Abstract

In the first century of powered flight and right up to today, there has never been another aircraft, civil or military, which can do what Concorde did. There have been and are aircraft that can fly faster or higher, or carry more people, or fly further. But none of them could fly at Mach 2 across the Atlantic, without refuelling, with one hundred passengers on board, in just over three hours.

Concorde brought us many technological advances that are in use throughout aviation today – fly-by-wire controls, just one example. But Concorde was much more than just an aircraft. It was, and still is, an icon.

To hear what made Concorde special David Rowland will trace the origins of the aircraft and explain why it was such a huge engineering achievement, a delight to fly and a commercial success.