49 Years Ago, the Concorde Entered Supersonic Service
This page is translated from the original post "Il y a 49 ans, le Concorde entrait en service supersonique" in French.
- 21/08/2025 10:11
On August 21, 1976, commercial aviation reached a historic milestone with the entry into service of the Concorde.
The result of an unprecedented Franco-British collaboration between Aérospatiale and British Aircraft Corporation, the Concorde promised to connect continents at a speed previously reserved for military jets, Mach 2, or over 2,000 km/h.
The first commercial flight took place simultaneously on two routes, London–Bahrain for British Airways and Paris–Rio (with a stop in Dakar) for Air France. The event made headlines in newspapers worldwide. For the first time, passengers could have lunch in Paris and dinner in Rio, while flying twice as fast as sound.
The Concorde was more than just an airplane. It embodied a vision of progress. Its streamlined fuselage, drooping nose, and delta wings were instantly recognizable. Designed to fly at an altitude of 18,000 meters, it offered passengers an exceptional view, with the sky turning dark blue and the curvature of the Earth clearly visible.
With only a hundred seats, the onboard experience was almost like that of a private jet. On the technical side, the Concorde was equipped with four Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus turbojet engines and a structure capable of withstanding the intense heat generated by supersonic flight.
Between Dreams and Constraints
While the Concorde epitomized modernity, it remained complex and costly. Its fuel consumption was very high, and the sonic boom prohibited flying at Mach 2 over populated areas, limiting the aircraft to transoceanic routes.
Despite these constraints, it remained in service for twenty-seven years, transporting heads of state, stars, and busy businessmen, before its retirement in 2003.
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Today, the Concorde remains a legend of aviation. No other commercial aircraft has since matched its speed. Civilian supersonic prototypes are under study, but none are flying yet. For many, the Concorde symbolizes an era when technology seemed capable of achieving anything.
Forty-nine years ago, the world looked up at the sky in admiration. The era of commercial supersonic travel had just begun. Even grounded, the Concorde continues to inspire dreams and reminds us that audacity and engineering can sometimes surpass imagination.
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