By Dela Ahiawor
Twenty five years ago today, July 25, 2000- the GREAT WHITE BIRD was killed in a tragic accident in Gonesse, a commune in the north-eastern suburbs of Paris, France.
Doomed Air France Concorde Flight 4590
This was the first and only fatal crash of CONCORDE- a supersonic passenger airliner nicknamed the GREAT WHITE BIRD- since its inaugural scheduled commercial service in 1976.
As per reports, Air France Concorde Charter Flight 4590, departing Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris to JFK, New York exploded into a ball of fire and crashed into the Hotelissimo, a small 2-star wooden hotel in Gonesse. The Le Relais Bleus hotel very close to Hotelissimo was also destroyed.
In all 113 souls perished, made up of: 100 passengers, 9 crew members and 4 people on the ground.
Investigators later discovered that a piece of metal that had fallen from another aircraft onto the runway ripped a tyre of the concorde during take off. In the process the concorde’s left wing caught fire moments after take off and crashed.
This gradually led to the grounding of all concorde operations in 2003, much to the disappointment of concorde’s fervent devotees.
New Era of Supersonic Travel on the Horizon
Seventeen years on, there’s glad tidings for supersonic and concorde lovers. A new era of Supersonic Travel (travelling faster than the speed of sound) is on the horizon. Very much so, when American startups: Boom Supersonic, Aerion Supersonic, Spike Aerospace and Dubai based Emirates Airlines aim to relaunch supersonic flights from 2021.
On the Sustainability Side of Things
Sounds very good, but there’s a SUSTAINABILITY concern. Supersonic travel had adverse impact on the environment. Fact is, concorde’s SONIC BOOM (thunder- like sound associated with supersonic flights) was destructive on land. Studies indicate it could also cause air embolism in the lungs. Besides, the boom was loud enough to rattle window panes and also scare animals.
What’s more, concorde was also a polluting monster. Pumping more climate warming gases into the atmosphere, causing global warming that contributes to climate change.
Be that as it may, latter- day supersonic entrepreneurs continue to prove they possess the technological savvy and genius to make the new era of supersonic travel more SAFER, EFFICIENT and GREENER than before.
IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW:
CONCORDE was nicknamed L’ Oiseau Blanc (English: the WHITE BIRD) by the French, for its glossy white livery and how it swooped down like a bird in search of a place to roost. And POCKET ROCKET by the British because its confines was a bit small.
Each passenger received a CERTIFICATE as a concorde flier.
Connoisseurs hate it when you say THE Concorde. Take note, she is called CONCORDE.
It’s the world’s FASTEST commercial jet (faster than the SPEED OF SOUND).
The SAFEST passenger plane until it crashed.
Flies so high to an altitude of 60,000feet (over 11miles) making the curvature of the earth and the darkness of space visible.
Stretches/expands 6-10inches during flight, because the airframe produces intense heart.
British Airways, Concorde holds the record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic (New York to London) in 2hours 52 minutes and 59 seconds. A flight that takes a little over 7 hours, by conventional passenger planes.
In total only 20 concordes were built. But only 14 was delivered and shared (7) each between Air France and British Airways.
One of the most beautiful and graceful airplanes ever built.
Can reach a maximum cruising speed of 1,354miles per hour (2,179km) or Mach 2.04 (more than twice the speed of sound).
Powered by four Rolls Royce/ Snecma Olympus 593 turbo engines.
Concorde was for the rich and famous. Average round trip, New York to London was ($12,000).
Concorde had only one class. All passengers were offered same service.
Look out for the new concorde, the BOOM OVERTURE soon.
With deepest sympathy as we remember all victims and all sorrowed by Air France Concorde Flight 4590 crash.
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