Table Of ContentC
50th Anniversary Edition
onCorde
Supersonic Icon
BAUERNFEIND
PRESS
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Front cover images images:
Spencer Wilmot (top)
Johnathan Saff ord (bottom)
Back cover images:
Adrian Meredith (top row; second row: right)
Air France (second row: left)
Bob Ware (second row: centre)
Vicentiu Ciorlaus (bottom)
All images except where noted: © Ingo Bauernfeind
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Concorde is a registered trademark of Airbus SAS
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ISBN: 978 3 98159 84 1 4
1st Edition / Copyright © Bauernfeind Press 2018
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Edited by Chris Cocks
Printed in Slovenia through Gorenjski Tisk Storitve, 4000, Kranj
2
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Contents
Forewords 4
A Celebration of Concorde 8
Acknowledgements 9
Building the Dream 10
The Design of a Marvel 54
The Age of Concorde 70
Concorde as an Icon 112
Memorable Moments and Anecdotes 144
Au Revoir and Farewell 152
Return to Flight? 170
A Supersonic Future? 186
Significance and Legacy of Concorde 202
Sources 208
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3
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Foreword
by Captain John Hutchinson, British Airways (ret.)
If anyone had said to me in even more remarkable. The
[©
A 1955 when I started my fl y- fl ight test programme must
d
ria ing training in the Royal Air surely have been the most
n M Force that just twenty-two intensive of any civil air-
e years later I would be fl ying liner and it is an eloquent
re
d an airliner at supersonic testimony to the risks in-
ith
] speeds, I would have told volved that the prototype
them they were mad. Yet Concordes had escape
that is the reality of what hatches built into them for
happened to me when I the crew because there
was posted onto the British was great uncertainty as
Airways Concorde fl eet in to what might happen if,
the early summer of 1977. say, an engine failed whilst
It illustrates perfectly the fl ying at Mach 2 at 60,000
remarkable developments feet.
in aviation that took place The British team, head-
in the twentieth century. ed by Sir George Edwards,
From the Wright brothers’ had some outstanding
fi rst successful controlled people including, amongst
fl ight on 17 December many others, Sir Stanley
1903 to the maiden fl ight Hooker (father of the Olym-
of the Concorde prototype pus engine), Sir Archibald
on 2 March 1969 was a Russell and Ted Talbot. My
span of just over sixty-fi ve admiration for this brilliant
years. It truly was an amaz- team of boffi ns knows no
ing century in which the bounds; compressibility of
human race seemed willing air at supersonic speeds
to rise to the challenges of presents profound chal-
new technologies in a way lenges which were over-
that we seem to have lost come by innovative and
today. And I haven’t even imaginative solutions. They
mentioned space explora- created an aeroplane that
tion or lunar landing pro- was as beautiful to fl y as
grammes. she was to look at and
Concorde was the prod- which, in sustained su-
uct of a highly successful personic fl ight, performed
Anglo-French partnership quite eff ortlessly. So eff ort-
and in terms of her per- lessly in fact that a friend of
formance she achieved Sir George Edwards went
all that the manufacturers on a Concorde fl ight in
claimed. When one consid- the early days and on his
ers the materials and com- return home complained
puter technology that was bitterly to Sir George about
available to those aerody- how ordinary the fl ight had
namicists and engineers been. To which Sir George
this achievement becomes replied: “Ah yes; that was
4 Foreword
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the hard part: to make it ing aeroplane to manage. cated group of people, do- to chat about her interest in
seem so ordinary.” I be- If you were not on top of ing a job that required real aviation. Eventually I asked
lieve it was the architect your game she could make engineering skills. I would when she had first seen an
Sir Hugh Casson who once a complete fool of you. like to record my thanks aeroplane. Oh, she said,
described Concorde as a If something went wrong and appreciation to the en- it was when one of the
piece of twentieth-century when flying at twice the tire Concorde team and to Wright brothers landed at
sculpture. That defines her speed of sound at 60,000 all those passengers who Savannah, Georgia in 1908.
perfectly: she was a fusion feet the problem had to be flew on her over the years Then, with some trepida-
of art and technology into a dealt with effectively and for enabling me to fly this tion, I asked her when she
sublime and iconic whole. decisively; it was essen- wondrous aircraft for fif- had first flown. Her reply: “I
I have often been asked tial that all members of the teen glorious years. first flew with Louis Blériot
what she was like to fly. I flight crew knew exactly I am delighted to have in 1911.” My jaw must have
would say that Concorde what their roles were and been asked to write the fallen to the floor; there is
was an immensely power- had to work flat out until foreword to this book be- no response to a comment
ful, finely tuned and very the problem was resolved. cause, above all else, it is like that. Here I was talking
responsive thoroughbred. The Concorde fleet was a celebration of Concorde to a woman who had gone
Trimmed up properly, she comprised of a close- and all that she meant in her lifetime from flying
could be flown with the knit team consisting of to those who knew her. with Blériot at 23 miles per
use of thumb and fore- flight-deck crew, cabin I would like to leave you hour to flying with me in a
finger alone. She was in- crew, ground engineers, with a final thought, the Concorde at 23 miles per
credibly easy to fly. In the refuellers, check-in staff, story of a flight I did to minute. It humbles me to
mid-1980s various forma- dispatchers, flight plan- Washington in 1978. I had think that I have spoken
tion flights were organized ners, load-sheet staff been contacted by British to and shaken hands with
– some with the Red Ar- and a whole host of other Airways a few days before someone who has spo-
rows and one famous one ground staff. Everyone in- the flight to tell me that an ken to and shaken hands
when four Concordes flew volved was captivated by elderly American woman with the Wright brothers
in formation with each oth- this beautiful aircraft and was going to be one of my and with Louis Blériot. It
er. There was some con- worked their socks off to passengers and that she says it all about aviation in
cern about how easy it was make the operation the was a passionate lover of the twentieth century. She
going to be to do this from great success that it be- aeroplanes. She had been stayed up on the flight deck
a handling aspect as well came in British Airways. It the first person to buy a for the landing into Wash-
as concern about the jet is always dangerous to cite ticket on United Airlines ington and announced as
wake and how that might any one group for special when they started up in the she got off that she was
affect other aircraft in the mention as the operation 1920s and had been their never going to fly again:
formation. These concerns was dependent on the pro- guest of honour at a 50th now that she had flown on
proved groundless and it fessionalism of everyone birthday celebration which Concorde, the supreme
led over the years to many involved but I feel I must had taken place a year or achievement of passenger
formations being flown single out the ground en- two before this Concorde flight, she had done it all.
with the ‘Reds’ whose own gineers. They were the un- flight. Would I please look People never spoke
tribute to the magnificent sung heroes of Concorde after her? On the flight to about the Concorde or a
Concorde was to create who were very much in Washington, after the meal Concorde: she was simply
their own ‘Concorde for- the background but with- service was over, I asked Concorde, the ultimate fly-
mation’. Having said all out whose expertise and the cabin crew to bring ing experience. I do hope
this, although she was skill the aeroplane could her up onto the flight deck. you enjoy this book as
very easy to fly, she was a not have flown. They were Having got her installed in much as I enjoyed flying
demanding and unforgiv- the most remarkably dedi- the jump seat, we started the beautiful white bird.
5
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Foreword
by Captain Béatrice Vialle, Air France
Flying Concorde was a My Concorde experience
[C
o dream that every pilot was short but enormously
u
rte cherished, more or less se- intense. It all began in early
s
y o cretly. She was the aviation 2000 when I was a co-pilot
f B fl agship in both design and on the Boeing 747. Having
é
a technology. Unrivalled to had the good fortune of
trice this day for her technical having two children, born
Via performance and aesthet- in 1994 and 1997, after
lle ics, she will remain for eter- nine years as fi rst offi cer
]
nity a pilot’s grail. on the B-727, A-320, and
Having started my fl ying B-747, I had made a de-
career, somewhat mod- cision in 1994 to remain a
estly, in 1984 at Air Littoral fi rst offi cer on the B-747
on a small turboprop air- rather than taking up the
craft called the Bandeiran- position of captain
te, I had the opportunity We regularly make career
– during the Cannes Film choices and obviously our
Festival and the Monaco fi rst choice at the time was
Grand Prix – to park my always Concorde. By 2000
plane next to the magnifi - I had therefore become a
cent bird in Nice. Obvious- veteran co-pilot on the se-
ly, my admiration for Con- niority list, which allowed
corde prompted me to ask me to be considered for
the pilots for permission to the position of co-pilot on
board, just to have a look. Concorde. To this day, I still
Although security rules remember the phone call
then were far less strict from Concorde’s chief pilot
than they are today, the asking me whether I was
crew declined. My disap- available to do a familiar-
pointment was boundless. ization fl ight on the aircraft.
I promised myself then, I always felt this dream was
that if one day given the unachievable but I realized
opportunity to fl y the air- then that it might become
craft, I would off er such a a reality.
wonderful experience to all A year earlier, an urgent
my colleagues who wanted mission for Air France had
to see this legendary air- allowed me to fl y to New
craft. I did this motived by York on board Concorde;
the same spirit with which I I was delighted that I’d
agreed to contribute to this be making such an unex-
book by writing a foreword pected fl ight, along with
– to share my passion for the ‘happy few’. What a
this aircraft with you. joy it was to have access
6 Foreword
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to the aircraft, to discover stallation of Kevlar liners timing, permanent anticipa- lovers on board. Some
its narrow cabin and even in the fuel tanks. Thanks to tion, optimal concentration of them had saved a life-
– during the flight – to be this elaborate modification, and it took me all my time, time to make their dream
invited to the cockpit and Concorde regained her air- until the end of the flight, to – to fly twice the speed
finally admire all its very worthiness certificate and really appreciate that I had of sound, Mach 2 – come
specific controls. Despite therefore the chance of re- enjoyed my transatlantic true. For the last time in its
being just a spectator, I turning to the air. crossing in Concorde. Air France career, I landed
was happy already. Having maintained our During my Concorde the almost-mythical aircraft
My Concorde conversion skills with simulator train- years, with such access to at Roissy where a huge
course began in May. What ing throughout this period, the exceptional technologi- crowd was gathered. I feel
was totally new to me was we were eager to see her cal prowess of the aircraft, extremely privileged, hon-
to learn about flying faster take off so proudly again which made piloting such a oured and proud to have
than the speed of sound. and eventually be able wonderful experience, ev- been the only female Con-
It was absolutely fascinat- to fly her. However, on 11 ery flight was special. It says corde pilot at Air France.
ing to discover all the new September 2001, I was in everything that the entire After the end of Con-
phenomena encountered Châteauroux for my first Concorde team – the tech- corde in May 2003, anoth-
during supersonic flight and hour of offline flight train- nicians, ground crew, airline er challenge awaited me:
the complex challenges so ing (without passengers) to staff and air crew – was becoming captain on a
brilliantly mastered by Con- learn how to operate this always totally committed Boeing 747. Therefore, the
corde’s engineers. After very special aircraft, and to ensuring that each flight massive disappointment
acquiring this knowledge, how to take off and land. was as perfect as possible of Concorde’s retirement
the simulator phase and Obviously, my joy for hav- for the passenger. This syn- opened new doors: anoth-
training for the procedures ing completed this very ergistic search for perfec- er position with Air France,
of the three flight domains first flying hour at the con- tion was so enriching and and more responsibilities
– subsonic, transonic and trols of this beautiful ma- rewarding that it increased for the rest of my career.
supersonic –began, as well chine was totally shattered tenfold the pleasure of fly- First, I became a captain
as all the various abnormal by the tragic events in New ing such an aircraft. on the classic Boeing 747,
measures that might re- York which again led to the I was very happy to be then on the Boeing 747-400
quire implementation. question: Would Concorde able to offer my parents and now on the Boeing 777.
Unfortunately, just after ever resume her flights to a return flight from New Concorde was the result
the final simulator exam, New York? York, at my side, making of extraordinary coopera-
the Concorde accident oc- A month later Concorde this incredible and almost tion between France and
curred. We were all deep- was to overcome this ob- inaccessible experience of Great Britain. Today, Airbus
ly devastated, and our stacle. After my four hours supersonic flight a reality owes a great deal to this
course was interrupted of offline flight, I had the for them. This was the best project that was so futuris-
before we had a chance to opportunity to make my way for me to express my tic and daring for its time.
fly the aircraft. For a year, first Paris–New York cross- gratitude for their support Indeed, most of the tech-
we attentively followed ing in Concorde in early during my studies and to nological innovations de-
the progress of restoring October 2001. The flight re- share with them my pride. veloped for Concorde are
Concorde’s airworthiness mains forever etched in my My last flight was very now standard in modern
certificate, which included memory. The workload was moving. We were flying a aircraft.
the development of new enormously intense. The supersonic loop over the Concorde will forever re-
Michelin tyres and the in- aircraft required flawless Atlantic with Concorde main an aviation legend.
7
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A Celebration of Concorde
For more than half a centu- embodiment of hope and virtually every obstacle. As get. With her top speed of
ry, Concorde has captured optimism in the second half a result, Concorde proved Mach 2 or twice the speed
the imagination of people of the changeful twentieth that two proud nations, of sound, Concorde was
from all over the world. To century. Concorde was France and Britain ‒ once faster than a rifl e bullet,
this day, she is an extraor- one of the most ambitious centuries-long rivals ‒ thus traveling a mile every
dinary feat of engineering, technological endeavours could come together to rise 2½ seconds. While fl ying
as well as a unique blend of the 1960s, only second above technological, polit- at 60,000 feet, at the edge
of power, grace and beau- to the American and So- ical, cultural, fi nancial and of space, you could see
ty. Just as the great ocean viet space programmes. language barriers to build the sky turn deep blue with
liners once ruled the waves Very much like the Apol- an extraordinary aircraft the view of the curvature of
as symbols of French and lo programme, Concorde that made a huge contri- the earth, and enjoy superb
British engineering excel- suff ered worrying setbacks bution in paving the way service, champagne and a
lence, Concorde fl ew the during her development as for successful international cuisine rivalling the world’s
fl ag after fi rst taking to the well as a tragic accident cooperation such as Airbus best restaurants. In her
skies in 1969 ‒ the same during her operational ca- and the European Space spectacular career, Con-
momentous year when Neil reer. Nevertheless, these Agency (ESA). Moreover, corde turned heads wher-
Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin sobering moments never Concorde was the fi rst ever she appeared, admired
set their feet on the moon. derogated from the un- aircraft to be born in two by millions of enthusiasts
Concorde was not only a shakeable belief of Apollo’s countries. worldwide and serving as
technological triumph and and Concorde’s fathers in Flying with her was a thrill an inspiration for future
design icon, she was an their ability to overcome nobody would ever for- aeronautical engineers.
“She’s brought cities together, brought “Concorde will never really stop
people closer, and reminded us all that fl ying because she will live on
we can do extraordinary things.” in people’s imagination.”
British Airways Jean-Cyril Spinetta, former Air France chairman
8 A Celebration of Concorde
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Acknowledgements
Like the development and Willbold, Sylvain Ramadi-
manufacture of Concorde, er, Philippe Créach, Sarha
this book is the result of Foumba and Agnes Car-
international cooperation. mes; British Airways/Brit-
I am sincerely indebted to ish Airways Museum: Gay-
the dozens of Concorde na Fitzgerald, Barry Ballard
professionals and enthusi- and Howell Green; Rolls-
asts who consented to be Royce: Peter Collins.
interviewed and submitted Special thanks and grat-
their personal experiences, itude go to: Musée de l’air
recollections and personal et de l’espace, Le Bourget:
material. Catherine LeBerre, Chris-
Therefore, I would like tophe Goutard, Alex Jolivet
to express my special and Philippe Gebarowski;
gratitude to John Hutchin- Technik Museum Sinsheim:
son, Béatrice Vialle, Pierre Hermann Layher and Sim-
Grange (APCOS), Gérard one Lingner; Brooklands
Duval, Jim Davies (British Museum Trust Ltd: Allan
Airways Museum), Patrick Winn, Julian Temple and
Sevestre, Ian Kirby, Phil- Michelina Caliendo-Sear;
ip Cairns, Ricky Bastin, Air & Space Smithsonian
Adrian Meredith, Suzanne magazine: Linda Shiner;
O’Donoghue, Iona Fergu- Smithsonian Institution:
son, Annick and Claude Dr Robert van der Lin-
Moyal, Nicole Méneveux, den; Aerospace Bristol:
Alain Verschuere, Frank Zoe Watson; Museum of
Debouck, Jean-François Flight, Seattle: Ted Huetter;
Louis, Alain Rolland, Ka- Musée Delta, Paris: Alex-
Commemorating the fiftieth work can make a contribu- tie John and Nigel Ferris andre Pozder; Manches-
anniversary of her maiden tion to keep the Concorde (Mach 2 magazine), Ian ter Airport: Runway Visitor
flight, this volume is a cel- dream alive, I would be Dick, Richard Thomas, Park; Intrepid Sea, Air &
ebration of Concorde, her most grateful. To say it with Johnathan Safford, Ben Space Museum, New York;
charisma, her uniqueness, the words of Concorde Wang, Bernard Charles, Musée Aeroscopia, Tou-
and her legacy ‒ as told by passenger Ben Wang: “So Jean-Philippe Lemaire, louse; and British Ministry
those French and British fasten your seatbelt, sit Guy Cervelle, Michel Thori- of Defence.
professionals who skilfully back, relax and let’s shoot gny, Aris Pappas, Caroline Many thanks also to
flew her, served aboard her into the stratosphere!” Cadier, and many more. Marcus Linke for the cov-
and kept her flying. If this The following contrib- er design and the desktop
uted vital information: Air publishing, Matthias Nien-
France: Susanne Freitag/ haus for translation, Marc
f2 KREATION; Air France Feldermann for assistance,
Museum: Jean Signoret, Chris Cocks for editing,
Bernard Pourchet. Airbus: and all the photographers
Cassian Koshorst, Char- who have contributed to
Ingo Bauernfeind, lotte Dutilh, Hans-Ulrich this book.
Honolulu, Hawaii, 26 November 2018
(15 years to the day since Concorde made her very last flight)
9
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