Traveling back in time to the supersonic age.
Boarding the Concorde at Manchester’s Runway Visitor Park. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
Concorde is one of the most iconic aircraft in commercial aviation history. It was the only supersonic jet in regular commercial service. Of the 20 aircraft built, only 14 went into service, split evenly between British Airways and Air France. The Concorde was so unique and significant that 12 out of the 14 production airplanes were preserved in museums around the globe.
I visited G-BOAC in Runway Visitor Park (RVR) at Manchester Airport. G-BOAC has always been considered the flagship of the British Airways fleet since it bears the registration that’s also the abbreviation of British Overseas Airways Corporation, the predecessor of British Airways. It was built in 1975 and joined the flag carrier’s fleet as the second Concorde in 1976. It hosted many celebrities and Royals, including Princess Diana and HRH Queen Elizabeth II when it was in service.
Runway Visitor Park also has many Concorde artifacts on display. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
It arrived at its final home in Manchester on Oct. 31, 2003, two months after the last commercial Concorde flight and the end of the supersonic age. It has been the centerpiece of the Runway Visitor Park ever since.
The RVR hosts four types of Concorde tours:
I took part in the platinum tour, which is usually offered from Fridays to Mondays. I was able to book it the week of the tour, but it will sell out from time to time. In addition to the tours, you will also receive a glass of complimentary champagne and a certificate for getting onboard the Concorde with the platinum package.
The tour started in the theater, where we watched a short film showing the history of the Concorde. The tour guide then took the group to the aircraft and we boarded the supersonic jet. Visitors must climb 26 steps to enter the iconic jet’s cabin. We listened to stories about the Concorde from its inception to inflight service and its eventual retirement while waiting for each group’s turn to visit the cockpit.
Seat on British Airways Concorde also has its logo as part of the armrest. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
While Alpha Charlie is not the only Concorde you could board, all the other ones have either boxed off the seat so no one can sit in them or have some protective covers. Sitting in one of the authentic seats is as good as it could get now that there’s no chance to fly this iconic aircraft.
The museum tries its best to protect the seats by asking visitors not to use any movable parts. Thanks to the cabin refreshment shortly before the airplane’s retirement and the volunteer’s effort to maintain it, the seats remained plush and comfortable even though they were over 20 years old.
Similar to the Airbus A380, there is a significantly noticeable distance between the inner and outer window panes. Unlike the A380, whose windows are normal-sized but have a thicker wall, Concorde windows are actually smaller than those of other commercial jets since they are designed to react better during decompression events.
The lavatory onboard the Concorde is not as luxurious as the rest of the plane. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
Not only will you be able to sit in an actual passenger seat on the Concorde, but you can also sit in the driver’s seat. Our tour group was divided into groups of three to four people to visit the cockpit while others remained in the cabin and listened to all the fantastic Concorde stories. In the cockpit, you’ll receive a detailed explanation of all the instruments and anecdotes, such as the stuck hat in the expansion gap.
Runway Visitor Park also allows visitor to sit in the captain’s seat on the Concorde. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
After the onboard portion of the tour, the group was escorted downstairs, where we were offered champagne or orange juice. There, visitors received more detailed explanations about the innovative designs that made Concorde a reality, from cargo hold doors to the four Rolls Royce Olympus engines.
The Platinum Tour includes a detailed technical narration outside of the cabin too. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
The rarest treat, though, has to be witnessing the plane’s nose droop, which is exclusive to the platinum tour. Volunteers at the museum revived the systems and kept them working so the public could see the amazing engineering at work.
While Concorde is the park’s centerpiece, you can visit many other impressive displays.
In addition to the Concorde tours, the park also offers tours onboard the Hawker Sidney Nimrod and Trident, both are prime examples of the British aerospace industry’s capability. In addition, there’s a forward section of the now-defunct Monarch Air Douglas DC-10 cabin, which also only opens to the public by tour.
While you wait for your tours, you can get inside the British Aerospace Avro RJX, the last jet aircraft to be fully manufactured in the U.K. It was the prototype of the newest generation until the program ended after the terrorist attacks in 2001.
Visitors can get onboard the British Aerospace Avro RJX while at the Runway Visitor Park. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Fangzhong Guo)
After visiting the aircraft, you can also enjoy the rest of your day at the park’s observation deck. It provides some of the best views around Manchester Airport for planespotting. Lastly, if you’d like to spend more time with the Concorde, you can also rent out the place for galas and events.
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