Concorde - Ears still ringing

Given a bit of time I could probably write this up a bit better

No, Shawn, you have done it well, and done it right.

I shed a tear for Concorde, and our youthful dreams. Thanks for sharing
your experience.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

("G.R. Patterson III" wrote)
They're making noises about keeping one of them running for exhibitions
and
shows (I'll bet Oshkosh counts as one of those). It's a real long shot,
though.
Parts support was expensive enough with the small fleet they had; it'll
cost
the earth for just one.

Ever eat boiled people George?

Please don't say yes,

....it was a rhetorical question. g

--
Montblack

I reckoned there were enough cameras around the necks of people I knew that
I'll be able to get hundreds of stills and videos that others took of an
event I attended. I wanted the experience as fully as I could get it. I
ran into one guy in the elevator who was distraught because the batteries
(and spares) in his camera died. It ruined the experience for him because
getting pictures was more important to him than just being there. I didn't
want that to happen to me. I did get a couple of photos but only ones I
knew would be unique to me.

I first got this perspective on things when I was sailing a tall ship a few
years ago. We were cruising along under near full sail on a beautiful sunny
day in the Canary Islands and I and another guy were on the foredeck
clearing up the deck from handling sails. Suddenly a pod of dolphins
appeared off the starboard bow and rapidly turned toward us to ride our bow
wave. Because we were already on the foredeck, we were able to dash up to
the bowsprit and look staight down into the sea onto the backs of the
dolphins enjoying the ride. I lamented to my mate that I if I went for my
camera, they'd be gone before I got back. He told me not to sweat it but
just to enjoy the experience and relish the memory of that for the rest of
my life. "This kid's a genius", I thought. What a revelation. Be present
for the experience. And he was quite a few years younger than me, too! And
I did enjoy it fully. I have no pictures of the event, but I remember
seeing the muscles move on their backs, I remember the pattern of spots and
other markings on their backs, and I remember marvelling at the perfection
of their form and movement. No photo is ever going to enhance that
experience for me. The only problem is that I can't really share that with
anyone else, but that's the tradeoff, I suppose. With Concorde, there'll be
many more photos taken by people much better at it than I am.

Shawn
"mike regish" wrote in message
news:MDjmb.9298$275.17487@attbi_s53...
What? No video?

mike regish

"ShawnD2112" wrote in message
...
Just got home from work and my ears are still ringing from standing next
to
12 Olympus turbojets at idle thrust as the last three Concordes taxiied
into
the BA Engineering base and shut down to be towed to the retirement
ceremony. This after standing on the 8th floor of the car park watching
them come in to land one after the other. An amazing site and such a
feeling of being part of history. There are days like this when I love
my
job!

Shawn

I think you're right on that one, George. I don't think even a single
flying example is sustainable and, last I heard, all 5 airworthy ones are
destined for museum homes. The two non-flyers are due to be gate guards,
one at Heathrow, the other somewhere else which escapes me at the moment.
Sad but true.

Shawn
"G.R. Patterson III" wrote in message
...


ShawnD2112 wrote:

I'll never get to see Concorde sitting in the hangar or
out on the ramp again. I'll never hear her coming toward my apartment
and
rush to the back window to watch her execute her departure turn through
180
degrees as she turns away from Heathrow and off toward Bristol and her
supersonic acceleration out over the Atlantic.

They're making noises about keeping one of them running for exhibitions
and
shows (I'll bet Oshkosh counts as one of those). It's a real long shot,
though.
Parts support was expensive enough with the small fleet they had; it'll
cost
the earth for just one.

George Patterson
You can dress a hog in a tuxedo, but he still wants to roll in the
mud.

Thanks, Mike. It was an awesome day. The really hard thing for me was to
feel privileged to be a part of it over feeling sad that it had to happen.

Shawn
"Michael Nouak" wrote in message
...
What an awesome write-up - Thanks!

Mike

"ShawnD2112" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
...

snip

Cheers, Jay.
"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:%ulmb.20964$Fm2.11319@attbi_s04...
Given a bit of time I could probably write this up a bit better

No, Shawn, you have done it well, and done it right.

I shed a tear for Concorde, and our youthful dreams. Thanks for sharing
your experience.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Fri, 24 Oct 2003 23:55:25 +0100, ShawnD2112 wrote:

Interesting and ironic enthusiasm. In my opinion, it must have felt like
attending a wake... :-(

And the Brits say we Americans don't get irony. You're right, Jay, it was
an ironic mix of emotions the whole day.

Jay has German ancestors, so this might be an excuse :-)

#m
--
Are these pilots going to court and what
is their fine/penance/restitution/etc.?
They are sentenced to spend an entire day with Bush.
Wouldn't shooting be more merciful? [Brian Burger in r.a.p.]

Montblack wrote:

Ever eat boiled people George?

Please don't say yes,

Ok. I won't say yes.

George Patterson
You can dress a hog in a tuxedo, but he still wants to roll in the mud.

Check these out.

http://lorendjones.com/concorde/

mike regish

"ShawnD2112" wrote in message
...
Just got home from work and my ears are still ringing from standing next
to
12 Olympus turbojets at idle thrust as the last three Concordes taxiied
into
the BA Engineering base and shut down to be towed to the retirement
ceremony. This after standing on the 8th floor of the car park watching
them come in to land one after the other. An amazing site and such a
feeling of being part of history. There are days like this when I love my
job!

Shawn

Superb photos. These are from the Queen's Jubilee, aren't they?

Shawn
"mike regish" wrote in message
news:g9Gmb.24859$ao4.34498@attbi_s51...
Check these out.

http://lorendjones.com/concorde/

mike regish

"ShawnD2112" wrote in message
...
Just got home from work and my ears are still ringing from standing next
to
12 Olympus turbojets at idle thrust as the last three Concordes taxiied
into
the BA Engineering base and shut down to be towed to the retirement
ceremony. This after standing on the 8th floor of the car park watching
them come in to land one after the other. An amazing site and such a
feeling of being part of history. There are days like this when I love
my
job!

Shawn