Flying Concorde: A Pilot’s Perspective From the Edge of Space

Supersonic airliner was a truly remarkable engineering achievement and a testament to human ingenuity.

Saturday, August 30, 2025 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

The sim at Brooklands is the only bona fide Concorde simulator in operation. It was used until 2003. [Credit: Jeff Berlin]

Key Takeaways:

The article recounts the author's luxury Concorde passenger experience in 2000 and a subsequent immersive session flying the only operational Concorde simulator at Brooklands Museum in 2023, guided by former chief pilot Captain Mike Bannister.
It highlights Concorde's exceptional engineering as a "100-seat fighter jet," detailing its unique analog flight deck, critical fuel management for center of gravity, specialized reheat procedures for takeoff and supersonic acceleration, and the precise flight mechanics required for Mach 2 supercruise.

See a mistake? Contact us.

I’m seated in “Le Club,” Air France’s Concorde Lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (LFPG). It’s May 2000, and across from me, outside a panoramic window, Concorde waits in silhouette—poised, sleek, unreal.

Check-in was a breeze. The lounge, all blond wood, buttery leather, Badoit and bubbly, exudes curated calm. From my corner, I watch her—a stunning, slender swan with a droop nose, ready to jet us to John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK) in New York.