Spectators watch the last ever British Airways commercial Concorde flight touch down at London Heathrow airport on October 24, 2003. Graeme Robertson / Getty Images
Concorde G-Bravo Bravo Delta Golf at Bahrain in 1974 for hot weather testing. Photo: Richard Harris
The distinctive pointed nose of Concorde Delta Golf at Bahrain in 1974. Photo: Michael Stokes
One of the passengers was Jean Tesh, wife of British ambassador to Bahrain, Robert Tesh. Mrs Tesh was one of Michael Stokes's main sponsors for the invitation. Photo: Michael Stokes
Michael Stokes, pictured right, on board a Concorde flight in the 1980s. Photo: Michael Stokes
The certificate of participation Michael Stokes received after the flight on Concorde. Photo: Michael Stokes
Details of Delta Golf's journey through the Middle East in 1974. The aircraft was in the Gulf for hot weather testing and to drum up sales. Photo: Michael Stokes
Welcome aboard cards for Concorde Delta Golf’s test flights in the Middle East. Photo: Michael Stokes
The welcome aboard cards underlined that the aircraft would look different to those that would fly commercially. Photo: Michael Stokes
Delta Golf stops at Abu Dhabi's Al Bateen Airport in July 1974. Bateen was then the city's main airport. Photo: Peter Alvis
Concorde takes off from Abu Dhabi's Al Bateen Airport. Photo: Peter Alvis
Safety instructions for Concorde. Photo: Michael Stokes
Another card showing unique safety instructions for Concorde. Photo: Michael Stokes
The first commercial flight of Concorde takes off from London Heathrow on January 21, 1976, bound for Bahrain. Another took off simultaneously in Paris for Rio de Janeiro via Senegal. Photo: Evening Standard / Getty Images
Spectators watch the last ever British Airways commercial Concorde flight touch down at London Heathrow airport on October 24, 2003. Graeme Robertson / Getty Images
Concorde G-Bravo Bravo Delta Golf at Bahrain in 1974 for hot weather testing. Photo: Richard Harris
The distinctive pointed nose of Concorde Delta Golf at Bahrain in 1974. Photo: Michael Stokes
One of the passengers was Jean Tesh, wife of British ambassador to Bahrain, Robert Tesh. Mrs Tesh was one of Michael Stokes's main sponsors for the invitation. Photo: Michael Stokes
Michael Stokes, pictured right, on board a Concorde flight in the 1980s. Photo: Michael Stokes
The certificate of participation Michael Stokes received after the flight on Concorde. Photo: Michael Stokes
Details of Delta Golf's journey through the Middle East in 1974. The aircraft was in the Gulf for hot weather testing and to drum up sales. Photo: Michael Stokes
Welcome aboard cards for Concorde Delta Golf’s test flights in the Middle East. Photo: Michael Stokes
The welcome aboard cards underlined that the aircraft would look different to those that would fly commercially. Photo: Michael Stokes
Delta Golf stops at Abu Dhabi's Al Bateen Airport in July 1974. Bateen was then the city's main airport. Photo: Peter Alvis
Concorde takes off from Abu Dhabi's Al Bateen Airport. Photo: Peter Alvis
Safety instructions for Concorde. Photo: Michael Stokes
Another card showing unique safety instructions for Concorde. Photo: Michael Stokes
The first commercial flight of Concorde takes off from London Heathrow on January 21, 1976, bound for Bahrain. Another took off simultaneously in Paris for Rio de Janeiro via Senegal. Photo: Evening Standard / Getty Images
Spectators watch the last ever British Airways commercial Concorde flight touch down at London Heathrow airport on October 24, 2003. Graeme Robertson / Getty Images
When the sonic boom of Concorde echoed across the Gulf
In 1974, when Michael Stokes was 17 and living in Bahrain, he volunteered to board a test flight that turned out to be 'supremely surreal' - despite the unprecedented speed