Flight of a Lifetime
The morning of Tuesday 23 September I was awoken by my alarm clock at 5.30 am. Nothing unusual in that, except today, was hopefully going to be nothing like a usual day for me. Looking out of the window it was still dark, but the weather had changed overnight. Now it was looking very wet and watching the lampposts sway outside, also to be very windy. So what was I doing 3,5000 miles away from home, staring out along the approach strobe lightning located on my hotel roof. I suppose I was looking for some sign of reassurance that the weather was not going to cause problems, and that at least for New York's JFK Airport, this Tuesday was going to be business as usual.
Having reassuringly heard a few arrivals while getting ready, I checked out of the Ramada Plaza and took the hotel courtesy bus to the airport terminals. After a few stops, and some half-hearted attempts to read a couple of parked aircraft, we arrived at my stop Terminal 7. I have to admit this was not the first time that I had used this terminal, as all BA flights depart from here. Proceeding to the departures level I was greeted with the familiar check in desks. Only today it was different and I was following the signs to a different check in area and yes after a short walk reached the check in for today's BA 002 Concorde service to London.
I had spent most the summer regretting that having had the opportunity, I had not yet flown on Concorde. In fact I had recently reconciled myself to the idea that I had missed the boat as it were. Since the BA announcement it was going to retire 'The Rocket' as it is affectionately known by some staff, I had looked into the availability of a staff ticket to no avail. However an impromptu check of availability in Amadeus just over a week before, I had spotted some 'I' class (staff offer) availability for the next mornings New York to London. Unfortunately at 4pm on a Friday afternoon, and with the last BA flight leaving Heathrow for New York at 1945 that evening, there is no way I could reach home in Warwickshire and return with my bags and passport. Cursing my fortune that I had not spotted them earlier, I vowed to keep a regular check and leave a passport and bag at work.
However it was until the following Tuesday, that again I noticed availability for the next day. However this time it was mid-morning and I did have time to go home and back. A call to staff travel and I was surprisingly advised that they also had staff availability on next Tuesday return service. Taking this option saved the unnecessary rush trip home, so I gladly booked a seat.
With hindsight this was a good choice as the next day's flight I was originally going to book, diverted into Cardiff for fuel, following an in-flight engine problem.
Having more time to plan I had consider a real tourist trip to see the sights of New York. However hotel costs for solely myself to stop in the City were extravagant, so I had opted, not by choice for the usual cheaper spotting venues and itinerary. For this I had arrived at Newark late on Sunday afternoon to pick up a rental car, then drove to Teterboro. This is where I had spent most of the previous day, logging corporate jets, until retreating to the IKEA car park to watch the late afternoons proceeding at Newark. Returning my hire car on the evening I had found that the last shuttle bus had already left for JFK. The only available option taking the bus to the Port Authority 42nd St Terminal and changing to the JFK bus here. Rather sadly this was the closest I got to seeing the sights of NYC.
Back at JFK, check in was completed and I was issued with my boarding card and was given directions to the Concorde Room. This dedicated lounge had an air of seriousness about it, so despite my obvious excitement, I sat down to enjoy the breakfast buffet. Only stopping to discretely chat to a team colleague and her boyfriend, who I had also tipped off about the seats. Retiring to the more comfortable armchairs, I sat and waited, happy that the lounge did not offer excellent view of the apron, and that I would not disgrace myself and regret packing 'Monty' in my hold baggage for the flight.
Once the flight was called, it was a short walk down the corridor to the boarding gate. Still trying to take it all in my stride, considering I am not that tall, I still managed to bang the top of my head on the door surround. However it appeared to be well covered in foam mouldings for just this instance. So I am not sure anyone really noticed.
Having only ever previously seen the inside of Concorde's in museums, and filled with test equipment, it was a lot different inside G-BOAD. Split into two cabins (40 seats in the first, 60 seats in the second) with two-luxury leather seats each side of the single aisle. Described as 'cosy' by the cabin crew, space is tight. Shuffling along I soon found my seat '14D', despite the best efforts to confuse me on discovering no row 13. Once seated it was then that I also noticed how small the windows actually are.
Looking around at my fellow travellers, I awaited with great anticipation for the start of the flight. So at 0902 local (1302 UTC), we pushed back from the gate. The flight crew had advised us that quite a queue had built up to depart JFK, so we began our long taxi. I have to admit this did give the opportunity for some subtle use of mini-bins, managing to read a few Jet Blue A320s and an Aeromexico 757.
Then the moment I had been looking forward to as 'AD' lined up on JFK's runway 22R. As we began our take off roll it was surprising how loud it is inside the cabin, the noise and vibration only helping to reinforce how much power is needed to reach the take off speed of nearly 250 mph. Airborne at 0934 (1334 UTC), even with Concorde's initial shallow climb we were soon in cloud. At this stage power and afterburners are reduced for local JFK noise abatement procedures.
It was then a more traditional climb to 29,000 feet reaching Mach 0.95 and to our acceleration point. From here we were cleared to go supersonic and a further climb. Noting an initial push as the afterburners kicked in, we passed Mach 1.0 with the speed and altitude continued to increase. With everyone now focused on the indicators at the front of each cabin, the magical Mach 2.0 was reached marked by a frenzy of picture taking, just as the Pol Roger 1986 Champagne started to flow.
This was it, I was now gazing out of the window at 52,500 feet, travelling at 1300 mph twice the speed of sound, and sipping champagne. In passenger terms just how do you top that? Well I suppose a meal service that included medallions of beef fillet in truffle sauce and of course a couple more glasses of champagne is a good start.
As we cruised across the Atlantic and got lighter, the aircraft burning fuel rather than my food and drink intake, we continued the climb in stages finally reaching 57,500 feet and a speed of 1330mph. At this height and an outside air temperature of nearly minus 60 degrees, it was interesting to touch the windows, as they were surprisingly warm, reflecting the high temperature the aircraft skin is subjected to.
All to quickly we reached our de-acceleration point, and began to slow down to Mach 0.95. The view turned from sea to the English landscape. The descent continuing as we were advised that we would not be subject to any ATC delays. Routing towards London we turned to intercept the runway 27L localiser giving everyone on my side of the aircraft excellent views of the sights of London. Then as the more familiar sights of the BA maintenance base came into view, we began the flare and touched down at 1751 local (1651 UTC).
That was it, we had covered 3,186 nautical miles (3,667 statute miles) in 3 hours and 17 minutes. As we taxied to the gate, I just could not get that smile off my face.
It was definitely a flight of a lifetime!
Photos of my Concorde flight BA 002 (G-BOAD) approaching Heathrow's runway 27L on 23 September 2003 courtsey of Chris Murphy (Top Left) and Ian Munro (Above)