Living about 15 miles west of Heathrow Airport people around here are used to aircraft passing over our heads on a daily basis and think nothing of it. Concorde, however was a totally different proposition - people would stop in their tracks, lift up their heads and smile as it passed overhead.
I used to time my morning smoke break at work to coincide with the morning departure and the sight of that iconic dart shape crossing the sky always raised my spirits. After four years of it not operating I find myself missing the familiar sight of it in the sky.
What I do not miss is the noise that it used to make on take off and while climbing over us - on many weekend mornings I would be sitting engrossed in a book, drinking coffee and losing all track of time. Then the windows would start rattling and the noise levels would rapidly build up to a crescendo - it really was two or three times as loud as anything else.
I suppose that it acted as an external alarm clock for me, a reminder that there were chores to do and that the morning would soon be over - but it still fecked me off big time for disturbing my quiet reverie.
3 comments:
I lived in a direct line about 4 miles south of DFW's longest runway, so I became innured to the noise. I remember being dazzled by the sight of a Concorde taking off there about, oh, 20-some years ago. I think supersonic flight has yet to have its heyday, though - someone will find a way to make it more efficient. I think we're going to see dazzling changes in how people travel within the next 20 years. Hopefully the changes won't be in the direction of wagons and donkeys.
Heres hoping that they do, I have always regretted missing out on going to New Zealand when I was on my round the world trip.
The current flight time of 21+ hours from here has stopped me.
The sooner that someone can cut this down to 6 hours the happier I will be.
I'm waiting for the transporter before I make that New Zealand trip. I had one run I used to make to Belgium and back every month. That was just too long.
oh. . and by the way. . I hate the gardening shows as well, probably because I'd rather take a bullet than work in my yard all day. But I love those shows where they fix up some old house or remodel it.
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