My Branson Moment Looking Down From My Then 'Spacecraft' at the Earth's Curvature 41 Years Ago
Tom Madden, Founder & CEO, TransMedia Group
Not too many of us have had their Richard Branson moments looking down at mother earth from near the edges of outer space.I had mine one unforgettable day back in 1980. That’s right, 1980.I was on a supersonic Concorde flight returning from Europe. We had reached a high enough altitude one day to behold the stunning, mind-boggling view of the curvature of the earth.
The captain then said to sit back with our seatbelt on and to expect to feel some centrifugal force. And man, did we ever!
It was just like the first takeoff from the runway back on earth only this time we were way up in the air. It was five times more forceful, which threw you back into your seat and kept you pinned there for several seconds. It was exhilarating.
Norman and I looked down and could see the curvature of our beautiful mother earth. It was breathtaking!
It was my Branson moment!
When I was blessed to have had that rare astronaut experience, it didn’t cost $200,000 a ticket like it does today on Virgin Galactic.But man did I get into a mess of trouble at NBC for what it did cost back then when I was vice president, assistant to the president. My illustrious boss, Fred Silverman, sadly is no longer with us, cranking out those winning sitcoms.The CFO of NBC at the time one day called me on the carpet at 30 Rock.He said how dare I spend my entire month’s expense allowance to fly on the Concorde back from my assignment in Europe where I was producing a promo reel, “The Making of SHOGUN,” to promote the miniseries based on James Clavell’s popular novel of Japan.At a Friday wrap-up lunch with Clavell in London, he asked what was my hurry to get back?” He suggested I spend part of the weekend in Paris and then take the Concorde back from there on Sunday. In three hours, I’d be back in New York.Hmmmmm. Sounded like a plan. So, on I went to one of my favorite cities.On that auspicious return flight aboard the Concorde, I sat next to the famous writer/producer of All in the Family, Norman Lear. The series aired on CBS and then on ABC where I was writing Silverman’s speeches before he jumped ship to become CEO of NBC taking me with him.That series was the first to bring reality to prime-time TV entertainment as the lead character, Archie Bunker, played by Carroll O’Connor, was a loudmouthed, uneducated bigot who believed in every stereotype he ever heard. His wife, Edith, played by Jean Stapleton, was sweet but not the sharpest knife in the drawer.Lear and were chatting about this and other TV series he created when the pilot interrupted with an announcement I’ll never forget.The Concorde had just passed the continental shelf of Europe, when the captain said there would be another takeoff. What? Another takeoff? We’re already in the air!The captain then said to sit back with our seatbelt on and to expect to feel some centrifugal force. And man, did we ever!It was my Branson moment!Norman and I looked down and could see the curvature of our beautiful mother earth. It was breathtaking!
About the Author: Besides an inveterate blogger, Tom Madden is an author of countless published articles and five books, including his latest, WORDSHINE MAN, available this summer on Amazon. He is the founder and CEO of TransMedia Group, an award-winning public relations firm serving clients worldwide since 1981 and has conducted remarkably successful media campaigns and crisis management for America’s largest companies and organizations.
