[illiderob]

thought it might be timely since EADS have 1 AF concorde `wet` and `live` and

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8712806.stm

want to get her in the air again heres a video or 3 of take off ,supersonic flight (and the famous supercruise ability) and landing at JFK;

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3062077/8731663

^^ take off

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3067801/8745747

^^ acceleration through mach 1


http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3327771/9346506

^^ decsent and landing into JFK

now for 2 stories which i hope you might chuckle at;


I do recall that several years ago an RAF Tornado F3 requested permission to try a practice intercept on a JFK bound aircraft coming up to the accel' point... ATC relayed the request to the crew who had no objections, provided tha the rules of the air were obeyed, the ATC conversation went something like this.... 'OK, the Tornado is 15 miles astern of you.'. (at this point the burners are lit for the transonic acceleration).. ' he's 14 miles astern of you ,13 miles ...14.... 15..16....17...20... you can guess the rest, the F3 gave up in embarassment.
only 1 aircraft type managed to achieve a stern on intercept of concorde - the RAF lightning

http://www.lightning.org.uk/archive/0410.php

have a read , everyone had a go - but when concorde can actually got from M1.7 to M2 without afterburner (where it stopped , not because it couldnt go faster the frame was close to limit temp - the engines wernt)

in fact it has been known to get to M2.1 and over 60000 feet


and another


There's this SR-71 Blackbird stooging around Cuba on a top-secret mission, at FL500+ and Mach 2+.... when they get a call requesting them to change heading "because of traffic at your altitude".
Traffic at THEIR altitude ??
Anyway, they comply, and shortly, yes, there's an Air France Concorde out of Caracas (Air France flew there in the early days) slowly sailing across their flight path.

Just imagine... two guys in bonedomes and full pressure suits, in a cramped cockpit, watching something like a hundred people in shirt sleeves or summer dresses, sipping their champagne and maybe just starting on their smoked salmon hors d'oeuvres, flying at their altitude and nearly their speed....
^^ someone was in the wrong job