Things I really wanted to do

One of the things I really wanted to do was fly Concorde, but before I could get the money together, it was forced out of the sky. Watching it, which I did whenever I got the opportunity, used to bring a lump to my throat. There are machines that just seem both beautiful and right, and for me, Concorde epitomised beauty and power. It was the most graceful aircraft. Coming in to land, it looked like a giant white bird of prey. It was also one of the few planes that did what it was designed to do, according to John Taylor, Editor of Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft. It crossed the Atlantic at twice the speed of sound almost every day and in spite of vast sums of money and years of trying, no country has ever produced a larger, faster competitor. I’ve flown the Airbus A380, and it is a lovely plane, but I couldn't call it beautiful and it doesn’t bring a lump to my throat.  I sat in it as it sped down the runway, and wondered if such a huge machine would ever become airborne. I was quite surprised when, very quietly, it did. People who’ve flown Concorde say it was very small and not all that luxurious, but hey! when you’re flying at twice the speed of sound, who needs luxury? I’ll always be sorry I never got to do it.