Is there a God and could she be out to get me?
Category NoneSo ever since I saw "Return to Planet of the Apes" I have been a disbeliever, at least until some signs come along to convince me otherwise... Well just lately there have been a number of signs, all out to get me!
As most of you know, I have a bit of a soft spot for Concorde (ok a huge soft spot) so a couple of months ago I found out British Airways was running a competition to win tickets on Concorde. The competition wasn't open to US residents, so having family in the UK I entered my Dad and thought nothing more of it.
Today my Mum calls me to let me know they got some e-mail from British Airways telling my Dad he won two tickets to the Grandstand fairwell at Heathrow airport on Firday. Obviously I can't attend! Now this by itself would be bad enough, but lets take into account the other Concorde going ons that have happened recently. Neil Agate, a reader of this blog, offered to take me to the fairwell in Washington DC, sadly I couldn't make it because I was in San Jose. My Concorde fund raising appeal was a big flop, Blue Peter could have raised more with milk bottle tops and used stamps (an English reference that Americans wouldn't understand), and to top it all off, my brother in-law has still flown Concorde and I have not.
Is there a God? Maybe not, but I'm beginning to believe there is a Devil!
This picture is of Concorde departing at night. The white/blue streaks coming out of the back of the wing are the four Rolls Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 with afterburners engaged. Concorde is the only commercial jet airliner with afterburners, so if you've seen afterburners before and you haven't seen Concorde it was probably at an airshow. Each of Concorde's engines generates 18.7 tons (180 kN) of thrust and together the engines suck up a healthy 6,771 gallons of fuel per hour, about the same as your Average american car
I can't remember if this statistic is correct, but it sounds good either way, there are only three planes that can catch up with Concorde, and once they've caught up theyhave to slow down to refuel.
| Permalink | 
Comments
I rushed to Heathrow and got onto the A3044 and expected the flights to be departing on 27L the southern runway, so I drove up and saw a couple of people on the side of the road next to the Threshold for 09R (the reciprocal of 27L). I thought that's ok I will go down to the roundabout and come back round to park up. So I went on a little bit and realised that they were in fact departing from 27R the Northern runway taking off to the west. Then I saw a lot of cars parked up on the side of the dual carriageway. I quickly found a spot got the car off the road and walked to the end of the runway right under the approach lights. There were already hundreds of people gathered there and it was on 6:00pm (Concorde leaves the Terminal at 6:30) In the next 30/40 mins I saw some of the most interesting parking in the World. There were cars on the central reservation, in the middle of the nearby roundabout everywhere. The number of car horns sounding was like Times Square on a bad day.
During this time many aircraft came and went Airbus, Boeings everything, no one could care less, there was even a missed approach on 27R but who cares it wasn't Concorde. As the time approached people were clambering around on anything they could find to get a slightly better vantage point. Some guy behind me was perched on top of a Skip (dumpster for the Yanks) with his radio, binoculars, camera etc.. (you name it he had it) There were people of all ages and all nationalities. The man next to me had a scanner and it sqwarked into life and the call that everyone had been waiting for came over the radio "Heathrow Tower Speedbird 1 is ready for departure" everyone went silent and we waited for the approaching lady. Moments after the radio and crowds went silent, you hear this sound building from the direction of the runway increasing louder and louder, then you see the lights as she pops her head up for the first time pointing skyward and then the incredible sight of four Olympus engines, in full reheat appear and she is airbourne accelerating faster than any other airliner, She is already doing over 200 knots at this point.
The sound at this point is more than anything you have ever heard before and you not only hear it you feel it. It seems to resonate through your body. She quickly passes over head everyone with a camera and video camera are capturing the moment flashes are going off and the whole sky is illuminated by both the flashes and the afterburners. She gracefully and powerfully starts to slip off into the distance at increasing speed. The noise is starting to die down but my fillings are still resonating. As she clears past the M25 the afterburners are switched off (until they are needed again to accelerate through the sound barrier) and she disappears into the night sky. It's all over, everyone starts to head back to their cars, as we do a Jumbo takes of very low over the top of us, again no one cares and everyone departs.
I estimate that there was well over 2000 people at that end of the airfield on Tuesday I have heard that there was a similar number by Hatton Cross to watch the UK tour aircraft land just before 001 departed. If that was on Tuesday, tomorrow the final commercial flights land at Heathrow, I dread to think how many people will be there. But I at least know I will be one of them.
Tonight is almost certainly your last ever opportunity to see a night take off, of Concorde. If you can get there GO! It will be something you never forget.
If you want to know more about Concorde this site is a must www.concordesst.com
Posted by Richard Tyler At 05:19:34 AM On 10/23/2003 | - Website - |
Posted by Tony C At 07:47:20 AM On 10/23/2003 | - Website - |
Posted by Carl At 08:07:15 AM On 10/23/2003 | - Website - |
Posted by Gaynor King At 12:15:17 PM On 10/23/2003 | - Website - |
Posted by Dad At 04:06:10 AM On 10/24/2003 | - Website - |