Just read this on another forum:
“As you know, Friday 24 October is the last day for commercial flights of Concorde. We fully appreciate the interest that this event creates for aviation enthusiasts.
That day also falls in the school holiday period, and as such it is already expected to be one of the busiest days of the year at Heathrow.
I know you’ll appreciate that our primary duty must be to ensure that those passengers travelling in and out of Heathrow on that day can do so without their trips being threatened.
We are strongly advising members of the public not to come to the airport on that day, but we are making some limited viewing facilities available for enthusiasts on the north side of the airport, where Concorde’s movements will be concentrated.
Our advice to enthusiasts is:
– There will be no special parking arrangements available at the airport, and existing car parks will be reserved for passengers only. Therefore for those who do wish to come to the airport, they are strongly advised to come by public transport (Piccadilly Line, Heathrow Express and local bus routes).
– Some limited grandstand facility is planned for Friday 24th
October in front of the Visitor Centre between the A4 and the Northern Perimeter Road.
– There will be no vantage points for spectators within the central terminal area ? the spectators’ viewing area remains closed on DfT advice, and car park roofs will not be open to spectators. Anyone using the central terminal area as a vantage point will be moved on by the Police.
– The Police will be actively managing the roads around the
perimeter of the airport and so you are strongly advised to avoid illegal parking.
We want you to be able to watch Concorde’s last flight in a safe and enjoyable way, so please help us to minimise traffic and disruption by working with us along these lines, and share this information with other enthusiasts.
We have had to implement traffic and other limitations to ensure public safety: your support in this will be invaluable.
Thanks very much in advance – we hope you enjoy watching the last flight.”
http://www.airshows.co.uk/board/ikonboard.pl?;act=ST;f=19;t=1330
By: A330Crazy - 14th October 2003 at 04:44
Happened in France, at CDG. Around 20,000 people lined the runway.
By: dartie - 14th October 2003 at 00:38
You know what they should have done, they should have opened up the largest grass areas around the runway, that would be awesome, but airport security at LHR and in the world, that will never happen!
By: Firebird - 13th October 2003 at 20:02
[QUOTE]Originally posted by kev35
Concorde flights are a long way down your average families list of aspirations. It is a tool for the fabulously wealthy, never intended for the use of the ‘common’ man. It’s an outdated symbol of the class war that still exists today in Britain.
____________________________________________________
Are you ‘aving a ‘larf…….class war still existing:D
Most of Concorde’s clientelle were business users and the ‘pop and film star’ celebs…….hardly the upper class gentry of the so called class war………..
By: robbelc - 13th October 2003 at 19:53
I think thay should have had a Concorde day at its birthplace,Filton. Plenty of room and easy to get to for many. You could have G-BBDG outside and as many flying as possable. BAA don’t have a clue about PR. They have obviously had no liason with BA. Anybody could see that this would be a massive event.
By: kev35 - 13th October 2003 at 18:58
“Why do people want to see it? Because it’s unlike any other airliner in the world; it’s not just a boring tube that gets Joe Bloggs and his family from A to B.”
It goes from A to b, occasionally to C and on odd occasions a trip to D. Joe Bloggs and his family are never going to travel on it because they’ll never be able to afford it. And it could never take them the places they want to go.
“It’s something people aspire to, its a dream for many, its something out of the ordinary.”
Concorde flights are a long way down your average families list of aspirations. It is a tool for the fabulously wealthy, never intended for the use of the ‘common’ man. It’s an outdated symbol of the class war that still exists today in Britain.
“Can you ever imagine a retirement like this for 737s? No, why? Because everybody goes on them, they’re common as muck, they look like everything else and they’re not particularly beautiful or awe inspiring. Everything that Concorde is. “
A retirement like this for the 737 would be far more valid. An aircraft that made cheaper air travel a reality. One that made holidays abroad the norm rather than the exception. One that made trans-continental travel affordable. An aircraft that continued to build on the security of the American aviation industry. What did Concorde do? Sound the death knell for the TSR2, an aircraft that would still be ahead of its time today. It ensured the death of the British aircraft manufacturing industry by catering to such a small clientele that it was never going to be the success story that we attribute to the 737, 747, 757, 767, 777 series. How can such a small production run be considered a success?
“Beautiful or awe-inspiring”? OK, I’ll grant that the aircraft is a technological marvel, but not any use as a form of transport such as the 737, to which you seem to be comparing it. The X-15 was amazing technologically but served no other purpose. As to beauty, I believe it to be one of the least attractive commercial aircraft of the last fifty years.
I think you and I will never agree on this one.
Regards,
kev35
By: LN Strike Eagle - 13th October 2003 at 17:44
Why do people want to see it? Because it’s unlike any other airliner in the world; it’s not just a boring tube that gets Joe Bloggs and his family from A to B. It’s something people aspire to, its a dream for many, its something out of the ordinary.
Can you ever imagine a retirement like this for 737s? No, why? Because everybody goes on them, they’re common as muck, they look like everything else and they’re not particularly beautiful or awe inspiring. Everything that Concorde is.
By: kev35 - 13th October 2003 at 17:19
Originally posted by dartie
I think its stupid of BAA to close the viewing areas, and ask people not to go to the airport, for GOD sake it is the last day that the Concorde will be flying commercially, and they wont support as one of three main airports this beauty flies from!!!
The viewing facilities, the Queen’s Building, has been closed for some time. The car parks haven’t been available either. The only place provided is the visitor centre. Very modernistic with few seats, expensive refreshments, dirty windows and a good distance from the action.
You have to look at this seriously. They are expecting an influx of a quarter of a million people. No way can the airport cope with that many visitors all wanting a good view of Concorde landing. It’s just not going to happen is it? The question I have is wht that many people want to see it anyway? Why not come before? It just seems crazy that people are that upset over an aircraft type that was only available to a select few. To me it just beggars belief.
Regards,
kev35
By: LBARULES - 13th October 2003 at 15:54
Interflug, May I ask what the Spotting facilities are like at EMA? Id like to go there one day.
By: dartie - 13th October 2003 at 00:57
I think its stupid of BAA to close the viewing areas, and ask people not to go to the airport, for GOD sake it is the last day that the Concorde will be flying commercially, and they wont support as one of three main airports this beauty flies from!!!
By: MSR777 - 11th October 2003 at 10:48
Typical BAA I’m afraid…..Having worked along side them for many years this mentality about the Concorde situation does’nt surprise me. I think that a fundemental error was made during the privatisation process in that the major London airports should have been sold off as seperate units and really made to compete with each other, In my opinion this would have been better news for the airlines and passengers driven to pay the BAAs extortionate fees and for the enthusiasts who along with the airlines fare much better at non BAA airports. MAN and EMA deserve medals. No matter what they claim, the BAA is NOT spotter friendly it hasn’t been for many years, its now far more concerned with cramming more retail outlets into its terminals. We used to joke at STN that the BAA was considering putting yet more shops onto the disused taxy ways and running shuttle buses to get to them…..But a decent viewing area….you’ve more chance of plaitting fog!
By: Ren Frew - 11th October 2003 at 10:27
Manchester have a very refreshing approach to enthusiasts on occasions such as this. The lengths they went to during the Champions League final last year was commendable. Open top buses in the viewing area for example.
By: MINIDOH - 10th October 2003 at 21:34
‘limited viewing facilities’?!! What will they have? A couple of chairs or something like that? Maybe concordes last flight should be at Liverpool or Manchester??? I know it mainly flew out of LHR but still, LHR is terrible for spectators. Im not entirely sure what Manchester and Liverpool are like but I imagine they are better than LHR!!!!
By: Ren Frew - 10th October 2003 at 20:46
Ah… so they’re having a last day of Concorde and they’re advising people not to come and see it. Why don’t they do it at another airport that can handle it ?
By: LN Strike Eagle - 10th October 2003 at 20:17
Yes, I e-mailed the Red Arrows and asked them directly; on the 24th they’re night stopping at Lyon.
They’re currently on tour in Asia.
By: tenthije - 10th October 2003 at 20:11
They are?
I heard rumours that they would be part of the flyby with Concorde.
Anyway, with or without the RA, a flypast over the palace (or other large venues) would move some of the people out of the airport area. If only those people not really into aviation as much as we are.
By: LN Strike Eagle - 10th October 2003 at 20:02
Originally posted by tenthije
Last year at the Queens Jubilee they flew 1 Concorde with the Red Arrows over buckingham Palace. Would it be possible to do that again and ANNOUNCE IT WIDELY!
No, it wouldn’t because the Red Arrows are on their way home from being half way round the world on the 24th.
By: Mark L - 10th October 2003 at 19:51
Hmm, I see that working! The police will be swamped and I bet there will be more than a few scenes of cahos with this attitude. Absolutely disgraceful 😡
By: mmitch - 10th October 2003 at 19:17
If the 3 Concordes arrive on the westerly approach (from London)
onto 27R they will fly down the A4 (Bath rd) from about Gillette corner. Standing on the footpath, a good telephoto lens might even get two in. If they arrive together. If they land in that direction. IF…..:)
mmitch.
By: tenthije - 10th October 2003 at 18:14
Last year at the Queens Jubilee they flew 1 Concorde with the Red Arrows over buckingham Palace. Would it be possible to do that again and ANNOUNCE IT WIDELY!
This would space out all the people. I would suspect that many people want to see it, but aren’t bothered enough to go all the way to LHR, especially considering the traffic mess we can expect.
(at the jubilee 1,000,000 people showed up)
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October 10, 2003 at 5:54 pm