Open Skylight Window Olga Werby

View of Toulouse Rooftops from Apartment Window Olga Werby

The weather finally turned into Summer…and we hate it. It’s too hot! Oh no, there are perfect blue skies. We can’t open the regular windows because of the bee hive, and we can’t leave the skylight windows open because the weather forecast keeps threatening thunderstorms, which sounds pretty good to me. Never actually materialized though, so it was just unrelentingly hot.

We are looking forward to the cooling embrace of our local fog. Here, we had to endure sunshine in the morning with our coffee. We suffer, right?

Christopher Works on Computer Olga Werby

We went to Musée Aeroscopia, a museum of air flight. Toulouse is the center of the French aerospace industry, and they have a giant museum dedicated to flight to prove it.

Musée Aeroscopia — Aero Spacelines “Super Guppy” SGT

Aero Spacelines “Super Guppy” SGT Open Front Section Panorama Olga Werby

This plane is the Aero Spacelines “Super Guppy” SGT. It’s a plane that splits in the middle (by design) to accommodate huge cargo. It was used by NASA to move finished tech pieces from France to the United States.

Aero Spacelines “Super Guppy” SGT Open Front, Lower Angle with Gangway Christopher Werby

Aero Spacelines “Super Guppy” SGT Nose Section Olga Werby
Aero Spacelines “Super Guppy” SGT Open Front with Gangway Christopher Werby

The thing is simply huge! To open it this way takes disconnecting a lot of little wires and cables.

Aero Spacelines “Super Guppy” SGT Open Front Christopher Werby

Connectors for the Aero Spacelines “Super Guppy” SGT Aircraft Christopher Werby

So they designed an even bigger plane—the Airbus A300-600ST “Beluga” (it looks like a giant whale)—and only the top opens. Presumably, all the connections to the cockpit stay attached while it receives cargo. We saw a video about it, but the Beluga isn’t at the museum…yet.

Airbus A300-600ST “Beluga” Unloading Wikimedia

Musée Aeroscopia — British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 201 F-WTSB

Christopher Poses on Gangway of British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 201 F-WTSB Olga Werby

Olga Poses on Gangway of British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 201 F-WTSB Olga Werby

What we really wanted to do was go inside the Concord. This was our first chance to see the interior. We’ve always admired the plane; it’s a beautiful machine.

Theodora and Theodoros both thought so too!

Theodora “Dora” Varvarigou and Theodoros Panou Pose in Doorway of British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 201 F-WTSB Olga Werby

Concorde 201 F-WTSB Cockpit Instrumentation 1 Olga Werby

Concorde 201 F-WTSB Cockpit Instrumentation 2 Olga Werby

Concorde 201 F-WTSB Cockpit Instrumentation 3 Olga Werby
British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 201 F-WTSB: Interior Seats Timothy Werby

Christopher Looks at Computers in Interior of British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 201 F-WTSB. This plane was used to test and certify the aircraft for flight. Olga Werby

This particular plane was used to test and certify Concordes for flight, so the front was filled with antiquated computers to record flight performance.

Engine Exhaust Nozzles of British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 201 F-WTSB Christopher Werby

Underside of British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 201 F-WTSB Christopher Werby

Exterior of British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 201 F-WTSB with Christopher Below Olga Werby

Musée Aeroscopia — Airbus A300B

Airbus A300B Olga Werby

Christopher Near Blue Cockpit of Airbus A300B Olga Werby

Blue Cockpit of the Airbus A300B Aircraft Timothy Werby

There were other planes and allowed us to peek into the lives of the rich and famous in addition to the cool see-through floors and walls!

Theodoros Panou, Theodora “Dora” Varvarigou, and Timothy in Interior of Airbus A300B Olga Werby

Some people travel in extreme first class—they even get their own dining room. And, of course, their own bedroom, kitchen, and shower.

Conference Room in Airbus A300B Aircraft Timothy Werby

Bedroom in Airbus A300B Aircraft Timothy Werby
Bedroom, Kitchen, and Shower Inside Airbus A300B Olga Werby

Airbus A300B Landing Gear, Straight On Christopher Werby

Airbus A300B Landing Gear from Side Christopher Werby
Timothy Uses His Phone on Bench Under Airbus A300B Wing and Engine Nacelle Olga Werby

The museum had tons of real planes and models—we all kept thinking that Len would love it here.

Mignet HM.293 Pou du Ciel Biplane Olga Werby

Mignet HM.293 Pou du Ciel Biplane

Olga Makes a Face Christopher Werby

Helicopter Aérospatiale Westland SA 340 Gazelle: Tail Roter Christopher Werby

Tail Roter of Aérospatiale Westland SA 340 Gazelle Helicopter

Mikoyan-Gurevich MIG-15 Bis, Nato Code: Fagot Olga Werby

Mikoyan-Gurevich MIG-15 Bis

Did you know that the NATO call sign for a Russian MiG-15 is “Fagot”? Now that you do, good luck on your trivia games.

This was a replica of the Antoinette Barrel (1909), the very first flight simulator. It’s constructed of two half barrels, balanced on top of each other to simulate yaw, pitch, and roll, and people who pulled ropes to simulate motion.

Antoinette Barrel (1909), the first flight simulator Olga Werby

Antoinette Barrel (1909)

Christopher and Tim tried a more modern version.

Christopher and Timothy in Flight Simulator Olga Werby

Générale d’Aviation Marcel Dassault Mirage IIIC Fighter Jet and Others in Hanger Christopher Werby

Olga’s Finger Touches Pitot Tube at Front of Générale d’Aviation Marcel Dassault Mirage IIIC Fighter Jet Christopher Werby

Générale d’Aviation Marcel Dassault Mirage IIIC Fighter Jet

Nicholas ended up not going with us today. Perhaps the rich french food is catching up with him. Take a look at yesterday’s dinner: see the fois gras hamburger with fried egg? That was what Nicholas ate.

British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 209 F-BVFC

Concorde External with Olga of British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 209 F-BVFC Christopher Werby
Engine Exhaust Nozzles of British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 209 F-BVFC Christopher Werby

Theodoros Panou and Theodora “Dora” Varvarigou Near British Aircraft Corporation Concorde 209 F-BVFC Christopher Werby

The Outside Concorde, because every aviation museum needs two.

Theodoros Panou and Theodora “Dora” Varvarigou in Shadow of Nose of Airbus Military A400M Transport Aircraft Christopher Werby

Two Propellers of the Airbus Military A400M Transport Aircraft Christopher Werby

Airbus Military A400M Transport Aircraft

Aircraft Graveyard Olga Werby

The Aircraft Graveyard was Closed

We had our last dinner with Theodora and Theodoros at an appropriately themed restaurant with airplanes on the walls: La Braisière. Nicholas rallied and joined us for dinner.

Dinner at La Braisière in Toulouse

Theodoros Panou and Theodora “Dora” Varvarigou at Dinner Olga Werby
Nicholas at the Open Fire Pretending to Cook Meat Olga Werby

Steak Timothy Werby

The food was cooked over the open flames. But the boys said that it was not as good as my cooking, oh well. The chef let Nicholas pose with the cooking meat.

We enjoyed ourselves, walked around the old town—have to try to balance out our calorie consumption somehow—and called it a day.

Tomorrow will be our last day in France!