Concorde 001 made her maiden flight from Toulouse on 2nd March 1969, with the first British Concorde taking to the skies a month later. Concorde 002 made her maiden flight from Filton, to the north of Bristol, on 9th April 1969.
It was the beginning of a remarkable era of supersonic passenger travel. Capable of crossing the Atlantic in under three hours (the record journey from New York to London was an astonishing 2 hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds), Concorde cruised at over twice the speed of sound and reached an altitude of 60,000ft.
Her passengers would marvel at the curvature of the Earth, as they travelled at 1320mph and sipped Champagne on the edge of space.
The last Concorde flight touched down for the final time in November 2003. Tens of thousands of people gathered in Bristol and a global TV audience watched on, as Concorde Alpha Foxtrot landed back home at Filton, her British birthplace.
Today, Alpha Foxtrot – the last Concorde ever to fly – is the centrepiece of a new museum, Aerospace Bristol, which opened to rave reviews in October 2017.
The museum tells the amazing story of Bristol’s world-class aerospace industry and takes visitors on a fascinating journey through history. Beginning in the earliest days of powered flight, it is a journey through two World Wars, the drama and technological advances of the space race, the Cold War, and on to the modern day, where visitors discover the latest technologies of today’s aerospace industry.
Whether self-guided or accompanied by one of the museum’s expert tour guides, visiting groups will enjoy an exhibition that includes aeroplanes, helicopters, missiles, engines and space technology, and tells an inspirational story of ingenious design, engineering innovation and remarkable social history.
Of course, Concorde is the star attraction. Stunningly displayed in a purpose-built hangar and with a breath-taking show projected on to the side of the supersonic jet, visitors are able to see Concorde up close and even step aboard.
Depending on your location, the museum offers Community Speakers who can visit Rotary clubs and give an introductory talk about what the museum has to offer.
And to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Concorde flight, Aerospace Bristol is offering a special Concorde50 group visit package for 2019, including discounted group rates, a Concorde tour and exclusive dining.
For more information about group visits or to book, go to aerospacebristol.org/groups, email groups@aerospacebristol.org, or call 01179 315 315.
For individual and family days out, please see aerospacebristol.org/visit. Individual tickets are available to purchase in advance online or upon arrival at the front desk.
