What do you think?
Rate this book
Concorde: The thrilling account of history’s most extraordinary airliner
The definitive account of the rise and fall of the iconic Concorde plane from British Airways' former Chief Concorde Pilot.
October 24th, 2023 will mark 20 years since Concorde disappeared from our skies. Yet still Mike Bannister, the last Concorde Chief Pilot, faces the same
· Why is she no longer flying?
· Where is her replacement?
· And what really happened on that tragic afternoon in July 2000, when the crash of Flight 4590 grounded the Concorde forever?
Concorde is an enthralling personal account of what it takes to fly planes faster than the speed of sound, and of the events behind 114 needless deaths - the 113 victims of the crash and, ultimately, Concorde herself.
October 24th, 2023 will mark 20 years since Concorde disappeared from our skies. Yet still Mike Bannister, the last Concorde Chief Pilot, faces the same
· Why is she no longer flying?
· Where is her replacement?
· And what really happened on that tragic afternoon in July 2000, when the crash of Flight 4590 grounded the Concorde forever?
Concorde is an enthralling personal account of what it takes to fly planes faster than the speed of sound, and of the events behind 114 needless deaths - the 113 victims of the crash and, ultimately, Concorde herself.
464 pages, Paperback
Published October 3, 2023
248 people are currently reading
1058 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
January 27, 2023
I listened to the audio version of this book, read by the author Mike Bannister. This book can almost be summarised into three parts: 1) Mike’s mini autobiography starting from his 7 year old self gazing up at the sky dreaming of becoming a pilot; 2) the manufacture and history of the British Airways Concorde and 3) the details of the sequence of events that led to the tragic Concorde Air France disaster on 25 July, 2000. But most of all, this book is a love letter from Mike Bannister to Concorde herself.
I was worried that the book would lose my interest or that the aviation terminology would be hard to follow, but Bannister done a fantastic job of explaining the terminology and keeping the reader invested.
I was hooked from start to finish and if I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.
I was worried that the book would lose my interest or that the aviation terminology would be hard to follow, but Bannister done a fantastic job of explaining the terminology and keeping the reader invested.
I was hooked from start to finish and if I could give it more than 5 stars, I would.
October 30, 2022
First and foremost, this is a love letter to Concorde. It’s a personal letter at that, between Bannister and the machine, the legend, the “thoroughbred”, and I am grateful to him for sharing it with us. Not many people can offer us this perspective of Concorde, which Bannister brings to the book; this isn’t some regular “jockey” writing a book about an aircraft he/she has spent a couple of thousand hours in; nor is it written by a boffin who could overwhelm the reader with all manner of facts and figures digestible only for a select few. How many people have fought for the name and the reputation of an aircraft?
If you want the sexy engineering, the aerodynamics and the detailed nuts-and-bolts of the aircraft (the “gee-whizz” stuff as Bannister calls it), and design history of the aircraft; this isn’t your book. Sure, it does whet the appetite in a way that appeals to those of us who identify as aerosexuals, but it’s subtle and very well done, considering this book isn’t written just for us. It’s written to be enjoyed by the lay-person, just as much as the pilot or engineer, and I think Bannister has balanced that well in this book.
So, if you remember seeing or experiencing Concorde and wondered “how” or “why”; or, more recently “what happened?”, then pick up this book and have a read / listen. If, like me, you never saw Concorde fly in-person but its legend is somewhere in your peripheral vision, you will enjoy this book and appreciate an aircraft that has bridged Apollo Space Programme with the marvel of the Airbus A380.
If you want the sexy engineering, the aerodynamics and the detailed nuts-and-bolts of the aircraft (the “gee-whizz” stuff as Bannister calls it), and design history of the aircraft; this isn’t your book. Sure, it does whet the appetite in a way that appeals to those of us who identify as aerosexuals, but it’s subtle and very well done, considering this book isn’t written just for us. It’s written to be enjoyed by the lay-person, just as much as the pilot or engineer, and I think Bannister has balanced that well in this book.
So, if you remember seeing or experiencing Concorde and wondered “how” or “why”; or, more recently “what happened?”, then pick up this book and have a read / listen. If, like me, you never saw Concorde fly in-person but its legend is somewhere in your peripheral vision, you will enjoy this book and appreciate an aircraft that has bridged Apollo Space Programme with the marvel of the Airbus A380.
October 20, 2023
Concorde was part of my childhood. I had a poster of the aircraft on my bedroom wall along with the insignia of all the airlines who planned to buy it. I remember seeing its first flight on TV, and thinking when it was announced that its first commercial flight would be delayed until 1976 like that seemed a lifetime away - time passes so much more slowly when you’re young! So the chance to read this book by a man who flew Concorde was irresistible.
I never got to fly in Concorde but have been in ones on the ground and watched it landing and taking off from Heathrow, with its distinctive drooped nose at such times to allow pilots to see the runway.
It was a triumph of design and ingenuity, probably the most beautiful aircraft ever built.
If you’re an aviation enthusiast, I’d recommend you read this book. The author creates a compelling narrative.
The author dreamed of being a pilot as a child and first flew the VC10 when he joined BOAC, a predecessor. The VC10, Britain’s answer to the Boeing 707, with its four engines at the rear was another elegant aircraft. There are thrilling descriptions of the author's flight training for the VC10 on the west coast of Ireland when they flew towards land and straight at the cliffs rising from just above the stormy seas and raising the nose at the last moment to clear the cliff tops.
America, envious because its own civilian supersonic project came to nothing, initially blocked British Airways and Air France - the aircraft was a joint Anglo-French project - from flying Concorde to the USA. They claimed to object to the noise but Boeing’s SST would have been just as noisy if it had been built.
The author describes how because it was supersonic there were many things to flying Concorde that were quite different to conventional airliners. It must have been incredible to fly at sixty thousand feet and see the curvature of the earth.
Almost half the book is taken up with the Air France crash in 2000 and subsequent investigation, in which the author was involved as well as being an expert witness at the trial and retrial. What is quite shocking is how the French team removed components the British wanted to examine and claimed records such as those about the fuel tanks had been lost. The author makes a convincing case that Concorde was already on fire due to a wheel modification Air France, unlike British Airways, had failed to make, before it hit a piece of metal belonging to a Continental Airlines DC10 which had just taken off, and also that the plane’s fuel tanks had been overfilled, leaving no space for the energy of impact to be absorbed which then caused a fire to ignite, that the crew hadn’t taken account of a headwind and the aircraft was overweight, with the result it took off at a speed which was too slow which ensured it couldn’t reach nearby Le Bourget airport for an emergency landing and evacuation.
Concorde was modified after the crash and brought back into service but Air France was keen to end its use as the airline didn’t make money out of it. So in autumn 2003 Concorde was retired since British Airways’ profits from flying Concorde would disappear once Air France no longer contributed to the manufacturer’s infrastructure needed to maintain it.
Neil Armstrong observed it was an amazing technological achievement, and that whilst flying to the moon had lasted only a few years, Concorde was in service for nearly 30 years.
A great read.
I never got to fly in Concorde but have been in ones on the ground and watched it landing and taking off from Heathrow, with its distinctive drooped nose at such times to allow pilots to see the runway.
It was a triumph of design and ingenuity, probably the most beautiful aircraft ever built.
If you’re an aviation enthusiast, I’d recommend you read this book. The author creates a compelling narrative.
The author dreamed of being a pilot as a child and first flew the VC10 when he joined BOAC, a predecessor. The VC10, Britain’s answer to the Boeing 707, with its four engines at the rear was another elegant aircraft. There are thrilling descriptions of the author's flight training for the VC10 on the west coast of Ireland when they flew towards land and straight at the cliffs rising from just above the stormy seas and raising the nose at the last moment to clear the cliff tops.
America, envious because its own civilian supersonic project came to nothing, initially blocked British Airways and Air France - the aircraft was a joint Anglo-French project - from flying Concorde to the USA. They claimed to object to the noise but Boeing’s SST would have been just as noisy if it had been built.
The author describes how because it was supersonic there were many things to flying Concorde that were quite different to conventional airliners. It must have been incredible to fly at sixty thousand feet and see the curvature of the earth.
Almost half the book is taken up with the Air France crash in 2000 and subsequent investigation, in which the author was involved as well as being an expert witness at the trial and retrial. What is quite shocking is how the French team removed components the British wanted to examine and claimed records such as those about the fuel tanks had been lost. The author makes a convincing case that Concorde was already on fire due to a wheel modification Air France, unlike British Airways, had failed to make, before it hit a piece of metal belonging to a Continental Airlines DC10 which had just taken off, and also that the plane’s fuel tanks had been overfilled, leaving no space for the energy of impact to be absorbed which then caused a fire to ignite, that the crew hadn’t taken account of a headwind and the aircraft was overweight, with the result it took off at a speed which was too slow which ensured it couldn’t reach nearby Le Bourget airport for an emergency landing and evacuation.
Concorde was modified after the crash and brought back into service but Air France was keen to end its use as the airline didn’t make money out of it. So in autumn 2003 Concorde was retired since British Airways’ profits from flying Concorde would disappear once Air France no longer contributed to the manufacturer’s infrastructure needed to maintain it.
Neil Armstrong observed it was an amazing technological achievement, and that whilst flying to the moon had lasted only a few years, Concorde was in service for nearly 30 years.
A great read.
February 26, 2024
This is the first time I am writing a review here.
Ive just read the book and I couldnt get any faster to Goodreads to leave 5-Stars.
I highly recommend this book. To people who love planes. To people who are scared of them. To people who love reading. To everyone. Its just a POV of a man growing and fulfilling his child dream, described in a unique way. Even if you have no idea of planes and stuff you can easily follow along with all the terminology and the great great engineering success this plane was. The way the information and the story are told are well beyond what youve expect from a commercial pilot. Also everything you want to know(and you didnt know you want to know) related to Concorde is well described here.
Once you start this book you will finish it with twice the speed of sound :)
Ive just read the book and I couldnt get any faster to Goodreads to leave 5-Stars.
I highly recommend this book. To people who love planes. To people who are scared of them. To people who love reading. To everyone. Its just a POV of a man growing and fulfilling his child dream, described in a unique way. Even if you have no idea of planes and stuff you can easily follow along with all the terminology and the great great engineering success this plane was. The way the information and the story are told are well beyond what youve expect from a commercial pilot. Also everything you want to know(and you didnt know you want to know) related to Concorde is well described here.
Once you start this book you will finish it with twice the speed of sound :)
June 3, 2024
Such an incredible story of such an incredible aircraft. The details and history related in this book left me awestruck and a little melancholic, knowing I'll never have the opportunity to fly on this legendary airliner.
Mike Bannister is likely the most qualified person alive to tell this story, albeit maybe with a slightly (maybe quite heavily) biased position. Although most of that bias is summed up by UK good, France bad, which as a Brit I found myself having very little problem with.
Mike Bannister is likely the most qualified person alive to tell this story, albeit maybe with a slightly (maybe quite heavily) biased position. Although most of that bias is summed up by UK good, France bad, which as a Brit I found myself having very little problem with.
October 28, 2022
An excellent read. For a change, I listened to the audiobook version, narrated flawlessly by Mike himself.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Confession: I’ve got a mild obsession with Concorde and have read quite a few books about her. This book really was fabulous. A potted history of the aeroplane coupled with an autobiography. I particularly liked the detailed information on the tragic Air France crash too. As an Airbus pilot myself, it’s good to know the provenance of my current aircraft. The book isn’t overly heavy on acronyms or jargon, Mike explains it all very simply to the non-flyer too.
Highly recommended, even if you aren’t a Concorde enthusiast!
Wishing you well in your retirement Mike!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Confession: I’ve got a mild obsession with Concorde and have read quite a few books about her. This book really was fabulous. A potted history of the aeroplane coupled with an autobiography. I particularly liked the detailed information on the tragic Air France crash too. As an Airbus pilot myself, it’s good to know the provenance of my current aircraft. The book isn’t overly heavy on acronyms or jargon, Mike explains it all very simply to the non-flyer too.
Highly recommended, even if you aren’t a Concorde enthusiast!
Wishing you well in your retirement Mike!
May 2, 2025
100 pages less and would have been a 4
April 21, 2025
Great mix of engineering, politics, new technology, first-hand stories and anecdotes, basically the type of "business saga" that gets me fired up. The Concorde was a fascinating airplane!
Bannister (and presumably his editor) did a pretty great job at turning his experience with the Concorde into a great and engaging narrative, but I found the flow just slightly off at points. Hard to explain.
If you think you might like a book about a cool airplane and its rise and fall through the lens of one of its biggest advocates and defenders - you probably would like this! Reading this first-hand account makes me think there's probably a wider-scope story to be told about the airplane from a more neutral perspective.
Saskatoon Public Library bought a copy after on my request! 😎
Bannister (and presumably his editor) did a pretty great job at turning his experience with the Concorde into a great and engaging narrative, but I found the flow just slightly off at points. Hard to explain.
If you think you might like a book about a cool airplane and its rise and fall through the lens of one of its biggest advocates and defenders - you probably would like this! Reading this first-hand account makes me think there's probably a wider-scope story to be told about the airplane from a more neutral perspective.
Saskatoon Public Library bought a copy after on my request! 😎
November 2, 2025
great biography of the concorde from the perspective of one of the pilots (a british perdpective i should say)
September 30, 2023
Initially during the early chapters I felt them to be a little bit dry, bordering on too much personal memoir. However every time I felt myself beginning to loose interest Bannister brought me back. The technical information is presented in such an interesting way that it never felt boring or overloading.
The book can be divided into three parts, Learning to Fly, Concorde and the End of Concorde. While the first part wasn't what I was reading for, it was instrumental in laying a foundation for the reader who may be a lay-person in aviation. This is important for the reader to understand just how much of a technical achievement Concorde was, especially in the age it came from as well as the political achievement it represented for Britain, France and their respective Airlines.
I was very young when the Concorde crash of 2001 happened and didn't understand much of the news reports but as a kid who loved the plane was very sad learning of this news. Reading this provided much insight into what happened and why Concorde was grounded soon after.
Along with an depth technical explanation how the plane it work, it also gave an insight into the unique world of Pre-9/11 air travel, especially of course that of Concorde and the 'Club Atmosphere' it had for the people that could afford the Ludacris ticket prices.
One thing I do wish was perhaps having a little more insight from Bannister about the future of commercial supersonic flight and where he visions it, rather than the few lines about Boom Overture.
Overall it was a fantastic book, about a one of a kind machine that hasn't been replicated since, written by someone that was actually there experiencing it and not just some historian presenting their evidence.
The book can be divided into three parts, Learning to Fly, Concorde and the End of Concorde. While the first part wasn't what I was reading for, it was instrumental in laying a foundation for the reader who may be a lay-person in aviation. This is important for the reader to understand just how much of a technical achievement Concorde was, especially in the age it came from as well as the political achievement it represented for Britain, France and their respective Airlines.
I was very young when the Concorde crash of 2001 happened and didn't understand much of the news reports but as a kid who loved the plane was very sad learning of this news. Reading this provided much insight into what happened and why Concorde was grounded soon after.
Along with an depth technical explanation how the plane it work, it also gave an insight into the unique world of Pre-9/11 air travel, especially of course that of Concorde and the 'Club Atmosphere' it had for the people that could afford the Ludacris ticket prices.
One thing I do wish was perhaps having a little more insight from Bannister about the future of commercial supersonic flight and where he visions it, rather than the few lines about Boom Overture.
Overall it was a fantastic book, about a one of a kind machine that hasn't been replicated since, written by someone that was actually there experiencing it and not just some historian presenting their evidence.
October 24, 2023
When I came across this book I felt I had to read it. The plane was an Icon of our country and sadly missed. I used to see it fly past our house in the evenings no doubt piloted by Mike himself at times.
One reason fro wanting to read it's story was because I flew on the plane. That came about because I was at a pub called the Bell at a place on the Berkshire downs called Aldworth. The landlord asked his locals if they wanted to fly on Concorde it would cost £110. I first of all said no I could not afford it but when my dad found out he said he would pay for a birthday present to me, I said OK but I pay half. I told Ian the landlord and I had my place. I did not bargain for the press of TV crew that turned up an being on the TV news all over the place but it was Awesome and being a pub outing the beer was free, well at least when we got back to the pub because the the Directors of Arkles Brewery were on the flight as well.
The book I found interesting from reading the technical details which I could just understand coming from an engineering background myself and felt for how Mike did for the plane. I have visited both planes in Duxford and Brooklands and still love seeing them but miss seeing it fly. Brian Calver was the pilot on our plane but sadly died, I found his grave while visiting the church he was buried at. If your interested in this plane then this is the book to read
One reason fro wanting to read it's story was because I flew on the plane. That came about because I was at a pub called the Bell at a place on the Berkshire downs called Aldworth. The landlord asked his locals if they wanted to fly on Concorde it would cost £110. I first of all said no I could not afford it but when my dad found out he said he would pay for a birthday present to me, I said OK but I pay half. I told Ian the landlord and I had my place. I did not bargain for the press of TV crew that turned up an being on the TV news all over the place but it was Awesome and being a pub outing the beer was free, well at least when we got back to the pub because the the Directors of Arkles Brewery were on the flight as well.
The book I found interesting from reading the technical details which I could just understand coming from an engineering background myself and felt for how Mike did for the plane. I have visited both planes in Duxford and Brooklands and still love seeing them but miss seeing it fly. Brian Calver was the pilot on our plane but sadly died, I found his grave while visiting the church he was buried at. If your interested in this plane then this is the book to read
December 20, 2025
I have a love, or fascination maybe, for some aircraft, whether it be the Vulcan or Harriers from the RAF, or the Concorde, these special planes stand out for me and I love learning about them and seeing them.
So reading this, written by a former Concorde Chief Pilot, was a must for me. The world's only (so far) supersonic passenger airliner, Concorde is/was truly unique and something that both the British and French aerospace industry can be incredibly proud of.
The book, given the technical nature of the plane and all that went in to it, is actually really easy to get to grips with. Bannister does a great job of explaining all the ins and outs of the plane, of it's beginnings, it's near 3 decade run as a legend of the skies, and it's tragic end.
Along with the biographical part of the book, this reads like a love letter to Concorde. The details as well following the accident in France which ultimately led to the plane's retirement, and subsequent legal challenges, are also very interesting to read. It's easy to forget that Concorde did return to service for over a year after the crash in Gonesse, I know I had.
If aircraft isn't your thing, then this book isn't for you. While it's easy to read, I doubt it'll be high on a reading list for many people who have no interest in planes or Concorde. But if you have even a passing interest in it, then you'll find this book well worth investing your time in.
It's full marks from me, I bought it because it was a topic that interested me, and it didn't let me down.
So reading this, written by a former Concorde Chief Pilot, was a must for me. The world's only (so far) supersonic passenger airliner, Concorde is/was truly unique and something that both the British and French aerospace industry can be incredibly proud of.
The book, given the technical nature of the plane and all that went in to it, is actually really easy to get to grips with. Bannister does a great job of explaining all the ins and outs of the plane, of it's beginnings, it's near 3 decade run as a legend of the skies, and it's tragic end.
Along with the biographical part of the book, this reads like a love letter to Concorde. The details as well following the accident in France which ultimately led to the plane's retirement, and subsequent legal challenges, are also very interesting to read. It's easy to forget that Concorde did return to service for over a year after the crash in Gonesse, I know I had.
If aircraft isn't your thing, then this book isn't for you. While it's easy to read, I doubt it'll be high on a reading list for many people who have no interest in planes or Concorde. But if you have even a passing interest in it, then you'll find this book well worth investing your time in.
It's full marks from me, I bought it because it was a topic that interested me, and it didn't let me down.
March 1, 2023
If you ever saw her you will likely have a Concorde memory.
Mine involves taxying out at Heathrow and me as a young aviation obsessed 6 year old spotting Concorde off the left hand side of my aeroplane taxying out for a trip. I proceed to yell with such excitement whilst glued to the window “Concorde, look Grandma Concorde” that everyone, not just the other children on board stared and marvelled at her. My Grandparents still tell me about that day with fond smiles.
Mike was one of my heroes growing up. Living under the 09L flight path of London Heathrow airport I was lucky enough to spend many days watching her at Heathrow and also looking skywards from my garden in Windsor.
He and Concorde are a key reason why I have pursued and achieved my dream of flying commercial large swept wing jets at the age of 26. His character shows through his book, one which to me embodies what I believe to be the perfect pilot; assured, fair and passionate about what he does but humble enough to admit his mistakes.
I thank you for your story Mike, I couldn’t help but sit with a big lump in my throat fighting back the tears on many occasions during your book; it took me back to the many happy memories when I was 5/6 and for this I am very grateful.
I throughly encourage those who read this to listen to the audiobook so that the man himself can regale you with his and Concordes story in a level of depth both aviation professionals and non professionals will enjoy. 5 Stars!
Mine involves taxying out at Heathrow and me as a young aviation obsessed 6 year old spotting Concorde off the left hand side of my aeroplane taxying out for a trip. I proceed to yell with such excitement whilst glued to the window “Concorde, look Grandma Concorde” that everyone, not just the other children on board stared and marvelled at her. My Grandparents still tell me about that day with fond smiles.
Mike was one of my heroes growing up. Living under the 09L flight path of London Heathrow airport I was lucky enough to spend many days watching her at Heathrow and also looking skywards from my garden in Windsor.
He and Concorde are a key reason why I have pursued and achieved my dream of flying commercial large swept wing jets at the age of 26. His character shows through his book, one which to me embodies what I believe to be the perfect pilot; assured, fair and passionate about what he does but humble enough to admit his mistakes.
I thank you for your story Mike, I couldn’t help but sit with a big lump in my throat fighting back the tears on many occasions during your book; it took me back to the many happy memories when I was 5/6 and for this I am very grateful.
I throughly encourage those who read this to listen to the audiobook so that the man himself can regale you with his and Concordes story in a level of depth both aviation professionals and non professionals will enjoy. 5 Stars!
January 6, 2023
This is really three books in one. It’s Mike’s autobiography, starting from the seven year old child gazing up at aeroplanes and deciding he wanted to be a pilot. It’s the story of Concorde and its history in BA, including the politics and economics as well as technical details about the aeroplane and what it took to fly it.
And it’s the real, and frankly shocking, story of what lead to the awful crash of an Air France Concorde and the investigation that followed. There are parallels with the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, with the events and in particular attitudes that ultimately lead to the accident beginning long before the day of the crash. The way Mike tells this part of the story is especially engaging, as he meticulously leads you through what happened, like peeling back the layers of an onion.
Mike’s writing style - you feel as though he’s telling you the story as if he’s talking to you directly (I bet the audio book is good) - makes for a surprisingly easy read. I recommend it wholeheartedly and not just for fans of aviation or Air Crash Investigation!
And it’s the real, and frankly shocking, story of what lead to the awful crash of an Air France Concorde and the investigation that followed. There are parallels with the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, with the events and in particular attitudes that ultimately lead to the accident beginning long before the day of the crash. The way Mike tells this part of the story is especially engaging, as he meticulously leads you through what happened, like peeling back the layers of an onion.
Mike’s writing style - you feel as though he’s telling you the story as if he’s talking to you directly (I bet the audio book is good) - makes for a surprisingly easy read. I recommend it wholeheartedly and not just for fans of aviation or Air Crash Investigation!
Read
July 11, 2023Didn’t finish, is not a narrative story type read of Concorde, is a mix of biography and stats which may interest some.
Read
October 12, 2023A fascinating look at not only the Concorde but his aviation life as well.
January 17, 2024
A book I devoured like a chocolate tart!
February 3, 2025
A fantastic book to learn more about the magestic Concorde! Truly a plane ahead of its time, and the author- a former pilot himself- deeply appreciates this. An easy read for any aviation lover, but most certainly an excellent for anyone even remotely interested in aviation.
February 28, 2025
Really enjoyed this book, engaging and informative in lay terms. It was written well but as I would expect a pilot to write. Would recommend this love letter of a book.
December 17, 2024
Excellent. Informative, entertaining and a great story. Non-Fiction doesn’t get much better
August 9, 2025
It's a great book, but it felt too long at some point
September 5, 2024
An amazing love story by Mike on how his career on concorde unfolded. Un charted access behind the stories and an unforgetable read or listen.
May 30, 2025
Great stuff. Makes you think about applying some of these lessons to the business world .
October 10, 2025
Why do I have so many photos of this book? Because she was a beautiful aircraft and she deserves this photos. We will not go into the fact it took me 2 years to read a book about the world’s fastest passenger plane. But this book was a great read, even it it took over a 100 pages to actually get to any Concorde flight. Funny, insightful, wildly informative and very sad. I actually can’t believe how truly I saw reading the closeting chapters of this book, which I think seems it up nicely. Thank you to Mike for sharing this story with the world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2024
A fascinating read. ‘Concorde’ is pitched around the history and story of the aircraft itself. But the book is more than that - it’s deeply personal. The author does this by creating a sense that the aircraft itself is an entity we as humans should care about, even though it is merely machine.
It’s quite evident that the author is passionate about aviation, and his life story that is the constant thread of this book, brings everything together perfectly. There’s a good balance of history, of fun tales, and of personal stories that make the book highly readable.
An unexpected part of the book was the subsequent legal proceedings following the crash of Flight AF4590. The reader would no doubt be aware of the incident but the detail applied to the aftermath, through the author’s firsthand and authoritative experience for the defence in court, provides unparalleled insight and less commonly known theories.
Simply put, this book is a must read for anyone with even the tiniest fascination of the greatest plane to ever fly our skies.
It’s quite evident that the author is passionate about aviation, and his life story that is the constant thread of this book, brings everything together perfectly. There’s a good balance of history, of fun tales, and of personal stories that make the book highly readable.
An unexpected part of the book was the subsequent legal proceedings following the crash of Flight AF4590. The reader would no doubt be aware of the incident but the detail applied to the aftermath, through the author’s firsthand and authoritative experience for the defence in court, provides unparalleled insight and less commonly known theories.
Simply put, this book is a must read for anyone with even the tiniest fascination of the greatest plane to ever fly our skies.
January 14, 2023
For all the books written on Concorde, it is surprising that until now there has been none written by Mr Concorde himself, Mike Bannister. As someone who spent 22 years on the aircraft, rising from First Officer to Chief Pilot his perspective adds a new viewpoint to the existing material.
The book is both Mike’s journey and the story of Concorde. In detail he describes the latter’s change in fortunes from loss-making behemoth to profitable national icon. An interesting area was discussion of the 1980s BA revamp under Lord King. Concorde thereafter gained a new lease of life, notably branching out into the lucrative charter market.
Mike also provides a novel glimpse at what it meant to be an airline pilot in the glory days of post-war air travel. His early counterparts are ex-bomber pilots who display exceptional handling skills, but would certainly struggle in the era of CVRs and FDM.
The most gripping sections are dedicated to the Air France Concorde crash of July 2000. Mike’s part in the investigation and later court of inquiry are both retold in detail. I found this to be a real page turner, which highlighted how “human factors” played a far more important role than a simple strip of metal on the runway.
Mike has offered a fresh perspective, and this is an all-round good read that is highly recommended. For a more technical perspective, I would also suggest Brian Calvert’s ‘Flying Concorde’.
The book is both Mike’s journey and the story of Concorde. In detail he describes the latter’s change in fortunes from loss-making behemoth to profitable national icon. An interesting area was discussion of the 1980s BA revamp under Lord King. Concorde thereafter gained a new lease of life, notably branching out into the lucrative charter market.
Mike also provides a novel glimpse at what it meant to be an airline pilot in the glory days of post-war air travel. His early counterparts are ex-bomber pilots who display exceptional handling skills, but would certainly struggle in the era of CVRs and FDM.
The most gripping sections are dedicated to the Air France Concorde crash of July 2000. Mike’s part in the investigation and later court of inquiry are both retold in detail. I found this to be a real page turner, which highlighted how “human factors” played a far more important role than a simple strip of metal on the runway.
Mike has offered a fresh perspective, and this is an all-round good read that is highly recommended. For a more technical perspective, I would also suggest Brian Calvert’s ‘Flying Concorde’.
November 25, 2023
I cannot possibly hope to objectively or even meaningfully review this book, because I am hopelessly in love with Concorde and find anything to do with it completely fascinating and amazing. I mean, I cried like three times reading this. Supersonic transport, people! Incredible! How is humanity this smart! What will we think of next! Anyway, go ahead and read this if you’re an airplane nerd like me, it was cool getting to read a book by the Concorde’s chief pilot, whose emotional as well as professional attachment to Concorde is weaved throughout, a neat change in tone from other, more impersonal/purely educational books on the subject.
October 29, 2024
Second half of the book is a great telling of the rise, fall and aftermath of Concorde. Bannister really does a great job conveying the technicality but also deep emotions behind the supersonic aircraft. In this way, I learnt a lot about how airplanes function, but also about how humans function in accordance to the aircraft - part of the story of the fatal crash in 2000.
The first half however felt like an autobiography of Bannister. Whilst interesting at points, at times it felt like the point was laboured. Although I did enjoy understanding the process of becoming a pilot.
The first half however felt like an autobiography of Bannister. Whilst interesting at points, at times it felt like the point was laboured. Although I did enjoy understanding the process of becoming a pilot.
December 2, 2023
Fantastic book. Slightly technical, so you'll get slightly more out of it if you have a head for aviation already, but don't let this be a stopper. 99.9% accessible. This book is like sitting down with the man himself and hearing his stories. Fancy guests, special flights over Buckingham palace. Imagine talking to the chief Concorde pilot whilst sat in an armchair for a few hours - that's what reading this book lets you do
June 27, 2024
Goodness, what can I say. As someone who had been promised by his father a flight on Concorde for his 18th birthday, only to see it retired when he was 13, this was hitting. Never before has a book made me so emotional. Mike does a spendid job in recounting its inception, its beautiful era of flight, the Paris air disaster and subsequent legal case that spanned more than a decade.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews