a sunken boat, up to Newcastle, supersonic back down to Cromer and back to base. That was the best, but once was enough. Just about contained my breakfast.
(In ZA601, which is my avatar)

Super, I never worked fast jets so never had a flight in one. Always transport or support helicopters for me.
Did a fantastic low level C130 trip around Scotland with a SAS crew. Spent the whole flight (including takeoff and landing) on a harness at the open rear para door, absolutely fantastic. We did a simulated para drop, low level trying to shake hawk enemy aircraft and then set up a refuel at Wick for 2x Army Lynx. Best day ever.
Also did some helicopter safaris (Puma) and fly in the great rift valley in Kenya.
Such fond memories of 22 years in the RAF. Don’t miss it but boy was it good.