'On the edge of space' - Chichester man, 92, remembers flying on Concorde at 60,000 feet
A former Concorde cabin services director has shared first-hand insights into what it was really like to fly at 60,000 feet on the world’s most iconic aircraft.
January 21 marked 50 years since Concorde’s first commercial flight, a milestone remembered by former crew member John Hitchcock.
The 92-year-old, who lives in Chichester, reflected on the supersonic era of his career, where he served as cabin services director to a variety of renowned guests, including HM Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. Having begun his aviation career at a small Kentish airport, Mr Hitchcock still can’t quite believe that he went on to serve aboard the fastest commercial aircraft in the world.
He recalled his early days: “I joined Silver City in 1955, based at Lydd Ferryfield Airport. I was employed as a cabin attendant onboard Bristol Freighters.
"My first job involved looking after Romney Marsh sheep in the cargo hold. Another employee of Silver City suggested I apply for B.O.A.C (now British Airways) as a cabin steward. I joined in 1957 and retired in 1986. I started flying on aircraft with propellers and ended up on the fastest commercial aircraft in the world.”
Alongside serving royalty, the experience of travelling at Mach 2 was a feeling Mr Hitchcock will never forget.
He said: “The only feeling as you went through the sound barrier was a slight jolt like a gear change in a car. Passengers cheered when the display came up as Mach 2 in the cabin.”
Concorde not only allowed passengers to fly to New York in under four hours, it also flew so high that Hitchcock recalls being ‘on the edge of space’, watching the skies shift from blue to black. The lack of jet lag was also remarkable; a luxury today’s crew can only dream of.
Mr Hitchcock recently fielded questions from Buckingham Collectibles – the UK's leading producer of stamp collectibles and memorabilia, based in Folkestone, Kent.
In the Q&A, he described the feeling of going through the sound barrier as ‘a slight jolt like a gear change in a car’, where passengers cheered as they realised they were flying at twice the speed of sound.
Mr Hitchcock shared vivid memories of Concorde’s first commercial flight: “The media attention, thousands of people all around Heathrow airport waiting for the take-off.
"We were mobbed by the press as we got off the crew bus. People wanted pictures and autographs. The whole event prior to take-off almost brought Heathrow to a standstill, with TV cameras and press everywhere.
"I was sitting in the crew seat at the rear as Concorde took off, the noise was incredible. When we landed in Bahrain, we were whisked off to receptions and parties.
"Then we had to prepare for the return flight to Heathrow. When we landed back at Heathrow, my picture was all over the front of national newspapers serving HRH Duke of Kent and the MD of British Airways.”
The pinnacle of his career came in February 1979, when he was selected for the Royal Flight to accompany HM Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh on a two-week tour of the Gulf States. Two years later, he flew the Prince of Wales, now King Charles, to New York on Concorde prior to his wedding in 1981. John revealed he’d flown the Prince’s parents before, amusing King Charles III, who remarked, ‘you must be a royal favourite’.
Mr Hitchcock often reflects on these experiences at his home in Chichester, that have become some of his fondest memories aboard Concorde.
He said: “I often ask myself, why me? How was I chosen? I felt very proud and humbled.”
Mr Hitchcock also shared memories of the operational quirks of Concorde: “The flight times were so short you never felt tired as operating crew. You had to work fast on cabin service and were always on the go. Chasing the sunrise and sunset. The saying at the time was ‘arrive before you leave.’ Concorde flew so high at 60,000 feet you could see the curvature of the earth and the sky turning from blue to black. We were on the edge of space.
“Concorde physically expanded in flight, stretching by 6 to 12 inches. The aluminium airframe heated to over 120°C (248°F) during flight. The cabin windows were very small compared to other aircraft and were warm to the touch.”
John’s late wife, and his daughter, Claire, watched the take-off live on TV. Claire was granted special permission to come home from school to watch.
To celebrate Concorde’s First Commercial Flight 50th anniversary, Buckingham Collectibles have released a limited-edition collectible featuring new Concorde stamps and personally signed by John Hitchcock.
Other Concorde legends, including pilot Tony Yule and Guinness World Record holder Fred Finn (who flew on Concorde 718 times) also signed for Kent-based collectibles business.
Check out the limited-edition collectibles over at: www.buckinghamcovers.com/concorde50