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G-BOAD - British Aerospace/Aérospatiale Concorde 102 - British Airways - September 2022
The Concorde was an engineering marvel as it was the most specialized and fastest aircraft ever used for commercial passenger service. It flew faster and higher than any other commercial aircraft in aviation history. The aircraft was developed under an Anglo-French treaty signed by both countries in November 1962. It was jointly manufactured by Aérospatiale in France and the British Aircraft Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was designed in the 1960s when America and the USSR (Russia) were developing supersonic transports (SST) of their own. Boeing's design entry, the Boeing 2707, was canceled because of hard-to-find materials and cost overruns. This would put the Concorde project firmly in the lead.
The name Concorde, which means agreement, harmony, or union in English, reflects the cooperation between the two countries on the groundbreaking project. Many airlines all around the world immediately took an interest in this new concept. Most of these orders, however, ended up being dropped or canceled altogether. The Concorde's limited commercial success can be attributed to several factors, including its high operating costs, limited range, and the 1973 oil crisis which significantly increased fuel prices. Only British Airways and Air France were the two airlines that operated Concorde flights. Each had a fleet of seven aircraft with a total of 20 aircraft produced; six were non-commercial. When it was first introduced, the Concorde had it all: elegant, luxurious, and extremely fast. These commodities were reserved only for the upper class and were extremely expensive. In 1972, a first-class ticket was estimated to cost around $3,800 for a round trip ($26,585 today).
The Concorde took its monumental first flight on March 1st, 1969. However, she was sadly not the first SST to fly. That distinction goes to the competing Soviet Union and its Tupolev Tu-144. This was achieved in typical Soviet-era fashion by obtaining designs and documents via industrial espionage. The Tu-144 took flight two months before Concorde, on December 31st, 1968. Entering service on December 26th, 1975, was nowhere near as successful as its British/French competitors.
The Tu-144 was like Concorde's crazy older sister. It was insanely loud, uncomfortable, and dangerous. If you compare the two aircraft, you will see that the Tu-144 knocked off Concorde's design. However, it did some things better, like carrying more passengers and even flying faster. The more primitive engines and cooling systems worked together to produce a sound so loud that people flying in the 144 couldn't even talk to one another. Instead, they had to pass around handwritten notes. The engines used on the Tu-144 burned up so much fuel that the only route it flew regularly was between Moscow and Almaty, Kazakhstan. It couldn't even cross the entire Soviet Union.
Despite all this, the aircraft only flew once a week, even though eight other aircraft were certified and ready for service. Out of 102 scheduled flights, there were 226 mechanical failures, 80 of which were serious enough to either delay or cancel the flight altogether. Its airworthiness was also in serious question. It only performed a total of 55 flights, the last occurring on June 1st, 1978, after two were lost in crashes. The first occurred at the 1973 Paris Airshow, the second happened in 1978 when a cargo version went down after a fuel line ruptured, and a third incident occurred in 1980 when another suffered an engine explosion, forcing an emergency landing. These landings were often so hard that the plane used a built-in parachute. Sixteen Tu-144s were eventually built before the program was canceled in 1983.
The Concorde's design team had state-of-the-art Rolls-Royce Olympus 593 engines (The same engines used on the Avro Vulcan bombers) with computer-controlled engine inlets that allowed for supercruise. This meant that her fuel-thirsty afterburners could be switched off once Concorde reached supersonic while maintaining supersonic speeds. It also had a sophisticated delta wing optimized for supersonic and low-speed flying. Another cool feature the Concorde had was a passenger cabin display board. This showed the aircraft's current altitude, mach, Outside Air Temperature (OAT), and ground speed. It was a popular feature with passengers, allowing them to track the aircraft's progress and see how fast they were flying. The Concorde also had a unique droop nose, which was lowered during takeoff and landing to improve visibility for the pilots.
When Air France and British Airways commenced commercial operations with the Concorde in 1976, it was a historic moment. The Concorde was the world's first and only supersonic passenger transport (SST), a testament to human ingenuity and technological advancement. However, it faced initial challenges, particularly with noise issues that led to a temporary ban on the East Coast. Despite these obstacles, the Concorde's pioneering spirit prevailed, and the ban was eventually lifted in February of 1977.
An interesting part of the Concorde's history I didn't know about was that it was briefly operated by an American airline. From December 1978 until May 1980, Braniff International Airways (BIA) would lease 11 Concordes, five from Air France and six from BA. These were used on subsonic flights between Dallas, TX, and Washington, D.C., flown by Braniff flight crews. Air France and British Airways crews then took over for the continuing supersonic flights to London or Paris. The aircraft were registered in both the United States and their home countries; the European registration was covered up while being operated by Braniff, retaining full AF/BA liveries. The flights were not as profitable as Braniff had hoped and were typically less than 50% booked, forcing Braniff to end its tenure as the only U.S. Concorde operator in May of 1980.
The Concorde had a reputation for having a perfect safety record until a fatal crash of an Air France Concorde operating flight AF4590 occurred outside of Paris on July 25th, 2000. All 109 passengers and crew, plus four more people on the ground, were killed. This accident severely damaged the aircraft's reputation and temporarily grounded the fleet until November 2001. Regardless, the plane remained in service for nearly three decades, carrying many VIPs and upper-class travelers. However, due to a combination of factors including the 2000 crash, rising maintenance costs, and a decrease in demand, the Concorde was retired in November 2003. This marked the end of an era of supersonic commercial aviation. The final flight of any Concorde took place on November 26th, flying from London Heathrow to Filton, Bristol, UK, for preservation.
Reaching a maximum altitude of 60,000 feet (18,288 m), which was high enough to see Earth's curvature, Concorde flew at over twice the speed of sound, or 1,350 mph (2,170 kph). With these impressive speeds, Concorde made the transatlantic flight from New York to London or Paris in about three hours, which is less than half the time of conventional jetliners, even to this day. This aircraft, serial number 100-010 (G-BOAD), was affectionately nicknamed "Alpha Delta." She flew her first flight on August 25th, 1976, and served with British Airways until being retired in November 2003. This specific aircraft was the last Concorde to depart from JFK Airport, so it is only fitting that she is on display in New York City.
Alpha Delta is also known for having the short-lived Singapore Airlines livery placed on the left side and held a joint marketing agreement that saw Singapore insignia on the cabin fittings, as well as the airline's "Singapore Girl" stewardesses jointly sharing cabin duties with British Airways flight attendants. However, all flight crews, operations, and insurances remained solely under British Airways, and at no point did Singapore Airlines operate Concorde services under its own operator's certification nor wet-lease any aircraft. This arrangement initially lasted only for three flights, conducted between December 9th and 13th, 1977; it resumed on January 24th, 1979, and operated until November 1st, 1980. The Singapore Airlines livery was used on G-BOAD from 1977 to 1980.
Alpha Delta would make history when she set a new world speed record for passenger airliners on February 7th, 1996. She flew from New York to London in just 2 hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds! This record, unbelievably, still stands today. When she was retired, she had logged the most flying hours out of the 20 Concordes built at an astounding 23,397 total flight hours. I saw her here looking quite beat up, and the paint faded. Hopefully, she'll be restored and repainted soon.
G-BOAD - British Aerospace/Aérospatiale Concorde 102 - British Airways - September 2022
The Concorde was an engineering marvel as it was the most specialized and fastest aircraft ever used for commercial passenger service. It flew faster and higher than any other commercial aircraft in aviation history. The aircraft was developed under an Anglo-French treaty signed by both countries in November 1962. It was jointly manufactured by Aérospatiale in France and the British Aircraft Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was designed in the 1960s when America and the USSR (Russia) were developing supersonic transports (SST) of their own. Boeing's design entry, the Boeing 2707, was canceled because of hard-to-find materials and cost overruns. This would put the Concorde project firmly in the lead.
The name Concorde, which means agreement, harmony, or union in English, reflects the cooperation between the two countries on the groundbreaking project. Many airlines all around the world immediately took an interest in this new concept. Most of these orders, however, ended up being dropped or canceled altogether. The Concorde's limited commercial success can be attributed to several factors, including its high operating costs, limited range, and the 1973 oil crisis which significantly increased fuel prices. Only British Airways and Air France were the two airlines that operated Concorde flights. Each had a fleet of seven aircraft with a total of 20 aircraft produced; six were non-commercial. When it was first introduced, the Concorde had it all: elegant, luxurious, and extremely fast. These commodities were reserved only for the upper class and were extremely expensive. In 1972, a first-class ticket was estimated to cost around $3,800 for a round trip ($26,585 today).
The Concorde took its monumental first flight on March 1st, 1969. However, she was sadly not the first SST to fly. That distinction goes to the competing Soviet Union and its Tupolev Tu-144. This was achieved in typical Soviet-era fashion by obtaining designs and documents via industrial espionage. The Tu-144 took flight two months before Concorde, on December 31st, 1968. Entering service on December 26th, 1975, was nowhere near as successful as its British/French competitors.
The Tu-144 was like Concorde's crazy older sister. It was insanely loud, uncomfortable, and dangerous. If you compare the two aircraft, you will see that the Tu-144 knocked off Concorde's design. However, it did some things better, like carrying more passengers and even flying faster. The more primitive engines and cooling systems worked together to produce a sound so loud that people flying in the 144 couldn't even talk to one another. Instead, they had to pass around handwritten notes. The engines used on the Tu-144 burned up so much fuel that the only route it flew regularly was between Moscow and Almaty, Kazakhstan. It couldn't even cross the entire Soviet Union.
Despite all this, the aircraft only flew once a week, even though eight other aircraft were certified and ready for service. Out of 102 scheduled flights, there were 226 mechanical failures, 80 of which were serious enough to either delay or cancel the flight altogether. Its airworthiness was also in serious question. It only performed a total of 55 flights, the last occurring on June 1st, 1978, after two were lost in crashes. The first occurred at the 1973 Paris Airshow, the second happened in 1978 when a cargo version went down after a fuel line ruptured, and a third incident occurred in 1980 when another suffered an engine explosion, forcing an emergency landing. These landings were often so hard that the plane used a built-in parachute. Sixteen Tu-144s were eventually built before the program was canceled in 1983.
The Concorde's design team had state-of-the-art Rolls-Royce Olympus 593 engines (The same engines used on the Avro Vulcan bombers) with computer-controlled engine inlets that allowed for supercruise. This meant that her fuel-thirsty afterburners could be switched off once Concorde reached supersonic while maintaining supersonic speeds. It also had a sophisticated delta wing optimized for supersonic and low-speed flying. Another cool feature the Concorde had was a passenger cabin display board. This showed the aircraft's current altitude, mach, Outside Air Temperature (OAT), and ground speed. It was a popular feature with passengers, allowing them to track the aircraft's progress and see how fast they were flying. The Concorde also had a unique droop nose, which was lowered during takeoff and landing to improve visibility for the pilots.
When Air France and British Airways commenced commercial operations with the Concorde in 1976, it was a historic moment. The Concorde was the world's first and only supersonic passenger transport (SST), a testament to human ingenuity and technological advancement. However, it faced initial challenges, particularly with noise issues that led to a temporary ban on the East Coast. Despite these obstacles, the Concorde's pioneering spirit prevailed, and the ban was eventually lifted in February of 1977.
An interesting part of the Concorde's history I didn't know about was that it was briefly operated by an American airline. From December 1978 until May 1980, Braniff International Airways (BIA) would lease 11 Concordes, five from Air France and six from BA. These were used on subsonic flights between Dallas, TX, and Washington, D.C., flown by Braniff flight crews. Air France and British Airways crews then took over for the continuing supersonic flights to London or Paris. The aircraft were registered in both the United States and their home countries; the European registration was covered up while being operated by Braniff, retaining full AF/BA liveries. The flights were not as profitable as Braniff had hoped and were typically less than 50% booked, forcing Braniff to end its tenure as the only U.S. Concorde operator in May of 1980.
The Concorde had a reputation for having a perfect safety record until a fatal crash of an Air France Concorde operating flight AF4590 occurred outside of Paris on July 25th, 2000. All 109 passengers and crew, plus four more people on the ground, were killed. This accident severely damaged the aircraft's reputation and temporarily grounded the fleet until November 2001. Regardless, the plane remained in service for nearly three decades, carrying many VIPs and upper-class travelers. However, due to a combination of factors including the 2000 crash, rising maintenance costs, and a decrease in demand, the Concorde was retired in November 2003. This marked the end of an era of supersonic commercial aviation. The final flight of any Concorde took place on November 26th, flying from London Heathrow to Filton, Bristol, UK, for preservation.
Reaching a maximum altitude of 60,000 feet (18,288 m), which was high enough to see Earth's curvature, Concorde flew at over twice the speed of sound, or 1,350 mph (2,170 kph). With these impressive speeds, Concorde made the transatlantic flight from New York to London or Paris in about three hours, which is less than half the time of conventional jetliners, even to this day. This aircraft, serial number 100-010 (G-BOAD), was affectionately nicknamed "Alpha Delta." She flew her first flight on August 25th, 1976, and served with British Airways until being retired in November 2003. This specific aircraft was the last Concorde to depart from JFK Airport, so it is only fitting that she is on display in New York City.
Alpha Delta is also known for having the short-lived Singapore Airlines livery placed on the left side and held a joint marketing agreement that saw Singapore insignia on the cabin fittings, as well as the airline's "Singapore Girl" stewardesses jointly sharing cabin duties with British Airways flight attendants. However, all flight crews, operations, and insurances remained solely under British Airways, and at no point did Singapore Airlines operate Concorde services under its own operator's certification nor wet-lease any aircraft. This arrangement initially lasted only for three flights, conducted between December 9th and 13th, 1977; it resumed on January 24th, 1979, and operated until November 1st, 1980. The Singapore Airlines livery was used on G-BOAD from 1977 to 1980.
Alpha Delta would make history when she set a new world speed record for passenger airliners on February 7th, 1996. She flew from New York to London in just 2 hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds! This record, unbelievably, still stands today. When she was retired, she had logged the most flying hours out of the 20 Concordes built at an astounding 23,397 total flight hours. I saw her here looking quite beat up, and the paint faded. Hopefully, she'll be restored and repainted soon.