Concorde was a British-French supersonic passenger airliner operated by British Airways and Air France. It cruised at about Mach 2 and made scheduled transatlantic journeys in roughly half the time of conventional jetliners.[1]
Specifications
The principal family-level specifications are shown in the information panel. Values vary by variant, cabin, engine and operating rules; the linked manufacturer material is the controlling reference.
Development history
Britain and France signed a treaty in 1962 to combine their supersonic transport projects. The French-built prototype flew in March 1969 and the British prototype followed in April. Cost escalation, environmental restrictions and the oil crisis reduced the expected market to two state airlines.[1]
Variants
Twenty aircraft were built: two prototypes, two pre-production aircraft, two development aircraft and fourteen production airliners. No stretched or freight derivative entered production.
Current and former operators
Current operators: none; all surviving aircraft are preserved. Former operators: British Airways and Air France were the principal owners and scheduled operators. Braniff conducted US domestic sectors under interchange arrangements.
Engines
Four Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 turbojets provided reheated thrust for take-off and transonic acceleration. Variable intakes managed airflow at supersonic speed.
Orders and deliveries
Twenty aircraft were completed and fourteen production examples entered airline service. This is a closed, stable production total.
Accidents and incidents
Air France Flight 4590 crashed after take-off from Paris Charles de Gaulle in 2000. The BEA found that tyre debris and fuel-tank damage led to a severe fire; modifications were made before a brief return to service.[2]
Compare with
Direct primary sources
Celebrating Concorde — British Airways
Air France Flight 4590 final report — Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses