The gripping true tale of a devastating plane crash, the investigation into its causes, and the race to prevent similar disasters in the future. On July 25, 2000, a Concorde, the world's fastest passenger plane, was taking off from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris when it suddenly burst into flames. An airliner capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound, the Concorde had completed 25 years of successful flights, whisking wealthy passengers--from diplomats to rock stars to corporate titans--between continents on brief and glamorous flights. Yet on this fateful day, the chartered Concorde jet, en route to America, crashed and killed all 109 passengers and crew onboard and four people on the ground. Urgent questions immediately arose as investigators scrambled to discover what had gone wrong. What caused the fire? Could it have been prevented? And, most urgently, was the Concorde safe to fly? Last Days of the Concorde addresses these issues and many more, offering a fascinating insider's look at the dramatic disaster, the hunt for clues, and the systemic overhauls that followed the crash.

The gripping true tale of a devastating plane crash, the investigation into its causes, and the race to prevent similar disasters in the future. On July 25, 2000, a Concorde, the world's fastest passenger plane, was taking off from Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris when it suddenly burst into flames. An airliner capable of flying at more than twice the speed of sound, the Concorde had completed 25 years of successful flights, whisking wealthy passengers--from diplomats to rock stars to corporate titans--between continents on brief and glamorous flights. Yet on this fateful day, the chartered Concorde jet, en route to America, crashed and killed all 109 passengers and crew onboard and four people on the ground. Urgent questions immediately arose as investigators scrambled to discover what had gone wrong. What caused the fire? Could it have been prevented? And, most urgently, was the Concorde safe to fly? Last Days of the Concorde addresses these issues and many more, offering a fascinating insider's look at the dramatic disaster, the hunt for clues, and the systemic overhauls that followed the crash.

For over thirty years, Concorde aroused a passion in people from all over the world. This book catalogues the iconic planes last summer in c.100 photographs, capturing the intriguing and sometimes amusing behaviour that Concorde could invoke in people, and the pathos of the end of an era.

From her first commercial flight in 1976, and throughout 27 years of service, Concorde was hailed as a technological wonder. The only passenger airliner capable of maintaining speeds in excess of Mach 2 for more than two hours at a time, she became one of the most iconic aircraft ever built. Drawing on a wealth of research as well as his own first-hand experience, former Concorde pilot Christopher Orlebar explores the rich history that forged an aviation legend, and examines the many challenges faced by her designers in their pursuit of supersonic commercial passenger travel. Featuring stunning photography of Concorde, from design and development to her retirement in 2003, this book tells the story of one of the greatest engineering and technological feats of modern history.

As chief test pilot for BAC in the 1960s, Brian Trubshaw was closely involved with the Anglo-French Concorde program and flew the supersonic aircraft on its maiden flight in 1969, remaining a key member of the test program after the aircraft entered airline service in 1967. This close association with Concorde affords him his unique position in offering the inside story of the aircraft, from the early days of its planning in the 1950s, through design and pre-flight testing, maiden flight and demonstrations, to certification and airline service. He also covers many other aspects of the program, from the cripplingly high development and construction costs to sales and post-delivery modification. The book reviews Concorde's 43-year service record with British Airways and Air France, along with the prospects for its continuation in airline service into the 21st century. The author also offers his views on the next generation of supersonic passenger transport aircraft.

On Tuesday 25 July 2000 Air France Flight AFR 4590, a Concorde registered F-BTSC, took off from Paris Charles de Gaulle, to undertake a charter flight to New York with nine crew members and one hundred passengers on board. During takeoff from runway 26 right at Roissy Charles de Gaulle Airport, a tyre was damaged. A major fire broke out. The aircraft was unable to gain height or speed and crashed onto a hotel, killing all 109 people on board and 4 on the ground. The crash would become the end of the Concorde era.

This stylishly illustrated book looks back at the future of air travel and is as sleek and elegant as the Concorde aircraft it celebrates. When the first commercial Concordes zoomed off the runways in Paris and London in the late 1960s, crossing the Atlantic in just under three hours, they established a new standard for luxury flight. Powered by 38,000 pounds of thrust and easily recognizable with its delta wing and drooping nose, the Concorde jet embodied the pinnacle of aviation technology and industrial design. It quickly became the preferred mode of transatlantic flight for superstars and business moguls alike. Opening with a lively history of the jet and how it changed travel, the book focuses on the look and feel of the Concorde. Photos of the jet's evolving interiors show how the original, starkly designed cabin gave way to luxury seats and interiors designed by the likes of Sir Terence Conran and Andrée Putman. Filled with fascinating historical and technical background, and drawn from the author's personal collection of more than one thousand Concorde-related objects, this elegant book offers rarely seen historical photography and firsthand contributions from the people who helped create the Concorde experience from take-off to landing and beyond.