My Experience Flying on the Legendary Concorde Supersonic Jet

Flying the Legendary Concorde: A Ritual of Speed, Noise and Discomfort
The iconic Concorde jet bridged the gap between New York and London in astoundingly quick fashion, reducing a typical 7-hour flight to a mere 3 hours. However, the experience aboard this supersonic marvel came with certain tradeoffs compared to other first class offerings of the time. Let’s explore what it was like to fly on the legendary Concorde.

A business class experience at supersonic speeds

While the Concorde slashed transatlantic travel time in half, the onboard experience more closely resembled a typical business class red-eye flight than an luxurious international first class experience. With 2x2 seating configuration and limited legroom, passengers traded spacious lie-flat seats for supersonic speed. The food was definitely an cut above your average short-haul meal service but overall comfort was rather lacking. It was always about breaking the time barrier, not delivering ultra-high-end luxury.

Taking off was deafening, escaping the sonic boom underwater

Anyone who has flown on the Concorde can attest to the deafening roar upon takeoff as those powerful Olympus engines lit up. The pilot would then throttle back considerably for noise reduction purposes after gaining altitude. Only once safely over water past Mach 1 could the throttles open fully, unleashing phenomenal acceleration to top speed. Breaking the sound barrier invariably meant aircraft noise was a big compromise of the experience.

Subtle flexing of the airframe added mystery

During my brief time serving onboard, I was informed by a flight attendant that retractable curtains separated the cabin areas. This was done to obscure any perception by passengers of the airframe’s subtle flexing under aerodynamic loads at supersonic speeds. While structurally acceptable, the warping could disconcert travellers unused to such phenomena. Curtains therefore reinforced an impression of stability for nervous flyers.

747 first class spoiled passengers with unprecedented luxury

While the Concorde offered unrivaled speed, its onboard amenities paled compared to other first class products emerging in the same era. The 747’s inaugural first class cabin truly ushered in the golden age of luxury air travel with features still fantastical today like a upstairs lounge and lavish gourmet dining. Concorde seats provided little wiggle room and no lie-flat potential. For pampering passengers, the 747 truly set the benchmark that remains arguably unsurpassed.

A loud, cramped experience but unrivaled for critical business needs

In assessing my limited time working on the iconic Concorde, it’s evident the experience centered purely around fulfilling a critical business travel need - to speedily span the Atlantic. While incredibly noisy and tightly-configured, it succeed tremendously in this goal where no other aircraft could. For those requiring urgent intercontinental face-to-face meetings, the Concorde proved invaluable, limitations and all. It was a flying limousine, not luxury private jet.

Nostalgia remains as we remember aviation’s golden age

Though over 25 years since its retirement, the sleek Concorde shape still evokes powerfully nostalgia for aviation’s golden era and humanity’s ambitions to push boundaries. While far from the most luxurious way to travel, it represented technological achievement and the fulfilling of futuristic dreams of supersonic transit. Those brief hours witnessing its revolutionary operations first-hand will always remain memorable. The Concorde continues inspiring new generations with its legend.

Lessons for the new supersonic jet age on comfort priorities

As firms like Boom Supersonic bring back passenger supersonic flight, lessons from the Concorde experience should influence new design priorities. While speed will again be paramount, incorporating some key comfort elements like lie-flat seats and open suites could greatly enhance the passenger experience versus the Concorde. By balancing acceleration with amenities, modern supersonic carriers can build upon the legendary Concorde’s achievements to redefine comfort too within dramatically shortened travel times once more.