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On 24th October 2003, British Airways retired their Concorde fleet, after 27 years of commercial supersonic transport, which we may not see again for several decades. The Concordes have been donated to museums around the globe, and on 26th November, the final Concorde flight will take place when the last Concorde is flown to Filton - its birthplace and final resting place.
Concorde was result of years of development by the British Aircraft Corporation and Sud/Aerospatiale of France. Not only was Filton jointly responsible for the design and final assembly, but the Rolls-Royce/SNECMA Olympus engines were also developed and built at the RR plant at Patchway.
The people of Bristol have always had strong affection for Concorde, and the final flight to Filton will be an historic and emotional occasion. The arrival is four days after the 87th aniversary of the death of Sir George White bt., who started aircraft production at Filton in 1910.
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Latest times for 26th November 2003 25/11/2003 - A NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) has been published, indicating the revised times for Concordes flight over Bristol and arrival at Filton. Times and route may vary due to weather or circumstances on the day. (Note: These are the offical NOTAM times - other sources, including British Airways, quote time of Filton overflight at 12:50, and touch down time of 13:05)
Update : The flight number is BA9020C, so callsign will be "Speedbird 9020 Charlie". |
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Frequently Asked Questions - last updated 25th November
Please note this website has no formal association with BAE Systems, Airbus UK, or any other organisation at Filton Airfield.
Q.
Will Concorde be coming home to Filton?
A. Concorde 216, registration G-BOAF, will be preserved at Filton for future
generations. G-BOAF was not only the last Concorde built at Filton, but the
last of nearly 16,000 aircraft to come of the production lines at Filton and
its shadow factories, since the 1910 Bristol Boxkite.
Q.
When will Concorde land at Filton?
A. She will land at Filton on 26th November, at around 12:40pm. This will
be the last ever flight of a Concorde.
Q.
Will she be carrying passengers when she arrives?
A. The flight will be carrying passengers, but they will have been selected
by British Airways, and will not be available to the public.
Q.
Where will be the best place to see her?
A. Prior to landing at Filton, she will fly low over Bristol. This will allow
greater scope for viewing the flight, and will hopefully reduce the expected
pressure on the roads around Filton. She is expected to depart Heathrow around
11:10am, and head out for a trip over the Bay of Biscay. She will fly over
Filton at around 12:27, hopefully in formation with the Filton-based Rolls
Royce Spitfire. The route will take her from Weston-super-Mare, over Bristol
International Airport, Clifton Suspension Bridge and Bristol Downs, then either
north or east depending on wind direction. She will then land at approximately
12.42pm
Q.
Will there be any viewing facilities on the airfield for the public?
A. 3000 tickets have been made available for viewing the arrival from within
the airfield. These were allocated by a draw by the Bristol Evening Post.
There are several good viewing points outside the airfield, but it will depend
on the wind direction on the day as to which direction she will arrive from.
Q.
Where can I see the arrival from outside the airfield?
A. The authorities are advising spectators to view the flight from points
around North Bristol, especially the Downs area, to relieve congestion at
Filton. However, many people will still turn up around the airfield perimeter
on the day.
If there is a prevailing wind (i.e. from the West), then she will land on Runway 27, with an approach from the east over the M4 and A38 dual carriageway. This area is likely to become very busy with spectators, and it is possible the police may close the A38 to traffic around the arrival time. If the landing is on runway 09 (from the west) then this spot is still good, as you will see her as she reaches the end of the runway.
Another Runway 27 viewing point is on the practice area of Filton Golf Club, although there are restrictive views unless you are to the East of Brabazon hangar.
If there is an easterly wind, Concorde will arrive on Runway 09, from the west. There are a number of viewing places here, in the Cribbs Causeway area. The Mall will have good views, from the car park or the cafe at the top of Lewis's. There is a field across the road from The Mall car parks, which can be accessed through a gap marked by a giant flower. The field is next to the fence and very close to the Runway. This is also good spot for a runway 27 arrival, as you will see Concorde reach the end of the runway, and turn round to taxi back.
There is a field at the end of runway 09, which is on the official Charlton Walkway. It can be accessed from Catbrain Lane, a dead-end road which leads from Harry Ramsdens in Cribbs Causeway. The lane is very narrow though, and being residential there is no parking along its length. For this spot it is best to walk from either the Warner Village car park, or from Harry Ramsdens car park. Note that if the arrival is on 27, you will not see anything from here.
For more details on the Charlton Walk, which goes from The Mall round the airfield perimeter to Filton village, visit the local libraries for a leaflet.
Q.
Will she be open to the public when she lands?
A. In the days after her arrival, the Concorde will probably spend some time
in one of the hangars being prepared for display. This will include deactivating
some of the equipment, and preparing the cabin for public viewing. The expected
opening will be around Easter 2004. The Bristol Aero Collection will be tasked
with opening her to the public. For her progress in the coming months, go
to the Bristol Aero Collections website at http://www.bristolaero.com.
Q.
Will she be kept flying?
A. British Airways declared during the summer that they were looking into
the feasibility of keep one Concorde airworthy for air shows and flypasts.
This came to nothing, as the cost of keep one aircraft in airworthy condition
proved to be extremely expensive. The Filton Concorde is expected to be the
last flight ever of a Concorde.
Q.
Where are the other Concordes going?
A. The destinations for the five airworthy BA Concordes are : New York (Intrepid
Air and Space Museum), Manchester (Viewing Park), Seattle (Museum of Flight),
Barbados, and Filton. There are also three unairworthy ones, two at Heathrow
and a development aircraft in store at Filton. One will be delivered by land
and sea to East Fortune (Museum of Flight), the other will remain at Heathrow.
The fate of the one in store at Filton has not yet been announced.
Q.
Where can I find out more on the arrival at Filton?
A. The the latest news watch the local press for details, both BBC
and HTV will have up
to date news on Concorde. BBC Bristol have a section devoted to Concorde,
click
here.
Q.
Where can I find out more about Concorde?
A. The ConcordeSST
website has lots of information on Concorde, and is regularly updated. Another
excellent Concorde website is Speedbirds,
which has a local view of the aircraft. In the next few months the Bristol
Aero Collection website will have details of when and how she will be
opened to the public.