Air aviation news – Concorde will forever hold a special place in the hearts of those who were lucky enough to step on board as well as those who merely dreamed of being a passenger.
Today marks 20 years since the plane made its final flight with another sonic boom, drawing to a close 34 years of memories.
So, will we ever see another Concorde or should we leave it as a piece of history?
With a take-off speed of 250mph and a cruising speed of 1,350mph – more than twice the speed of sound – a typical London to New York crossing would take a little less than three and a half hours.
Concorde could pick up passengers at breakfast time in the capital and transport them to the US before it was time for breakfast – the same day.
The supersonic jet, which was the result of a partnership between Britain and France, cut transatlantic journey times by more than half, but sonic booms – the noise we hear on the ground when a plane travels faster than sound – limited it to transoceanic flights only.
Often described as the most glamorous airliner the world has seen, it was rare to have a flight without at least one famous passenger, from royalty to rock stars to supermodels.
The late Queen Elizabeth II often used Concorde for state visits including her Silver Jubilee tour of Canada and the West Indies in 1977.
Flying on Concorde was considered the ultimate luxury and it captured the imagination of aviation enthusiasts around the globe.
Many still mourn the loss of the distinctive aircraft which made its first flight in 1976 and would love to see another Concorde fly in the future.
There was much excitement when news reports revealed ‘Concorde’ was to take to the skies again to mark the 20th anniversary of the aircraft’s final flight.
However, our hopes were quickly dashed when it turned out to be a radio-controlled 11ft model of the iconic plane that would be taking off in Somerset.