Vintage Champagne on the Edge of Space by Sally Armstrong

Author:Sally Armstrong
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780750966566
Publisher: The History Press
Published: 2015-08-30T16:00:00+00:00

The captain wanted to stay as close to the Red Arrows as aviation law would permit. He also wanted to show Concorde off to the crowds below. Not to be left out of the Red Arrows consummate display he in turn performed a few aerobatics as part of the display. Unfortunately for the passengers this meant fighting off queasy stomachs and the laws of gravity.

Julia recalls that the view from the flight deck was amazing as they followed in the wake of such a highly experienced flying team, and she comments that this was a typical example of how working on Concorde made it so unlike any other aircraft. ‘On which aircraft,’ she commented, ‘would your day’s work include flying in formation with the Red Arrows in front of thousands of avid and enthralled fans?’

In 1986 Concorde was specially chartered to a group of Americans from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport. A hundred Americans had paid for the privilege of getting as close to one of Halley’s Comet’s rare appearances as humanly possible. It was, at the time, passing close to the earth and had not been seen since 1901. After several glasses of champagne the Americans were really getting excited at seeing this very rare spectacle in the sky.

Finally the captain announced that we would be passing the comet on the left-hand side but that he would be turning the aircraft so that the passengers on the right could have an equally good view. However, overexcited at glimpsing the comet there was a mad rush of passengers from the right-hand side to get a look at it. We had to announce that it was best if everyone remained in their seats. Champagne-fuelled as they were, there was a distinct reluctance to comply with this. The scientists had reported that this was a very bad year for seeing the comet and that it could only be seen with a telescope. Whether we saw it for sure is still open for debate, but our enthusiastic guests had a great time anyway.

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