Ex-Concorde pilot says supersonic jet took-off like "a scalded angel"

A former Concorde pilot has recalled how the supersonic jet would take-off like "a scalded angel" as the 40th anniversary of its first commercial flight is commemorated.

The plane carried its first passengers on 21 January 1976 on simultaneous flights from Heathrow to Bahrain and Paris to Rio de Janeiro.

It was taken out of service permanently in 2003 following the Paris air crash in 2000.

Andy Barnwell, a Concorde pilot from 1996 to 2003 who lives in Welford, Northamptonshire, said flying the iconic plane meant he always went "to work with a smile on my face".

He said: "Concorde's got the performance of an F16 jet and it does accelerate down the runway like there is something chasing it.

"I was asked if I wanted to do one of the last three flights, but I must be honest, I didn't want to toe the party line because I didn't agree that we should take it out of service.

"I chose to do the flights the week before... and I had tears rolling down my cheeks."

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