I'm sure something like it will come again.

Life: No one gets out alive.

if it does, it'll be a long time coming.

just seen on Sky News: which one changed the world, Concorde or the Jumbo Jet? well the Jumbo and all the other widebody airliners surely, as they brought cheap air travel to the masses whereas before it had been an expensive option for the rich. Concorde was always a prestige service for the elite. When i was a kid I used to read Eagle and stuff like that and there was all this talk about whole fleets of SSTs flying huge numbers across the world, then came all the worry about sonic booms and noise pollution, all the options on Concordes were dropped one by one by airlines like Pan American, and Concorde looked as if it was going to die. Huge amounts of public money were poured into it and for a long time Concorde was a govt.subsidised prestige money pit. Eventually it became profitable (although it could never repay the huge amounts poured into its development and operations) and of course was always an engineering and political triumph. But I doubt we'll see another SST at least in my lifetime. Some twonks are saying that the end of Concorde marks Britain's decline into a third world country...overdoing things that a bit imho.

Although everyone loves Concorde and it's truly sad to see a real end of an era, I can't see the political will to make a replacement coming about at any time in the forseeable future, and i don't honestly think the British public would be that keen to see a similar massive investment when our hospitals, schools, roads and railways are grinding to a halt. Concorde was born from the "white heat of technology" era of the 60s and things have changed since then, why pay taxpayers money for something that directly bebenfits a few rich international travellers when most people want Easyjet flights to holiday destinations for under a hundred quid? Don't get me wrong, I'd have loved to have flown on Concorde just to say I'd done Mach 2, but £2000 quid and more for a 3hr flight to NYC when i could get one for £199 that takes 7hrs?

incidentally my EX-wife designed the Royal Doulton china that has been used on Concorde (can't remember the pattern name, been divorced 15yrs)


..you think you're done with the past, but the past isn't done with you..

there has already been reports of a new sspj being designed ..... the locations vary
but the main one for some reason is skunk works where they designed the stealth lol maybe this isnt true but wont leave it long untill they make another...

the concorde did us brits well (we built it lol ) its definetly a good plan from the late 60s i think ..
oh well ill never get to ny in 2 hours now
just have to take the trade lanes i suppose


If breasts come in pairs and vaginas in singles, why is bra singular and panties plural?

I'm shure some historical society will resurect the concorde, at least in part, eventualy. But supersonic air travel is coming. Even if it involves balistic low earth orbits

@Blade......
"the concorde did us brits well (we built it lol ) its definetly a good plan from the late 60s i think ..oh well ill never get to ny in 2 hours now just have to take the trade lanes i suppose"

Yeah. Hence Concord(e).

@Taw
Taxpayers money.
That was the Boeings and Lockheed companies' pet peeve about the Concorde in the first place. All that tax money going into it. Anyway, once it got so that there would only be two airports accepting SST landings, JFK and Dulles here in the US, it made no sense for either company to continue plans to build one.

When you consider that the old twin radial engine prop Douglas DC-3 is still in service, flying over the Andes and Himalayas: They actually are refurbished and then recommissioned for flight, you kind of harbor a little hope but I don't think the economies are on our side with the Concorde.



Edited by - Indy11 on 25-10-2003 01:24:55

@indy11
long live the dakota

If breasts come in pairs and vaginas in singles, why is bra singular and panties plural?

@Blade:

Thanks. Click Here

@Taw:

No disrespect but..... Royal Doulton? Sorry man but every time I see or hear about that China I get a flash image of a prissy faced Patricia Routledge smarming her way up the social ladder in "Keeping Up Appearances."

Hmm sad indeed, maybe the next time supersonic flight becomes available it will be within the reach of the great unwashed (ie us).

I've been on a concorde, granted it was on the ground and confined to the main hanger at the Duxford air museum but that's not the point. It's amazing how cramped they are inside, certainly not glamorous by any standards. I was expecting big plush recliners with lots of leg room, but it's more like supersonic coach.

it has to be like that so it can be supersonic

"What? Another girl! Tell me my boy. *whispers* what have you been doing?" - Tobias

@Indy, lol... Hyacinth Bouquet! thats v. funny! (no offence taken I don't lke the stuff myself!)

@Must, y it surprised me too just how cramped they are inside. good job ur only on them for a short time! in fact i think Concorde possibly has less room for passengers than the first 707s or even the Comet!

Ummmmm. That's Boo-kay spelt B-U-C-K-E-T!

I love that show!

@Mustang

With seats that tiny and quarters that cramped, no wonder they didn't let the great unwashed onboard!

You weren't paying for the flight, you were paying for everyone else's hygiene.

just seen on the news that all the spares etc. are going to be auctioned off (Ebay? perhaps?) starting at £20 for valves and gaskets.