Concorde Designing the Dream Programme
Concorde Designing the Dream Programme
It will be interesting to see if Marshalls get a mention, having designed the nose and visor for all but the first prototype (a bit of tautology there, but you know what I mean), and built at least some ( I worked on nos 2 & 3 numbered I think, 002 and 003 - it was a long time ago
From the Radio Times online:-
In service from 1976 to 2003, there was something so 1980s about the world’s first supersonic passenger plane. In its heyday, people would stop and point when Concorde soared overhead, maybe wondering if Joan Collins were on board, swigging vintage champagne.
Even if you're not into aviation history, this is an intriguing story of barrier-breaking and international one-upmanship. Over tea and biscuits, engineer Ted Talbot shows us his diagrams from the early 60s, but the project didn't get off the ground until a financial "entente concordiale" with France. Old newsreel footage bills the aircraft as a glimpse into the future. Ironically, its paper-dart design still looks futuristic now.
Summary
First of a two-part documentary in which aircraft designers, pilots and passengers tell the story of how the Anglo-French Concorde saw off competition from the Americans and Soviets to become the world's first supersonic passenger airliner. Michael Heseltine describes how the Americans made it impossible for Concorde to be sold to any other airlines other than the national carriers of Britain and France, and even went so far as to try and ban it from the route it had been designed for - London to New York.
Summary
Part two of two. A look at British Airways's attempts in the early 1980s to make the aircraft profitable after finding out Concorde was losing tens of millions a year, sacking those who were in charge and replacing them with two pilots. Former cabin crew explain the level of service their customers expected and how things could sometimes get out of hand with the free-flowing wine and champagne.
Even if you're not into aviation history, this is an intriguing story of barrier-breaking and international one-upmanship. Over tea and biscuits, engineer Ted Talbot shows us his diagrams from the early 60s, but the project didn't get off the ground until a financial "entente concordiale" with France. Old newsreel footage bills the aircraft as a glimpse into the future. Ironically, its paper-dart design still looks futuristic now.
Summary
First of a two-part documentary in which aircraft designers, pilots and passengers tell the story of how the Anglo-French Concorde saw off competition from the Americans and Soviets to become the world's first supersonic passenger airliner. Michael Heseltine describes how the Americans made it impossible for Concorde to be sold to any other airlines other than the national carriers of Britain and France, and even went so far as to try and ban it from the route it had been designed for - London to New York.
Summary
Part two of two. A look at British Airways's attempts in the early 1980s to make the aircraft profitable after finding out Concorde was losing tens of millions a year, sacking those who were in charge and replacing them with two pilots. Former cabin crew explain the level of service their customers expected and how things could sometimes get out of hand with the free-flowing wine and champagne.
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The commentator stated a couple of times that Concorde was the only aircraft that could "supercruise". My understanding is that "supercruise" refers to travelling at M1+ without re-heat. I thought that Lightnings could do that too.
Is that right?
Is that right?
I see one of Pprunes very own M2chaps was in evidence.
Nice programme and good to see Mr Talbot still going strong. His book, Concorde, A Designer's Life is well worth picking up.
Nice programme and good to see Mr Talbot still going strong. His book, Concorde, A Designer's Life is well worth picking up.
Mach2 Supercruise
Correct, but later the commentator qualified his comment with the clarification that he was referring to a supercruise speed of M2.0. This was the level of ability that is still unchallenged.
SWMBO totally mystified by my absorbtion in the TV programme and the occasional lump in my throat. For my part, working on the nose and visor of two aircraft still one of the highlights in what to my good fortune has been an interesting life. As the man said, could still have been making money. What the programme did make clear, and what was clear even at my minor level at the time was the technological advance(s) the project represented. I am very proud of my tiny contribution.
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Back before BA got ETOPS clearance for the 777, they were running them from London to Paris. I was airside at TN4 when one of these came in...the very latest thing in the skies. As the passengers (mostly Americans) made their way to Immigration, they got on the travelator...which took them past the stand where Concorde sat. Things went crazy... out came the cameras and phones and they started walking backwards on the travelator, in their efforts to record their encounter with a design done by slide rule and blokes in sports jackets with leather elbows, thirty years before ....
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In conversation with a member of BA ground staff at Dulles, he told me that 3 things bought the airport to a standstill :-
Concorde.
Harrier.
The Reds.
Made us (SWMBO and I) quite proud.
Concorde.
Harrier.
The Reds.
Made us (SWMBO and I) quite proud.
Yet another really clever part of the whole design. You have to slow the air down so they used con/di intake doors or ramps. Obviously the faster you fly the bigger the impact of bernoulli effect. Just as clever was the use of the exhaust nozzle constantly moving to keep the LP Compressor at its optimum speed (NL root theta) as well as using the thrust reverser buckets to utilise the exhaust pressure recovery. That is why the aircraft could cruise @ Mach 2 without reheat. We always think that later generations are more clever but clearly without any computers they were seriously brilliant.