Program Information

For twenty-seven years after 1976, the sleek, elegant Concorde, history’s fastest commercial airliner, carried transatlantic passengers in comfort and luxury seeking a market that never materialized.

A Moment in Time is a brief, exciting and compelling journey into the past. Created to excite and enlighten the public about the past, its relevance to the present and its impact on the future, A Moment In Time is a captivating historical narrative that is currently broadcast worldwide.

Transcript

Lead: For twenty-seven years after 1976, the sleek, elegant Concorde, history’s fastest commercial airliner, carried transatlantic passengers in comfort and luxury seeking a market that never materialized.

Intro.: A Moment in Time with Dan Roberts.

Content: In the early 1960s aircraft manufacturers in Great Britain and France, encouraged by their governments began developing a supersonic passenger plane. Based on mid-century technology, the graceful Concorde, with its delta wing shape and unique movable nose, made its maiden transatlantic voyage in 1969 and entered regular commercial service in 1976 as a part of British Airways and Air France. Flights between London and Paris, New York and Washington became the most common of Concorde’s routes although the bird was taken on occasional flights to South America and East Asia. Fourteen Concorde airliners were built and flown between 1976 and 2003.

The Concorde conveyed 100 passengers at speeds exceeding Mach 2 – over twice the speed of sound (roughly 1,254 mph) across the Atlantic on flights averaging between three and 3 1/2 hours in length – twice as fast as conventional jets. To conserve fuel once airborne Concorde flew at nearly 60,000 feet with its passengers treated with sumptuous service and delicious meals.

Unfortunately, Concorde could never overcome its serious financial problems. Based on early jet technology, the airplane was inefficient, loud, and environmentally offensive. Concorde sucked fuel as ravenously as a 747 but only carried a quarter of the number of passengers. Some round trips cost as much as $12,000, thus chasing off all but the most well-heeled, corporate passengers.

Despite the cost-prohibitive tariff, Concorde was considered one of the safest airliners in aviation history and so was able to secure a small but loyal cadre of regular transatlantic passengers until 2000 when a fatal crash signaled the death knell of this magnificent flying machine. During a takeoff from Paris, a tire burst and debris ruptured a fuel tank. The fiery crash into a nearby hotel put both fleets into suspension; just after returning to full operation, the events of 9/11 put the final nail in the Concorde coffin.

On October 23, 2003 this, the fastest airliner in the world, made its last transatlantic flight from New York to London, marking either the end or a significant pause in the era of supersonic passenger flight. Several Concordes are displayed in museums throughout the world.

Research by Ann Johnson, at the University of Richmond this is Dan Roberts.

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