Touched history today – my Concorde tour experience
Posted by pilotboy221@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 28 comments
Today I got to step inside the legendary Concorde for the first time — and wow, what an experience.
Seeing it up close was surreal. The droop nose, the sleek delta wings — even standing still, it looks fast. The cockpit was a tight, analog maze of dials, and the cabin felt more like a private jet than a commercial airliner. Small seats, tiny windows but pure supersonic history.
The guide shared some fascinating details too like how they shifted fuel mid-flight to balance the plane, and how the nose lowered for takeoff and landing.
Before leaving, I stopped by the gift shop and picked up a small Concorde model for my collection — couldn’t resist. It’s a die-cast replica, beautifully detailed, and now has a prime spot on my shelf.
Honestly, a dream come true 🤩
BourbonCoug@reddit
Such a beautiful bird -- with comparable headroom to a CRJ or ERJ.
oboshoe@reddit
I didn't realize that you could get inside that one.
Adding this to my agenda next time I'm in NYC.
Blue387@reddit
I live in NYC, this is the Intrepid sea-air-space museum in midtown. I went inside once when it first opened. I was not able to sit down.
HMSWarspite03@reddit
Standing up isn't much better either, I've been in one in the UK ( Brooklands museum) I'm 5 ft 10 and there wasn't much room for me to stand.
mofo-or-whatever@reddit
Yeah, same. Walking through it used to be part of the main admission price. I’m tempted to go back now I know you can take a seat and there is a guide
pilotboy221@reddit (OP)
Replying to xjeeper...i didn’t know until i saw it on tik tok and when booking my ticket it gave me an option to add the Concorde experience
Speedbird223@reddit
Flew this very aircraft to JFK about a year before it went out of service. Maybe 5yrs back I did the tour and when the guide asked if anyone had seen one fly etc. I remarked I’d flown this very one. That prompted a bunch of questions from him and pretty much everyone else on the tour!
Metsican@reddit
Assuming you're a pilot based on the username?
Speedbird223@reddit
Not as a career, no.
Sharkdudse13@reddit
Wow! I've seen like 5 or 6 Concorde's and my goal is too see every Concorde that's still alive :-)
mofo-or-whatever@reddit
The test bed at Duxford is the best one I’ve seen. Unique among all those that are on display
ncik0075@reddit
What were like the top three most surprising things you experienced finally being inside of it? Like three things that pictures can’t really portray.
reso914@reddit
I proposed to my wife in the cockpit of that Concorde ❤️
bp4850@reddit
Alpha Delta. The fastest commercial airliner ever to cross the Atlantic, 2 hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds JFK to LHR.
manavcafer@reddit
Tail strike wheel at the aft I guess.
GITS75@reddit
Let me guess... Not far from where the "Miracle on Hudson" happened 😉
pilotboy221@reddit (OP)
that’s right
Interesting-Fig9403@reddit
Such a cool thing! Hope you enjoyed the aircraft carrier museum as well (I was there last November).
pilotboy221@reddit (OP)
i really did 🙌
Blue387@reddit
How much was the replica?
pilotboy221@reddit (OP)
$17.42
shit_ass_mcfucknuts@reddit
That's awesome! I remember when they came out I always wanted to fly in one. Can anyone here tell me why the nose of the plane moves up and down? I've always wondered that.
midsprat123@reddit
Delta wing - great at producing lift when moving very fast
Not good when slow, so they had to fly with a very aggressive angle of attack, which meant that they could not see in front of the plane,
So they added in the ability for the nose to droop down for takeoff/landing and for taxi.
GITS75@reddit
I might simplify but nose down/visor down: landing/take-off position to improve visibility. Nose up/visor up to improve aerodynamics during supersonic speed.
xjeeper@reddit
The plastic on the seats like a grandmother's couch is hilarious. I can understand the use of them, though.
Kai-ni@reddit
I am... very jelly
kj_gamer2614@reddit
Hey nice, I also was in a Concorde today in Manchester!
pilotboy221@reddit (OP)
that’s great 🙌