A Surrey pilot who flew Concorde’s final commercial flight in 2003 remains fascinated by the iconic supersonic jet, 50 years after its first passenger service. Mike Bannister, who became the youngest person to pilot Concorde in 1977 at the age of 28, says the aircraft’s capabilities are still unmatched today.
Bannister, from Staines, recounts the thrill of operating the legendary plane, which could reach speeds of over twice the sound barrier at 1,354mph (2,179 km/h). “It’s fascinating to think that Concorde was designed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and there’s still nothing that can do all the things it could all that time ago,” he said.
Concorde first took to the skies with passengers on 21 January 1976, flying from London Heathrow to New York. It went on to serve the transatlantic route for nearly 30 years before being retired in 2003. Bannister captained Concorde’s last commercial flight from New York to London on 24 October that year.
Speaking at the Brooklands Museum, where one of the planes is preserved, Bannister reflected on the unique experience of flying the supersonic jet. “Most of our customers were business people or world leaders, but we really enjoyed carrying those people who were doing the trip of a lifetime because they were the ones who got really excited,” he said.
Some passengers became such frequent flyers that they formed close relationships with the crew. “It was rather like a sophisticated club in the air,” Bannister added. Concorde flew nearly 50,000 times with more than 2.5 million passengers during its service with British Airways.
While Bannister was saddened by Concorde’s retirement, he is excited about the prospect of a new generation of supersonic travel. “It was sad that Concorde had to be retired, but I’m excited for the next generation of supersonic flight,” he said.
