The Concorde flies no more. The fleet originally consisted of fourteen supersonic jets placed in commercial aviation. The decision of the US government that prevented the Concorde from regular service to most US destinations because of the extreme noise of the jets probably doomed the concept from the beginning.
The high speed jets flew at twice the speed of sound or nearly three times faster than normal jets ... that was the attraction. But, the extreme noise generated was irritating. I sat at a Barbados west coast resort having a serene breakfast one day when a screeching Concorde on its final approach to BGI spoiled the moment.
Barbados has always been a premier destination for the rich and famous of the UK. Thus, the high speed transatlantic Concorde flights from London to Barbados were attractive to those who could afford the ticket. Now that the fleet is grounded, one of the Concorde jets has its permanent resting place in a $3.5 million museum at the Grantley Adams Airport in Barbados (BGI) which opened on April 16th.
Barbados was selected over 70 other international applicants. The museum includes a virtual flight school, a departure lounge, an observation deck, an inflight experience, a multimedia presentation and the aircraft itself. The museum will likely become a popular day trip for Barbados tourists.
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