Liz Matzelle captured this two minute video of a Cessna 152 registration N4937P trying to land on the super long runway at Paine field, home of Boeing. The antics of the pilot are hilarious.

Thanks to Liz.

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First posted - March 23, 01:00 GMT

A FedEx MD-11 freighter registration number N526FE performing flight 80, from Guangzhou, China crashed at Tokyo Narita International Airport in heavy winds, and burst in to flames. The two crew on board were killed. The main runway at the international gateway airport to Tokyo has been shut down.

Image courtesy Wikipedia

Most airlines have been forced to divert incoming flights to Tokyo Haneda, Osaka, Nagoya and other airports, as the longest runway of two at Narita has been closed.

The FedEx plane landed hard, tipped onto its left wing and burst into a bright orange fireball of flames, the video of the crash from Tokyo Broadcasting System shows. I have upload the video since the TBS website does not allow resizing of the small video window. The copyright remains that of TBS.

The three engined MD-11F an improvement of the old DC10 made by McDonnell Douglas, now a part of Boeing, is the mainstay of FedEx's freighter fleet who has 58 aircraft in its fleet.


This crash is reminiscent of the July 31, 1997 crash of another FedEx MD-11F at Newark. The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) faulted the pilots for the crash of FedEx Flight 14, from Anchorage, Alaska to Newark.

Airport officials are unclear how long the main runway would be closed at Narita. International Japanese carriers Japan Airlines (JAL) and All Nippon Airways (ANA) have cancelled 29 and 10 flights respectively.

Having flown frequently to Narita I can attest to the tough time pilots have in the frequently occurring crosswinds. Both runways are aligned in a roughly North South direction (156/336 degree headings on the compass), and the airport often has strong crosswinds in an easterly and westerly direction. Paucity of land prevents the authorities from building a crossing runway at the airport.

METARS (21:48 UTC):
2009/03/22 21:00 RJAA 222100Z 30013G28KT 260V330 9999 FEW020 13/M01 Q0998 NOSIG RMK 1CU020 A2948
2009/03/22 21:00 RJAA 222100Z 30013G28KT 260V330 9999 FEW020 13/M01 Q0998 NOSIG
2009/03/22 21:08 RJAA 222108Z 31025G35KT 9999 FEW020 12/M01 Q0998 RMK 1CU020 A2949
2009/03/22 21:30 RJAA 222130Z 32026G40KT 9999 FEW020 12/M02 Q0999 WS R34L NOSIG
2009/03/22 21:30 RJAA 222130Z 32026G40KT 9999 FEW020 12/M02 Q0999 WS R34L NOSIG RMK 1CU020 A2952 P/RR
2009/03/22 21:30 RJAA 222130Z 32026G40KT 9999 FEW020 12/M02 Q0999 WS R34L NOSIG

Japan's meteorological agency had issued an advisory of gales for the area around the airport.

Update 1 - 04:30 GMT

FedEx has put out a statement

A FedEx Express MD-11 was involved in an incident today en route from Guangzhou to Narita, with two crew members on board. The incident occurred upon landing. We are sad to report that there were no survivors.

Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of these crew members. This loss pains all of us at FedEx. Right now our focus is on doing everything we can to assist those involved at this difficult time.

We are thankful for the quick response of emergency teams on the ground and will continue to work closely with the applicable authorities as we seek to determine the cause for this tragic incident.

Update 2 - 06:00 GMT

Widespread flight disruptions are being reported at Narita airport. Read the full article.

At the start of Aero India in early February, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., announced it would make delivery of the first five of the Advanced Light Helicopters sold to the Ecuadorian Air Force using the behemoth Antonov An-124-100.


On the night of March 18th the giant transporter came to the HAL airport to load up. I managed to catch her departure yesterday and hope you enjoy the picture. She is BIG!!! Even with a small Nikon 50mm f/1.8 lens she filled more than 60 per cent of the photo frame.


While at the airport I managed to also capture one of the four Indian Air Force owned Embraer ERJ135 derived Legacy 600 Executive Business Jet (IAF tail number K3601, actual registration VU-AVS) coming in to land. A fifth aircraft of this type is owned by the Border Security Force. These aircraft are used to transport VIP passengers. I wonder who came to Bangalore on it?

Also got buzzed by an Ilyushin IL 76 MD of the Indian Air Force. Called Gajraj (King of Elephants) by the Indian Air Force, (IAF tail number K2879, actual registration VU-FGH). The IL 76 MD is a strategic heavy lift transporter very aptly named; she is big and noisy.

Even with its large size, the IL 76 MD Gajraj was dwarfed by the Antonov An-124-100.

Sorry about the heat haze, even at 10:15 AM, it is peak summer at Bangalore.

To get a small appreciation of the An-124's abilities see this video about the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) trains which were transported from Bombardier's Germany facility to New Delhi by the giant transporter.

A huge hat tip to Airliners-India user Aseem for the video link.

Please note, these images are covered by a CC license who terms are at the bottom of this page.

The BBC has a really neat series called Britain from above.

Using GPS, data streams, and other modes of tracking, and then super-imposing some really neat visualisations on to maps of the United Kingdom, they have created these superb videos of the 4 modes of traffic. Air, sea, road, and the information superhighway.

I especially enjoy the way the cross-channel ferries dart and dodge through the main traffic flowing up and down the English Channel.



I hope you enjoy the videos. Please do let a comment expressing your thoughts.

Air Traffic over Britain


Ship traffic in the English Channel


Taxi traffic in London


Data traffic to/from the United Kingdom

She was always known by just her name. Never an article ahead of it. She was Concorde. Never THE Concorde or A Concorde or LE Concorde; and 40 years ago, she made her first flight from Toulouse in France, where the giant Airbus A380 is made today.

F-WSST took to the skies at 15:40 on March 2, 1969, coincidentally, just three weeks after the 747-100. The second prototype, built at Filton in Bristol, in the UK, took flight in April. 34 years later, the very final flight of Concorde was of G-BOAF as flight 216 on November 26, 2003, when she returned back home to Filton where she was built.


I have always been a great fan of Concorde. When she retired in 2003, BBC TV commentator Jeremy Clarkson called the occasion "A giant leap backwards for all mankind", building on the famous quote by Neil Armstrong when he stepped on the surface of the moon, also in 1969, probably the most influential year in aerospace history.

For 27 years Concorde truly represented the radio call sign of all British Airways flights -- Speedbird. She was "Speedbird Concorde ONE heavy" from London to New York, and "Speedbird Concorde TWO heavy" on her return.

In celebration of Concorde's 40th anniversary, I present a series of videos to celebrate this magnificent bird of the skies. If the Boeing 747 was the queen of the skies, surely Concorde was the graceful swan with her elongated neck, wide wings, and elegant posture.

May I also recommend my previous article which celebrated the fifth anniversary of Concorde's retirement from service, an event we have so sadly forgotten.

These powerful images made on the mobile phone seconds after the Turkish Airlines flight crashed at Amsterdram Schiphol airport. Video from Heart of the Netherlands.

Virgin group Chairman Richard Branson went around the world in 8 days showcasing his airline's world coverage with the launch of V Australia's flights to the United States. Virgin is the only airline group that offers a traveller the ability to circumnavigate the world on one airline brand.

He documented the events with a video blog and we can see the flair, pomp and showmanship he is renowned for, and there is no taking away from the peak Virgin has achieved today, considering its humble start with a second-hand Boeing 747 25 years ago.

Last week Air France took delivery of the first Boeing 777F freighter.

Every new aircraft is given a water cannon salute, and for aviation romantics like me, it is always a poignant occasion, and one we do not see too often.

Courtesy Liz Matzelle enjoy these two videos of the new "Le Freighter" being given its first shower, and then taking off for its new home at Paris Charles De Gaulle airport.

Special thanks to Liz Matzelle and Jon Ostrower. Liz is a wonderful observer of birds and has some excellent videos. Jon, I cannot say enough compliments about him. His title says it all - FlightBlogger!!!

Do take the time to visit their respective sites. It will be time well spent.

Boeing delivered the company's first 777 Freighter (777F) to launch customer Air France Cargo in a ceremony at the Future of Flight Aviation Center Tour near Paine Field yesterday.

The contractual delivery and airplane departure are scheduled for Friday, and Air France will land F-GUOC, at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport tomorrow, 21 February, to join the airline’s fleet.

This video from Liz Matzelle shows the Boeing 777F being wheeled in to position for the ceremony. Thanks Liz. This aircraft does not wear the new livery Air France introduced a week ago.

Providing cargo capacity normally associated with larger airplanes, the 777 Freighter can fly 4,880 nautical miles (9,038 kilometers) with a full payload of 226,700 pounds (103 metric tons). Air France Cargo has ordered five of these aircraft to progressively replace the 747-400 Boeing Converted Freighter (BCF) in its fleet. Air France currently operates five 747-400ER Freighters (ERFs) and four 747-400BCFs.

With a full payload of 103 tonnes, able to carry a total of 37 pallets, equipped with a deck that can accommodate 3-metre pallets and a wide side door, the Boeing 777 freighter is able to carry the same type of freight as the Boeing 747 over equivalent distances.

Video clip from CNN showcasing Steven Chealander of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) discussing the last moments of the crash of Continental flight 3407.

The NTSB indicates the plane rolled violently before the crash in Buffalo, New York, USA.

Over 20 years ago I watched a fascinating video on the Discovery Channel program Wings. I recorded the show on to VHS tape, but the tape lost its quality over the years. This program was re-christened as the "Great Planes" series.

Thanks to Jon at Flightblogger, I re-discovered my favourite video. On this the 40th anniversary of its first flight, I cannot offer a better tribute to the Boeing 747, the "Queen of the skies". The audio may be poor, but the sheer audacity, grit and achievements, of the folks at Boeing come out in this video. I hope you enjoy it, as much as I do.

Post your tribute via a comment.

Air New Zealand has adopted a different approach to marketing. It has created a parody of a low cost airline Saverjet.com. Enjoy the video.

A video of the US Airways A320 crash on the Hudson river, New York, from the Coast Guard camera. The plane hits the water around 2 minutes in to the video.

I reproduce the report from Aviation Herald, which I find to be on the best in terms of facts.

A US Airways Airbus A320-200, registration N106US performing flight US-1549 from New York La Guardia, NY to Charlotte, NC with 150 passengers and 5 crew, performed a controlled emergency landing into the Hudson River after losing engine power shortly after takeoff from runway 04 of New York's La Guardia Airport. The airplane had reached a maximum altitude of about 3000 feet. All people on board got out of the airplane. 78 people received injuries and were treated by paramedics, most of them minor injuries. One man suffered broken legs, a number of people had to be treated for hypothermia. Several ships and ferries helped to collect the people which got out to the wings and slides, which served a life rafts.

A New Jersey Coast Guard video shows the last few seconds of slow down and the evacuation of the airplane, covering the time between 3:29pm and 3:39pm local (20:29Z-20:39Z). The camera catches the airplane 2:02 minutes into the recording at the time time stamp of 3:31:02pm (watch the most left middle section of video).

The FAA reported, that the airplane hit a flock of birds (geese) causing both engines to lose power shortly after takeoff. The airplane took off runway 04 and was airborne for about 3 minutes.

Passengers reported, they had barely time to prepare for the ditching from time of impact with birds to impact with water. The airplane was airborne, when one loud bang was heard, the airplane shook, both engines flamed out and emitted smoke.

In radio transmissions to Air Traffic Control the pilot reported bird strikes to both engines and wanted initially to divert to Teterboro,NJ before turning onto the Hudson River.

The NTSB confirmed the registration of the airplane to be N106US and dispatched a go-team consisting of 20 investigators on site. The French BEA joins the investigation with 4 investigators, EASA with one specialist and Airbus Industries with 6 engineers. On Jan 16th the NTSB reported, that one of the airplane's engines is missing but they can't tell yet, which one is missing. (Editor's note: an images of the airplane just before touchdown - see below - shows both engines attached). The airplane has been secured south of Manhattan, attempts are underway to get the airplane fully recovered out of the water. The FAA later added, it is the left engine missing. Again later the NTSB clarified their previous report, that both engines are missing from the airframe and both apparently detached after hitting the water.

In a press conference on Jan 15th the Mayor of New York cautioned, that they only believe everybody got out of the airplane. The number of 155 souls on board is not yet entirely ensured as well. So far they don't have reports of any serious injuries. Only a few were actually delivered to the hospitals. The captain walked the airplane twice after landing to ensure, nobody was left on board.

The radar track by New York's La Guardia Airport has the airplane appear on the radar screen at 20:25:52Z, reaching the highest point at 3400 feet MSL overhead the Bronx Park at 20:27:30Z, entering the left hand turn on 20:27:51Z. A Helicopter (registration N461SA) is at that time tracking north over the Hudson River at 1000 feet MSL. The A320 leaves the turn at 20:28:27Z, reaches the George Washington Bridge at 20:28:53Z at 1300 feet, while the helicopter at that point descends to 800 feet and starts to turn right onto Manhattan, the Airbus also swerves right for a moment. At 20:29:10Z the aircraft are clear of each other. The last radar return of the aircraft is received at 500 feet MSL at 15:29:50Z.

There are large bird sanctuaries underneath the departure path of runway 04 respective approach path runway 22 like Rikers Island, Clason Point Park, Hunts Point Riverside Park or Barretto Point Park.

A marvelous article about the ditching including an extensive statement by Eric Moody, captain of the British Airways Boeing 747-200 flight BA-009 losing all 4 engines while flying into volcanic ashes overhead Indonesia in 1982, has appeared in the regional Scottish newspaper "The Scotsman".

On Sep 15th 1988 an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737-200 registration ET-AJA collided with a flock of pigeons at about 200 feet AGL while taking off from Ethiopia's airport Bahar Dar. Both engines failed some time later resulting in a belly crash landing. 35 of the 104 occupants lost their lives.

Another very similiar accident happened to Scandinavian Airlines flight 751, a MD-81 registration OY-KHO on December 27th 1991, when during takeoff from Stockholm both engines failed as result of ice coming off the main wings and hitting the engines. All 129 people on board survived, 2 of them with serious injuries and 23 with minor injuries.

At least temporary total power losses (incomplete list):
Dec 28th 1978: United DC68 registration N8082U near Portland,OR (USA), fuel starvation
Jun 24th 1982: British Airways B742 registration G-BDXH over West Java (Indonesia), volcanic ashes
Jul 23rd 1983: Air Canada B762 registration C-GAUN ("Gimli Glider") near Gimli (Canada), fuel starvation
Mar 31st 1986: United B762 registration N609UA near San Francisco,CA (USA), dual flame out
Jun 30th 1987: Delta B762 registration N103DA near Los Angeles,CA (USA), fuel inadvertently turned off
Sep 15th 1988: Ethiopian B732 registration ET-AJA at Bahar Dar (Ethiopia), multiple bird strikes
Sep 03rd 1989: Varig B732 registration PP-VMK over Brazil, wrong heading
Dec 15th 1989: KLM B744 registration PH-BFC near Anchorage,AK (USA), volcanic ashes
Jan 25th 1990: Avianca B703 at New York,NY (USA), fuel starvation
Dec 27th 1991: Scandinavian MD81 registration OY-KHO at Stockholm (Sweden), ice ingestion
Nov 15th 1993: Indian Airlines A30B registration VT-EDV near Tirupati (India), fuel starvation during diversion
Nov 23rd 1996: Ethiopian B762 registration ET-AIZ at Comoros (Union des Comores), hijack
Jan 13th 2000: Avisto SH36 registration HB-AAM at Marsa Brega (Lybia), ice ingestion
May 21st 2000: East Coast J31 registration N16EJ at Wilkes Barre,PA (USA), fuel starvation
Jul 12th 2000: Hapag Lloyd A313 registration D-AHLB near Vienna (Austria), cruise with extended landing gear
Aug 24th 2001: Transat A332 registration C-GITS ("Atlantic Glider") near Azores (Portugal), fuel leak
Aug 16th 2005: Tuninter AT72 registration TS-LBB near Sicily (Italy), wrong fuel gauge
Jan 17th 2008: British Airways B772 registration G-YMMM at Heathrow,EN (UK), yet unexplained engine roll down

It is also suspected, that a Ryanair Boeing 737-800 registration EI-DYG lost all power following multiple bird strikes on approach into Rome Ciampino (Italy) on Nov 10th 2008.

Congratulations to the pilot for a great landing on water.

Airbus yesterday, commenced construction of the A350 XWB (eXtra Wide Body) Final Assembly Line (FAL), completing the second key milestone towards delivering the aircraft in 2013 to launch customer Qatar Airways.

Last month Airbus froze the design for the jetliner's first family member - the A350-900, allowed Airbus teams to begin component-level work, and preparing for the production of tooling and parts.

Didier Evrard, Airbus' Head of the A350 XWB programme said the A350 XWB is on track for its commercial service entry in 2013.

Final assembly of the A350 is slated to begin in 2011. The 74,000 square metre, €140 million ($184 million) FAL facility will be adjacent to the existing A320 and A330/A340 production lines, and will deliver significant efficiencies to the Airbus' production process when it is delivered in the third quarter of 2010.

The FAL will have a capacity of more than 10 A350s per month. Designed to provide a highly eco-efficient workspace, the building will produce about 55 per cent of its own energy using 22,000 square metres of roof-mounted solar panels, while also applying the maximum use of natural lighting.

Airbus is radically optimising its production process in the new FAL. The new assembly process will reduce the time from the start of final assembly to delivery to around 2.5 months, a 30 per cent reduction compared to the existing A330/A340 process. Airbus will commence the cabin furnishing earlier in the process in parallel with final assembly.

At present production is sequenced so that structural assembly is followed by power-on and then the aircraft moves to another station for interior installation and completion. On the A350, power-on will occur ahead of wing join-up, allowing cabin integration to begin in parallel with the remainder of the assembly process.

Once assembly and initial cabin installation is complete, aircraft will move to the existing A330/A340 furnishing building for the remainder of the cabin equipping process and aircraft testing.

This video animation should give you a better idea.

See the Airbus A350 XWB mini-site for full coverage of the A350 XWB final assembly line's ground-breaking ceremony.

Apart from Singapore Airlines, the best airline I have flown in my 4 million miles, is Virgin Atlantic.

Today, Virgin launched its 25th anniversary celebrations, with a video reflective of its irreverent yet high energy culture.

Virgin's inaugural flight was from London Gatwick to Newark (EWR) on June 22 1984, at a time when the United Kingdom was in the middle of a miner's strike. The ad features brands and icons from the period; Our Price record stores, Wimpy fast food, Rubik's cube, Asteroids video game, braces, frumpy air-mummies, braces, big hairdos and monster brick mobile phones.

"Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood was riding high in the charts, is the theme music for the ad, and should be your mood for the next 90 seconds.

Do you think Virgin is "Still red hot" as the ad claims ? As usual your comments are requested and welcomed.

Happy 2009.

As we wake up to a new year, I bring you an interesting video I came across on YouTube, which shows the global air traffic over 24 hours. But speeded up to complete in one minute.

Air traffic follows the sun, at its peak during daylight, just like most human activity does.

In the initial stages of the video as it is day time in Asia and evening approaches in the Americas, there is massive activity in the USA, and hordes of flights being launched towards Europe over the Atlantic.

At the same time as morning approaches Europe, the flights start descending on to Europe from both east and west, which then return back mid-day in Europe.

There are interesting patterns along the South East Asia to North East Asia routes, and also South America to the Iberian peninsula.

But the flights to, from, and within the United States, whether trans-Atlantic or trans-Pacific is simply staggering.

I also invite your attention to the number of flights over India at night.

London's Heathrow airport has put up special illumination at it's Terminal 5 (T5). I hope you enjoy the video below.

For more information visit terminal5.ba.com

British Airways announced today, it is making significant changes to its in-flight entertainment brand High Life with an upgraded system offering customers a greater choice and more control over their entertainment on board.

The system, known as audio and video on demand, or AVOD, is a huge step forward for the airline boasting the ability to run over 200 entertainment choices, with 100 films and TV programmes, 50 CDs and 20 games as well as radio channels and audio books.

Using on-screen menus, at the touch of a button, customers will be able to select their entertainment as and when they choose. They can pause or stop the programming whenever they like and even fast-forward and rewind, preventing them from missing crucial parts of the programme when food is served or when they want to stretch their legs.

There will be a greater selection of the latest blockbuster movies, a movie library with classics and all time movie greats, foreign language films, and a dedicated 'Skyflyers Kids' section with films, TV programmes, music and stories especially for younger customers under the age of 12.

For those passengers more interested in an auditory experience, the system enables them to compile a customised list of CD tracks from the wide selection on-board or choose from audio books ranging in topic from fiction to educational titles.

There will also be 20 interactive games such as bowling, roulette, and 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire'. These are available for customers in First, Club World and World Traveller Plus.

A 'Your Journey' section has been developed to enable travellers to browse through screens detailing the on-board service, in-flight retail outlet 'Highlife Shop!', tax-free shopping promotions and arrivals videos.

The system is currently being rolled out across the airline's long-haul fleet.

Rampaging anti-government protesters forced the closure of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand's main international airport, Tuesday.

Photo:Wason Wanichakorn / Associated Press
Thousands of supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) in a bid to pressure the current government to resign, breached police lines and stormed the airport, as a second day of demonstrations in Bangkok descended into violence with 11 injured in clashes

Airport director Saereerat Prasutanont claimed to have no option but to close down the airport, as the protesters broke the door on the fourth floor of the terminal and stormed into the departure lounge.

Tourism a major industry in Thailand has been badly disrupted. Along with thousands of tourists stranded, flights of most airlines were either diverted to alternate airports, or canceled.

Reuters reports, Bangkok's shiny new airport resembled the aftermath of an all-night rock concert as thousands of confused people wandered aimlessly in search of food and help while others, wrapped in beach towels, slept where they could.

With the $4 billion terminal besieged by anti-government protesters, forcing the cancellation of all flights on Wednesday, foreign tourists had little option but to bed down on benches, behind check-in desks, even on luggage carousels.

PTI reports, four flights of Indian carriers to Bangkok were diverted today. Two Air India flights to Bangkok, one from Delhi (IC-853) and another from Mumbai (IC-693), were diverted and landed at Utapao airport, about 90 nautical miles off Bangkok. An Air India spokesperson said the passengers were then transferred by road to Bangkok.

Photo:Sakchai Lalit / Associated Press
Jet Airways flights from Mumbai and Delhi to Bangkok, 9W-064 and 9W-062, were, diverted back to Kolkata, from where they returned to their originating points of Delhi and Mumbai, an airline spokesperson said.

Outbound flights at the Bangkok airport were also affected since last night as hundreds of demonstrators -- some masked and armed with metal rods -- broke through police lines and spilled into the passenger terminal, reports said.

Using trucks and cars, anti-government demonstrators cut off highway access to the airport, the transportation hub for millions of tourists who visit the country each year, the reports added.

Jonathan Head of the BBC reports that the protesters, while well behaved, appear well planned and well organised. They have taken over the airport's control tower as well.

Videos show the level of mayhem on the streets and the airport, which was inaugurated less than two years ago.

Between October 24th and November 26th, the five year anniversary of an event will pass; an event which Jeremy Clarkson described as "a giant leap backwards for all mankind".

For the first time in our history, we went backwards in aviation, retiring a plane, which had no replacement then, has no replacement even today, and has no replacement appearing on the horizon in the next 10 years.

Concorde.

Concorde was a supersonic passenger airliner or supersonic transport (SST); a product of the combined manufacturing efforts of Aérospatiale of France, and British Aircraft Corporation, with only 20 aircraft ultimately built.

At the time of her introduction, Concorde was heavily criticised. Environmentalists, the U.S. Senate and faceless bureaucrats -- highly intelligent people, so often found working in government, calling her a Golden Albatross.

The tens of thousands of people who flew her, over her 27 year history, have proved them completely wrong, giving Concorde a place in aviation history unmatched by any other aircraft.

Concorde G-BOAF.

When we see any other aircraft, we may say "there is A Boeing 747" or "A Triple-7" (Boeing 777), or even "AN Airbus 380 superjumbo", but not Concorde. For she was and still is, just that ... Concorde.

Flown by British Overseas Airways Corporation BOAC (later British Airways), Air France, and for some time by Singapore Airlines (painted half in BA livery and half in SQ livery), and Braniff International Airways, Concorde remains an icon of aviation history, known as "Concorde" rather than "the Concorde" or "a Concorde".

Whether standing at an airport, taking off, flying supersonic, or landing, Concorde was poetry, even giving a sense of supersonic motion when standing still; a majestic, supremely elegant bird. The drooped nose, delta wings, and undercarriage, uncannily resembling an eagle, whether soaring up towards, or in, the skies, or looking to grip the runway, while landing.

On the evening of 23 October 2003, the Queen consented to the illumination of Windsor Castle as Concorde's last west-bound commercial flight departed London and flew overhead, an honour normally reserved for major state events and visiting dignitaries.

British Airways retired its aircraft the next day, 24 October, 2003. G-BOAG left New York to a fanfare similar to that given for Air France's "F-BTSD", while two more made round trips, G-BOAF over the Bay of Biscay, carrying VIP guests including many former Concorde pilots, and G-BOAE to Edinburgh. The three aircraft then circled over London, having received special permission to fly at low altitude, before landing in sequence at Heathrow. The two round-trip aircraft landed at 4:01 and 4:03 p.m. BST, followed at 4:05 by the one from New York. All three aircraft then spent 45 minutes taxiing around the airport before finally disembarking the last supersonic fare-paying passengers. The captain of the New York to London flight was Mike Bannister.

For 27 years Concorde truly represented the radio call sign of all British Airways flights -- Speedbird. She was "Speedbird ONE heavy" from London to New York, and "Speedbird TWO heavy" on her return.

October 24th, was a poignant moment for me, along with the rest of world, who stopped and watched, this graceful bird take off from Runway 31L. Even today, my heart races, and then I sigh, with tears in my eyes, when I remember that I will never see Concorde in flight again, except in videos.

In tribute, the tower at JFK airport, had the same air traffic controller who issued the first landing clearance to her back in 1977, issue the final take-off clearance to Concorde.

The very final flight of Concorde was Concorde G-BOAF as flight 216 on November 26, 2003, when she returned home to Filton airport in Bristol, UK, where she was built.

As an American, I was very happy and proud that Concorde G-BOAD, which is Concorde with the most flight hours at 23,397, was to be displayed at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York City.

© 2004 Metropolitan Transportation Authority

But I was ashamed to read on NYCAviation Forum, that my fellow Americans, in New York, could not look after her well. The image below, from the forum, is shockingly disturbing.


Write to the managers of the Intrepid Museum, and sign the petition to bring back Concorde.

For now, please enjoy some video's of Concorde's last day of commercial flight. If you would like to know more about Concorde, please visit www.ConcordeSST.com.

And to the bean-counters who cite economics, I give them a reason to have Concorde back .....

It is unmatched inspiration for the soul.

Images courtesy Wikipedia