The Concorde fleet was grounded a long time ago but, if you want to pilot one, now you can thanks to the full simulator just restored at the Brooklands Museum in Surrey, UK. For free:
It’s like those sci-fi rich guys who collect everything including somebody’s frozen head, only it’s real: Dubai collectors—possibly the same ones turning the QE2 ocean liner into a hotel—are trying to buy BA’s last Concorde.
Damn, we missed the Concorde’s 40th Anniversary yesterday. I love this amazing view of its cockpit. Looks like the cockpit in a military plane or spaceship rather than one in a passenger airliner. [Fast Company]
This weekend marked the fifth anniversary of the last commercial flight of the Concorde. Capable of flying at a cruise speed of Mach 2.02 thanks to its four Olympus 593 Mk 610 afterburning turbojets, the Concorde bridged London to New York in just 3.5 hours. Still today, this supersonic jet remains one of the most technologically advanced, probably the prettiest–in that futuristic 70s aesthetic that would make Jon Ive faint–and, as you can see in the video, perhaps the most amazing commercial air ride ever created. The fastest-ever Concorde returned to the Intrepid museum in NYC a few days ago, where it “flew” for the last time thanks to a 500-ton crane:
This Lego Concorde may not be as big as the Lego Airbus A380, the biggest Lego aeroplane in the world, but it’s still huge. It’s not only pretty, but this huge plane can maintain its structural integrity while being swooshed around by Ed Diment. It also allowed me to easily make bad headline puns, which is always a plus. As you can see, its nose and landing gear are fully articulated, like the real one. [Brothers Brick]
As the auction of Concorde gear in Toulouse enters its last day, let’s see what’s been snapped up, shall we? Well, you could have had a supersonic toilet seat (which goes even faster than this one) for just $3,674. But the two most interesting pieces, a machometer, and a set of the supersonic plane’s landing gear, which weighs well over a ton, went for a bit more.
The iconic embodiment of the commercial airline supersonic era is being sold off piece by piece in France. Scheduled to take place from September 28th to October 1st at the Halle aux Grains in Toulouse, folks with a big love for aviation and even bigger bank accounts will no doubt gather to try a snag a piece of history.
Don’t think you can make it to France? There’s a slick website up that’s worth a look even if you don’t plan on buying anything, although online bids are accepted. In English and French, the website details the auction as well as a free public exhibition being held at the Hotel des Ventes Saint-Aubin. The site also contains a history of the Concorde, photos, and a video gallery. – Kevin Hall
