Speedbird Zero One descending to Flight Level Four Five Zero

KILKENNY -- The Charles Heidsieck is tucked away, the crisp linen tabletops cleaned of their Royal Doulton china and the remanants of the rocket salad neatly packed in the rubbish bins as Concorde's 250,000 horsepower engines begin biting into the straosphere above Ireland. "Speedbird Zero One" gets approval from Shannon Control to begin its descent into Irish airspace in the mid-afternoon today, on its final extended descent to Heathrow. It will receive higher traffic priority than an aircraft bearing a head of state because senior aircraft captains will give way to the final flight of Concorde as she turns gracefully onto final approach shortly before 1540 Friday, October 24, 2003.

I will be gazing into the Irish Sky above after 1500, trying to see her contrails. She will be carrying 100 people--all invited celebrity guests like Jeremy Clarkson or frequent passengers. But there will also be one British businessman who booked his ticket a year ago, before Concorde's retirement was announced.

I've been on the ground in Atlanta for the final flight of airline captains. Just like those occasions, water cannons will spray Concorde with jets of red, white and blue water to evoke the colours of the British, American and French flags in a symbolic farewell on the runway at JFK airport.

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Jeremy Clarkson -- "Last flight of the Concorde"
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