h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Very dear Caerwyn,

I have just read your super account of your birthday present to your dear H. A trip on concorde. What a wonderfully imaginative present to give him.
I am so thrilled that you loved the flight and that it has given you so many wonderful memories. You have written really movingly about it.
With much affection

AlsoRan1

Thank you, AR1. It was a very special day and now so much more significant with Concorde no longer gracing our skies.

There is a family association that goes back to the very beginnings of the project, in that my father's designs for a component of an earlier project where used in Concorde. He has never had the opportunity to fly on her and is so pleased that we did.

Concorde 002 flew directly over my head on Friday afternoon on her final approach into Heathrow, at the lowest altitude she has ever flown over us. I have to admit to feeling a lump in my throat when I realised that I would no longer see her flying.

She was flown by Captain Mike Bannister who flew us on the commemorative flight. He must have had a lump in his throat too. A sad day for pioneers of supersonic commercial flight.