Do You Know That? Higher, Farther, Faster II.
Development and operation of civil aircrafts capable to overcome the threshold of sound was the primary task of most aircraft designers since the beginning of 70 years, but just as quickly this trend began and ended well, though this era lasted almost 30 years, but he survived only one machine - the Concorde, but its speed and lack of profitability was driven shadow and extreme costs associated with the operation even beautiful, but totally impractical machines. In an impressive cruising speed 2172 km per hour, the airplane could fly the Atlantic in less than three hours. The route from Europe to America, landed passengers due to the time delay even an hour before it took off ... and in fact the only major destination was New York. For commercial flights was made total 16 aircraft. The original general orders were cancel after the onset of the oil crisis and the overall transformation of the economy in the early 80s, so a only one operator was the de facto authority - British Airways and Air France, which even managed to make their flights for a short time and profit, especially on luxury lines for VIP passengers. One machine was leased by Singapore Airlines and also less known U.S. carriers Braniff International. German Lufthansa had to cancel three orders. Despite all the pitfalls of the Concorde project was largely successful achievement in the field of supersonic flying era which dates from 1970, from the first take-off prototype, through the year 1976 - the first commercial flight and closes until 2003 when they landed last line flight between New York and London.
The air ticket price even with the discounts was about two hundred and fifty thousand crowns ... The worse event jointed with the Concorde was air disaster, when the plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. The problem was rather a coincidence, when the metal part from another aircraft tire broke during start up, which then exploded and the loose parts off disrupted power lines and caused a fire around the engine. The start speed wasn’t possible correct to the emergency landing, and so less than a minute after the plane crashed near the airport, small hotel ... None of 109 passengers survived. Year 2003 will definitely closes the glorious history of this remarkable machine that has never been profitable.
The total capacity |
152 passengers |
Cruising speed |
2100 km/h |
Maximum speed |
2352 km/h |
Range |
7250 km |
Service ceiling |
18 300 m |
Price |
£ 23 million (year 1977), 122 million pounds (2008) |
length X spanning |
62 m x 25 m |
Author note: about the closest Concord exposed specimen is exhibited, along with TU-144 on the roof technical museum in Germany Sinsheim...
Text: Jan Chaloupka
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Do You Know That? Higher, Farther, Faster
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