Concorde: The thrilling account of history’s most extraordinary airliner

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But shortly after, the breakthrough came following studies by German-born aerodynamicists Johanna Weber and Dietrich Küchemann who found that the distinctive slim delta-shaped wings would provide sufficient lift. Through the high times, and the low times of this sensational and unique flying machine, this book is a welcome opportunity for me to pay a deserving tribute to the truly remarkable aircraft that shaped my life – the life of that seven-year-old boy.’ Bannister graduated from the Ashton School, Dunstable, and the College of Air Training Hamble, having been awarded a Royal Air Force Flying Scholarship in 1966. [4] Career edit

This is really three books in one. It’s Mike’s autobiography, starting from the seven year old child gazing up at aeroplanes and deciding he wanted to be a pilot. It’s the story of Concorde and its history in BA, including the politics and economics as well as technical details about the aeroplane and what it took to fly it. Mike also provides a novel glimpse at what it meant to be an airline pilot in the glory days of post-war air travel. His early counterparts are ex-bomber pilots who display exceptional handling skills, but would certainly struggle in the era of CVRs and FDM. I never got to fly in Concorde but have been in ones on the ground and watched it landing and taking off from Heathrow, with its distinctive drooped nose at such times to allow pilots to see the runway. When Concorde’s retirement was announced it was Mike who masterminded the celebrations, flying the last ever Concorde scheduled flight in October 2003. When, after that terrible crash, the cause had to be established, Mike was a member of the British team that was part of the investigation. And when the French-led investigation led to unsafe criminal convictions, Mike was the expert witness whose evidence help see them overturned, while at the same time as restoring the reputation of his beloved aeroplane. You see, Concorde’s chief pilot may have settled in Surrey, but there’ll always be a piece of his heart up high above the clouds, speeding through the stratosphere faster than a bullet.In charge of BA’s Concorde ‘farewell’ programme, Mike captained its final commercial flight from JFK to Heathrow (on 24 October 2003), in front of an audience of millions – shortly before he, too, retired as Concorde’s chief pilot and general manager of the airline’s short- and medium-haul operations. After a career on the move, he finally had a chance to sit still, which proved more tempting than perhaps expected: ‘My wife and I looked at relocating to Australia, Canada, South Africa… but we ended up simply moving from one side of Staines to the other. We love the river, the proximity of Heathrow and London – and we’d made great friends here over the years.’ If you’re an aviation enthusiast, I’d recommend you read this book. The author creates a compelling narrative. I was very young when the Concorde crash of 2001 happened and didn't understand much of the news reports but as a kid who loved the plane was very sad learning of this news. Reading this provided much insight into what happened and why Concorde was grounded soon after. He and Concorde are a key reason why I have pursued and achieved my dream of flying commercial large swept wing jets at the age of 26. His character shows through his book, one which to me embodies what I believe to be the perfect pilot; assured, fair and passionate about what he does but humble enough to admit his mistakes.

The plane’s image was dented in 2000 when an Air France Paris to New York service crashed, killing all 100 passengers and nine crew members, but it was another tragedy that really did for Concorde. Mr Holmes, who worked in the testing department at the works, recalls how some of the innovations which made the project possible were being pioneered as early as the 1940s. In 1959, a study contract was awarded to Hawker Siddeley and Bristol Aeroplane Company for preliminary designs. With nearly a quarter of a century’s experience flying the world’s only successful supersonic airliner, there’s no one better qualified to tell her story.One thing I do wish was perhaps having a little more insight from Bannister about the future of commercial supersonic flight and where he visions it, rather than the few lines about Boom Overture. Mike Bannister says: ‘From the age of seven, being a pilot was my Dream. When Concorde first flew that dream narrowed – I wanted to be a Concorde Pilot. The fates were with me, and my dream came true. Flying the most beautiful aircraft in the world, at twice the speed of sound, just with your fingertips as you cover 23 miles every minute, was the ultimate aviation experience for me. image(15711424, type="article-full", alt="Mike and Captain Edgard Chillaud together on the ramp at New York's JFK Airport on November 7, 2001. Edgard had flown an Air France Concorde in from Paris and Mike a BA one from London. 'It was a simultaneous arrival to celebrate Concorde's "Return To Service" after the 2000 Air France Concorde accident,' says Mike.") He released a book “Concorde” in 2022 in which he writes about his flying experiences especially his flying career on Concorde. Concorde was part of my childhood. I had a poster of the aircraft on my bedroom wall along with the insignia of all the airlines who planned to buy it. I remember seeing its first flight on TV, and thinking when it was announced that its first commercial flight would be delayed until 1976 like that seemed a lifetime away - time passes so much more slowly when you’re young! So the chance to read this book by a man who flew Concorde was irresistible.