Guy Bartlett on Concorde (General Meeting talk)

Guy Bartlett, an aviation historian and a UAV pilot, (Photo), came to talk to us about the fabulous UK/France Concorde project. This had started life in the UK in the 1950s and led to the establishment and provision of a World supersonic jet service. It changed air travel design forever. Guy had footage for us to marvel at too from the
design stage through to its flights and to its swan song. Representatives of Industry and Government first came together in the UK at a central location which they had travelled to on steam trains to discuss the feasibility! Wanting international partners and with the US more interested in rocket knowledge, France's military expertise in this area led to a joint agreement with them and drawings and sharing of prototypes commenced. There were many issues to confront, not least the heating of the craft as it took off so special paints and different alloys were needed. The design of the delta wing was all important, the droop nose, the unique vortex lift, the vast amounts of water vapour generated as it took off. There were definitely challenges and the first public viewing was in Toulouse in 1967. Other countries were trialling parallel approaches by now - the US with Boeing and the Russians (who had actually flown their own version 4 months earlier). 

The first recorded flight of Concorde was in March 1969 and both countries placed orders for more Concordes. These supersonic jets, run on fuel, broke the sound barrier and issued a sonic boom; this was fine over water but blew out people's windows so supersonic flight was only possible at sea. The 1973 oil crisis affected demand outside of the UK and France resulting in 14 craft shared equally between both countries. Now the rivalry began to see who should fly first and where. A run between Boston and Paris and back showed the Concorde could stop for lunch and refuel and return and still beat a 747 craft single flight.

Generally, the Concorde had a good safety record but a bad crash and heavy passenger death numbers in July 2000 in Paris dented confidence and it was taken out of service in 2001 and business never really recovered. For the last time, in October 2003, 3 Concordes flew into Heathrow and then Filton. 

At speeds of 250 mph take off, 187 mph landing, 1350 mph while cruising at 60,000 feet, 1 mile every 2.75 seconds, faster than a bullet and twice the speed of sound the Concorde was exceptional. It is still possible to see these crafts in the UK at Brooklands,  Yeovilton, Filton near Bristol, Manchester and Duxford and in various locations in France, the US, Germany and Barbados. 

What a story, thanks Guy.

Contributed by Angela Dowling