Air France has just released a special documentary, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first flight of the carrier’s Concorde. This is such an incredibly well done video, with amazing visuals and commentary.
Continue reading: Air France Celebrates 50th Anniversary Of Concorde With Special Documentary
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Great find and thanks for sharing! The French and British rightfully should take great pride in this aircraft. Ahead of its time. Never had the chance to experience it. Only saw it at air shows and at JFK. Wish it still operated today.
"I can’t understand what’s being said..."
You don't have to. Turn on English closed captions.
I had the opportunity to fly LHR -JFK. It was a magnificent craft and fantastic flights.
Unlike steam trains or Ford Mustangs, there's nothing that's superseded it. We're not looking at Concorde as an example of how dated technology is - it is still at the cutting edge. Losing it has been one giant leap backwards for the mankind. - Jeremy Clarkson
Air France also recently released an incredibly well-done video, "Inside the Dream," on the years-long process to design and introduce the new La Première experience, working across disciplines to bring together the best of France on the ground and in the sky. I've only seen it in French but it was listed on Amazon at debut to watch in the U.S. (but then not available due to rights issues at the time).
1990, the last AF flight I took was Rio-Paris on the subject aircraft. It turned out to be a most uncomfortable experience. Seats spaced only for the vertically challenged, lavatory which forced those who are not vertically challenged to sit for a pee. Don’t laugh now, mocking doesn’t become you!
Not forgetting, all that happened probably before you were even a twinkle in your father’s eye …. 🙂
One of the greatest things about air travel is its ability to take you to new places. New experiences, new connections. I wish I had had the opportunity to fly the Concorde.
I did have the opportunity to tour one at the aircraft museum in Manchester, UK. What an elegant aircraft! I do wonder how today’s travelers would feel about the configuration. I recall it being rather cozy in there.
Parker, “Cozy”, really is the operative word and then only for those not vertical challenged. From memory, if I recall correctly, I would say that anyone over about 5’10”/~177cm, would find it tight.
Those who remember it as comfortable, were usually ladies and those men of smaller stature. Alternatively, those who were too afraid to admit that they had exchanged speed and exclusivity for comfort.
One has to admire Jeremy’s turn of phrase, also noting, that those RR Turbojet engines sounded like Jeremy barking at a BBC Top Gear producer, whilst he was suffering from pharyngitis.
Once heard, never forgotten …. and that was just take off and landing.
@AeroB13a, I always dreamt of flying the Concorde but it was not meant to be; the closest I got was touring the one at the Intrepid Museum in NYC...and I did find it tight but fascinating. It even had its own movie "The Concorde... Airport '79"! Though where else could the chances of sitting across the likes of Phil Collins and Diana Ross be as high?
Ricky, thank you for your post. Yes, the aircraft was iconic, marvellous for its time and a joy for many, many people.
Had I taken a short flight between, say JFK-LHR, with the likes of Phil Collins or Diana Ross, for company, then I might have appreciated the experience more. I do remember that the flight cost was just under £2k in 1981.
If you are ever on a CRJ700, just dream that it's a Concorde interior, haha. The E175 seems more spacious or at least has larger overhead bins.
Agreed. It's such an idiotic idea. It's like people talking about it's the birthday today - of dead people.
Being vertically challenged I enjoyed my Concorde flights.
AF used to give a free hotel suite for 1 night in Paris in those days. The toilets were something else but the take-offs were great.
The Concorde discriminated against the poor and the tall.
derek, not having been on your CRJ700, I had to check it out on SeatMaps. You are pretty much spot on Gunga Din, that ‘compactness’ in the back is almost exactly as I remember the Concorde interior space. Much more Ryanair than SQ F, by today’s standards.
I had the joy of flying Concorde on both BA and AF in the early 90s. I was so surprised with how small the cabins were ! but it's not like we were on board for long. Both airlines out did themselves with food and service but I have a strong love for Air France. Oh I wish the younger people today (OH OLD MAN SPEAK !!) could experience how special Concorde was.
But it had to be done Norm, I was lucky like so many others. Guess who didn’t buy a new Mini for my wife that year …. she ended up having to wait for a new Honda Civic Shuttle (Jazz/Fit, etc, nowadays depending upon what country you live in).
Brad …. There is nothing wrong with “OLD MAN SPEAK” …. at least us old blighters can put more than two words together and make a coherent sentence …. 🙂
Was lucky enough to fly it twice, JFK-LHR in 1994 and then LHR-JFK in 1995 on my honeymoon. Incredibly cramped, very noisy (BA handed out special leather-covered heavy headphones) and Krug champagne. And then you looked out of the window and saw the dark beginnings of space… I consider myself very fortunate.
Well, I guess this post won't be online for long. Concorde was an amazing technological achievement. It was robust and capable. It's such a shame that "Air Chance" broke the rules and started a catastrophic chain of incompetence that caused a fatal crash.