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

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

Key Takeaways:

The author reflects on a luxurious past flight aboard Concorde, appreciating its iconic design and the exclusive passenger experience.
A recent visit to the Brooklands Museum allowed the author to pilot an authentic Concorde simulator, guided by its former chief pilot, Captain Mike Bannister.
This simulator experience highlighted Concorde's intricate analog cockpit, unique operational demands—such as fuel transfer for center of gravity control and reheat for supersonic acceleration—and confirmed its nature as a "100-seat fighter jet" blending visceral power with precise control.

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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.