Concorde, the legendary supersonic aircraft, once amazed the world with its ability to fly from London to New York in just 3.5 hours, which is half the time required by conventional passenger aircraft. Operating from 1976 to 2003, Concorde was not just a means of transportation, but a magical technology capable of exceeding the speed of sound.
Despite its incredible speed and prestige, Concorde faced some serious challenges in terms of business economics. Here are some of its specifications.
- Maximum Altitude: Concorde could reach an altitude of up to 10,000 miles
- Circumnavigating the Earth in 30 Hours: The high speed allowed Concorde to circumnavigate the Earth in a relatively short time
- Mach 2.04 Speed, more than twice the speed of sound
- Arrival Time in New York Faster: Workers in the financial sector appreciated this advantage
- Unique Delta Wing Design and Aircraft Tip: Allows the pilot to easily see the runway, as the aircraft must land at a special angle
Jointly managed by British Airways and Air France, only 14 Concordes were in operation and performed up to 50,000 flights. However, its business model had several weaknesses.
- Limited Market: The slender aerodynamic design could only accommodate 109 passengers, resulting in very expensive ticket prices, up to $11,000 (while the Boeing 747 can carry more than 800 passengers)
- High Maintenance Cost: The aircraft expanded up to 30 cm at maximum height, requiring 28 hours for maintenance (while regular aircraft can do it in less than 2 hours)
- High Fuel Consumption: Each flight required 28,000 liters of fuel for a maximum of 109 passengers, while commercial aircraft only needed a quarter of it
- Noise: Noise restrictions during takeoff led several cities to ban the Concorde and limit flight destinations
The development of the Concorde cost $2.8 billion and was funded by the British and French governments. Although the airline was able to fly profitably for several years, its business model changed because the aircraft was given away for free, removing the capital burden for the airline.
Eventually, the development of the Concorde ended tragically in 2003 after a deadly crash in 2000 and a general slowdown in the industry post-September 11 attacks. Now, everyone is wondering if there will be a return to flights less than 4 hours from London to New York. Several supersonic aircraft startups are proposing this change, and it is not impossible for us to see it by the end of this decade.
Watch the discussion video of the Concorde’s engineering here.
