This gem of a gift book focuses on the first in the British Airways fleet to fly commerically, and is told through quotes from staff and passengers.

Concorde is the world’s most famous passenger transport aircraft and an icon of 20th century design. When British Airways and Air France withdrew their Concordes from revenue service in 2003 it marked the end of a unique era in supersonic air travel. In this full-color tribute to Concorde, Jonathan Falconer has scoured private collections, company archives and picture libraries to bring together a stunning selection of photographs portraying Concorde, from its ground-breaking first flights in 1969, through the glory days with British Airways and Air France, to its swansong in 2003. Many of these photographs are previously unpublished.

In Concorde, Jonathan Glancey tells the story of this magnificent and hugely popular aircraft anew, taking the reader from the moment Captain Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier in 1947 through to the last commercial flight of the supersonic airliner in 2003. It is a tale of national rivalries, technological leaps, daring prototypes, tightrope politics, and a dream of a Dan Dare future never quite realized. Jonathan Glancey traces the development of Concorde not just through existing material and archives, but through interviews with those who lived with the supersonic project from its inception. The result is a compelling mix of overt technological optimism, a belief that Britain and France were major players in the world of civil as well as military aviation, and faith in an ever faster, ever more sophisticated future. This is a celebration, as well as a thoroughly researched history, of a truly brilliant machine that became a sky god of its era.

Concentrating on the technical and engineering aspects of Concorde, this Aerospatiale/BAC Concorde manual gives rare insights into owning, operating, servicing and flying the supersonic airliner. Although the British and French Concorde fleets were prematurely retired in 2003, interest in this marvel of design and technology remains undiminished and all who admire Concorde will relish the unique information provided in this innovative title.

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.

The story of one of greatest technological achievements of the 20th century told from a pilot's-eye view, which will appeal to all enthusiasts of modern aviation. 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.

Viscount, Comet and ConcordeSubtitled: The Story of Three Pioneer Airliners of the Postwar Era. The Vickers Viscount was the worlds first turboprop airliner and remains Britains most successful commercial airliner. The de Havilland Comet, appearing in 1949, was the worlds first jet airliner. And the BAC-Aerospatiale Concorde is the only supersonic transport to have achieved the status of regular airline service, cruising over long distances at twice the speed of sound. Detailed highlights of each aircrafts development and operational history. Legends of the Air 3. Sftbd., 8 1/2x 11, 196 pgs., 32 color pgs.