Concorde was the commercial aircraft that was both loved and envied by aviation enthusiasts
worldwide. The aircraft started operating over a half a century ago and was the result
of a merger between British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) and France’s Aérospatiale.
Making its first test flight on March 2nd, 1969, there may be a few things about the
Concorde’s rich history and complicated past that you might not already know...
1. The aircraft stretches each flight As a result of the intense heat produced by
the airframe, the plane would stretch anywhere from 6-10 inches each trip, before contracting
as it cooled. With the plane cruising at 60,000 feet, some say the curvature of the Earth
is also visible at this altitude. 2. The Concorde was inefficient at low speeds
When the Concorde was operating at Mach 2, it was known to be somewhat fuel-efficient.
However, as a result of its design, it could burn up to two tons of fuel when simply taxiing
to and from the runway! 3. It had a rival from the Soviet Union
Known as the first commercial aircraft to exceed Mach 2, the Tupolev Tu-144 hailed from
Russia, having similar features to the Concorde. The Russian passenger aircraft took its first
flight three months before the Anglo-French plane.
According to the BBC, the Tupolev Tu-144 never became as popular as the Concorde. It was
“10 to 15 years ahead of what the Soviet aviation industry was capable of at the time.”
The Tu-144 had design failures – mainly in the manufacture of its brakes and engine
control. The jet is best remembered for a disaster that took place at the 1973 Paris
Air Show. It was there that the display broke apart in mid-air, killing 14 people.
4. There was an Anti-Concorde Project Founded by activist Richard Wiggs in 1966,
the Anti-Concorde Project proved to be another setback for the jet.
As reported by The Telegraph, Wiggs viewed the Concorde as “elitist and inherently
unsafe.” Specifically, the jet’s loud sonic booms were cause for concern environmentally.
5. Fastest crossing of the Atlantic Up until today, the Concorde holds the record
for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic, coming in at 2 hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds.
The flight occurred on February 7th, 1986, from New York to London. It would usually
take a little over seven hours to complete the route with subsonic aircraft.
6. The aircraft served the elite in luxury Concorde passengers came from elite backgrounds
and were treated to luxury on each flight. Each meal consisted of gourmet delicacies
from lobster and truffles to caviar and foie gras, all accompanied by champagne.
There was an exclusive party onboard its last commercial flight. The jet’s last flight
ever took passengers from New York to Heathrow in London. It served celebrities and high-profile
individuals including Sting, Joan Collins, and Christie Brinkley.
7. The “e” in Concorde was controversial Even the ending letter of the Concorde caused
controversy. Initially viewed as the French spelling, UK Prime Minister Harold Macmillan
took away the “e” after an argument with Charles De Gaulle.
In 1967, however, technology minister Tony Benn switched it back to the original. He
explained that the “e” was important as it stood for ‘Entente Cordiale’ and ‘excellence.’
8. The oldest passenger to fly on the jet was 105
Across 34 years of operation, the Concorde amassed 2.5 million passengers. Eva Woodman
made history for being the oldest passenger onboard the supersonic jet at 105 years old.
Hailing from Bristol, she took a 90-minute flight from Filton over the Bay of Biscay
in 1998. 9. It had one major crash
The supersonic jet had prided itself on 31 years without crashes, but this came to an
end in July 2000. Air France Flight 4590 crashed upon its takeoff in Paris, erupting into flames.
The incident killed everyone on board, as well as four people on the ground.
10. It didn’t just carry passengers Another exciting piece of information about
the Concorde wasn’t just transport for passengers. Seen as an ultra-quick mode of transport,
it comes as no surprise that air couriers took advantage of its speed to carry human
organs, diamonds, and currency.
Although the Concorde may no longer be operational, it remains a considerable part of aviation
history. Now, 17 years after the Concorde performed its last flight, there are still
talks about crafting a similar supersonic jet to take its place…
Do you think the Concorde should have continued flying? Let us know in the comments below...