Concorde: The aircraft that changed aviation history

After watching something about the Concorde a few days ago, I thought why don't I do some research and write a story on one of the most amazing, incredible aircraft ever built.

1. Do you know how many Concordes were actually built?

The answer is 20 aircraft in total, built between 1966 and 1979.
However, not all 20 made it as a passenger aircraft.

Type                                                    Number built
Original prototypes                                      2
Pre-production development aircraft           2
Further development aircraft                       2
Production aircraft                                      14
Total                                                            20

Of the twenty, fourteen entered commercial airline service:
Twelve of the fourteen commercial aircraft were still in service in April 2003, shortly before Concorde's retirement.

The first commercial flights took place on the 21st of January 1976, and the final Concorde flight was on the 26th of November 2003.

2. So, which airlines actually bought Concorde?

Only two airlines ultimately operated Concorde as their own commercial aircraft.
British Airways originally ordered seven aircraft by BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation), which subsequently became British Airways.

Air France also ordered seven aircraft.
Interestingly, several other airlines were sufficiently interested to place options or reservations.

3. So, did any other airline consider the Concorde?

I found this particularly surprising and one of the most fascinating aspects of its history.
In February 1969, the British Government confirmed in Parliament that apart from BOAC and Pan Am, 14 other airlines had reserved a total of 58 delivery positions.

Just imagine that: the manufacturers were initially looking at a market for 72 aircraft, yet only 14 eventually entered commercial service.

Here are the airlines that were interested:

Airline                                                                Aircraft reserved

1. Pan American World Airways (Pan Am)                      8
2. American Airlines                                                         6
3. Trans World Airlines (TWA)                                         6
4. Eastern Airlines                                                            6
5. United Airlines                                                              6
6. Air Canada                                                                    4
7. Qantas                                                                           4
8. Continental Airlines                                                       3
9. Braniff International                                                       3
10. Japan Airlines                                                                3
11. Lufthansa                                                                       3
12. Air India                                                                         2
13. Middle East Airlines                                                       2
14. Sabena                                                                          2 
Total                                                                             58

These were reserved delivery positions, not firm purchase contracts. 

4. Where are the Concordes now?

There are 18 surviving Concorde airframes. 

One was destroyed in the 2000 Air France crash, and another was scrapped in 1994. Some of the aircraft are now preserved in museums or at airports, and my wife and I have seen four Concordes in person.

1. Heathrow Airport, London 

G-BOAB is stored outdoors at Heathrow Airport and can only be viewed from one of the aircraft viewing decks, or as you taxi in or out of London Heathrow.

2. Paris - Charles DeGualle 

F-BVFF is also on display outdoors on a raised three-pillar pedestal near Terminal 1 and the airport's perimeter taxiways, angled in a nose-up takeoff position.

Paris – Le Bourget Airport –

There are two more Concordes at the Musée de l'Air et de l'Espace at Le Bourget:

F-WTSS, the first Concorde prototype.
F-BTSD, a former Air France passenger aircraft.

3. Toulouse – Aeroscopia Museum – F-WTSB and F-BVFC
There are two Concordes at the Aeroscopia Museum in Toulouse, one inside the museum and one outside.

 F-WTSB, a development aircraft.

F-BVFC, an Air France commercial aircraft.

Other places where you can see Concorde

Here is a useful list of the other surviving aircraft on display, based on the current museum directory.

               Location                                                          Registration

• Imperial War Museum, Duxford, UK        G-AXDN
• Brooklands Museum, UK                          G-BBDG
• National Museum of Flight, Scotland        G-BOAA
• Manchester Airport, UK                             G-BOAC
• Intrepid Museum, New York, USA             G-BOAD
• Barbados Concorde Experience                  G-BOAE
• Aerospace Bristol, UK                                G-BOAF
• Museum of Flight, Seattle, USA                 G-BOAG
• Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, UK      G-BSST
• Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy, USA                   F-BVFA
• Technik Museum, Sinsheim, Germany        F-BVFB
• Musée Delta, Athis-Mons, France               F-WTSA

That gives us a fascinating geographical spread across Britain, France, Germany, the United States and Barbados.

Two of the twenty are no longer intact.

F-BTSC was the Air France Concorde involved in the tragic crash shortly after take-off from Paris Charles de Gaulle on the 25th of July 2000. All 109 people aboard and four people on the ground died.

F-BVFD was withdrawn from service and eventually scrapped in 1994, largely because of corrosion and the cost of maintaining it.

The crash of 2000, together with increasing operating costs and falling passenger numbers, contributed to Concorde's eventual retirement.

Around the world records

The Air France Concorde registered as F-BTSD holds the record for flying around the world in both directions: 

The westbound round-the-world record took 32 hours, 49 minutes, and 3 seconds on the 12th – 13th October 1992.

The eastbound round-the-world record took 31 hours, 27 minutes, and 49 seconds on the 15th – 16th of August 1995 (departing and arriving at New York's JFK International Airport with six refueling stops). 

However, the very first round-the-world charter flight by a Concorde took place on the 8th of November 1986 (lasting 31 hours and 51 minutes), and British Airways operated its first chartered round-the-world tour in November 1986 lasting 20 days across multiple exotic stops. G-BOAC was the aircraft.

Size and dimensions

• Length: 62.1 metres (203 ft 9 in).
• Wingspan: 25.6 metres (83 ft 10 in).
• Height: 11.3 metres (37 ft 1 in).
• Fuselage width: Approximately 2.9 metres (9 ft 6 in).
• Passenger capacity: 100 passengers.
• Wing area: 358.25 m².
• Maximum take-off weight: Approximately 185 tonnes.
• Fuel capacity: 119,500 litres.

Flight performance

• Cruising speed: Mach 2.02 (approximately 2,160 km/h).
• Maximum speed: Approximately 2,180 km/h.
• Service ceiling: 60,000 ft (18,300 metres).
• Typical cruising altitude: 50,000–60,000 ft.
• Range: Approximately 6,670 km.
• Take-off speed: Approximately 400 km/h.
• Landing speed: Approximately 300 km/h.
• Rate of climb: Approximately 5,000 ft per minute.

Engines and power

• Engines: Four Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 turbojets.
• Thrust per engine: Approximately 38,000 lbs with afterburner.
• Total thrust: Approximately 152,000 lbs.
• Afterburners: Used during take-off and acceleration through the transonic region.
• Fuel consumption: Approximately 25,600 litres per hour at cruise.

Interesting facts that make Concorde special

• Flying westbound, Concorde could theoretically keep pace with the sun, meaning passengers could experience a sunset lasting much longer than normal.
• London to New York: The journey could take around 3 hours 30 minutes, compared with approximately 7–8 hours on a conventional airliner.
• The droop nose: Its nose tilted down during take-off and landing so pilots could see the runway.
• It got longer in flight: The aircraft's metal skin expanded due to aerodynamic heating, making it grow by approximately 15–25 cm.
• Windows were tiny: Small cabin windows helped reduce heat loss and improve structural strength.
• It flew above most commercial aircraft: Its 60,000 ft cruising altitude was significantly higher than conventional airliners.
• Sonic boom: It created a sonic boom when travelling faster than the speed of sound.
• Very hot aircraft: The nose could reach temperatures of around 127°C during supersonic flight.

$6 Compensation For a 22-Hour Nightmare

A flight that should have taken around three and a half hours reportedly turned into a nearly 22-hour travel nightmare for some United Airlines passengers. And after everything that went wrong, the compensation offered was just $6 to buy lunch.

According to the passenger's account, the problems began before the aircraft even left the ground.

During the departure process, the United Airlines aircraft reportedly experienced engine trouble. The crew attempted to take off, but the departure was aborted. The aircraft returned to the taxiway before another attempt was made.

The second attempt was even more alarming.

According to a passenger, the aircraft again failed to complete its takeoff, with the situation reportedly becoming serious enough that it nearly ran off the runway. Eventually, the aircraft had to be towed back to the gate.

At that point, the original flight was cancelled.

Passengers were left waiting for alternative arrangements, and its understood United could not provide another aircraft for approximately 12 hours. What followed for some passengers was another frustrating part of the journey: the replacement travel arrangements reportedly involved an itinerary heading in the wrong direction, followed by an additional three-hour layover before a suitable flight home was arranged.

By the time the passengers finally reached their destination, approximately 22 hours had passed beyond the original schedule. Passengers also estimated spending around nine hours aboard aircraft throughout the ordeal, compared with just three and a half hours for the journey originally planned.

And then came the compensation sting.

A $6 lunch voucher.

After two unsuccessful takeoff attempts, a cancelled flight, hours of waiting, confusing rebooking arrangements and almost an entire extra day of travel, it's understandable why passengers considered the offer inadequate and insulting.

There is, however, an important distinction worth making. An aborted takeoff or a return to the gate because of a suspected technical problem is not automatically a sign of poor piloting or airline negligence. Safety must always come first, and stopping a departure when something isn't right is exactly what aviation procedures are designed to achieve.

The bigger question concerns what happens afterward.

Airlines cannot prevent every technical issue, but they can make a significant difference through clear communication, efficient rebooking, realistic travel alternatives and appropriate passenger assistance.

A mechanical problem can disrupt a flight. Poor disruption management can turn that problem into an experience passengers remember for years.

For an airline, getting passengers safely to their destination is the priority. Making sure they are properly looked after along the way should be part of that responsibility too.

Qantas announces Sydney to Cape Town direct

Qantas has revealed plans to launch a new seasonal service, and it comes as no surprise that Sydney has been chosen as the departure point.

Connecting Sydney with Cape Town the new service takes off from October 2027, providing Australian travelers with a direct link to one of South Africa's most popular destinations for the first time. The new route represents a significant milestone in Australian aviation, eliminating the need for passengers to connect through Johannesburg or another international hub when travelling between Sydney and Cape Town.

The inaugural service is scheduled from the 19th of October 2027, with operations continuing until mid-March 2028.

Qantas has allocated flight numbers QF89 and QF90 to the new Sydney–Cape Town operation.

The service will operate on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays.
Outbound – 

• QF89: Sydney to Cape Town
• Operating days: Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays
• Scheduled departure: 9:15 am
• Scheduled arrival: 2:40 pm (same day)
• Approximate flight duration: 14 hours 25 minutes.

Return – 

• QF90: Cape Town to Sydney
• Departure airport: Cape Town International Airport (CPT)
• Arrival airport: Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD)
• Operating frequency: Three times weekly
• Scheduled departure: 4:40 pm
• Scheduled arrival: 1:45 pm the following day
• Approximate flight duration: 14 hours 25 minutes.

All times are local to their respective airports.

A morning at New Farm Park

Yesterday, my family, my daughter's dog Alfie and I returned to New Farm Park for our regular gathering, enjoying a leisurely stroll along the waterfront before stopping at a café for a refreshing drink.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES AIRBUS A350-941 9V-SHJ (MSN 328)
SQ256 OFF TO SINGAPORE (SIN) 7 YEARS  

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA BOEING 737-MAX 8 VH-8IH (MSN 66650)
VA045 OFF TO DENPASAR (DPS) 2 YEARS

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-VZE (MSN 34199)
QF57 OFF TO PORT MORESBY (POM) 18 YEARS

CHINA SOUTHERN AIRBUS A330-323 B-5967 (MSN 1636)
CZ382 OFF TO GUANGZHOU (CAN) 11 YEARS

QANTASLINK EMBRAER E190AR VH-UZF (MSN 19000166)
QLK357 OFF TO HONIARA (HIR) 18 YEARS

JETSTAR BOEING 787-8 VH-VKA (MSN 36227)
JQ9 OFF TO TOKYO (NRT) 13 YEARS

CHINA EASTERN AIRBUS A330-343 B-1066 (MSN 1841)
MU716 OFF TO SHANGHAI (PVG) 8 YEARS

QANTAS AIRBUS A330-303 VH-QPE (MSN 593)
QF51 OFF TO SINGAPORE (SIN) 22 YEARS

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA BOEING 737-8SA VH-IJR (MSN44219)
VA1393 ARRIVING FROM ADELAIDE (ADL) 12 YEARS

QUEENSLAND GOVERNMENT BEECH KING AIR 250 VH-SGQ (MSN FL-461) 

QANTASLINK DASH 8 400 VH-LQK (MSN 4415)
QLK363D ARRIVING FROM ROCKHAMPTON (ROK) 14 YEARS

QANTASLINK EMBRAER E190AR VH-XVL (MSN 19000106)
QLK1829 ARRIVING FROM MACKAY (MKY) 19 YEARS

Seven Flights Targeted By Suspected Bomb Threats in Europe Within Hours

Seven passenger planes were targeted by suspected bomb threats in Europe within hours of each other on Tuesday, less than a day after another flight was forced to divert because of an alert. Planes landing in Poland, Spain Italy and Bulgaria were all impacted in separate incidents, although all seven were later declared to be safe.

The first bomb threat on Tuesday was announced on board a LOT Polish airlines flight from London Heathrow to Warsaw Chopin Airport. The Boeing 737 MAX aircraft landed at Modlin airport in the Polish capital at 10.01 a.m. local time. Chopin is within the city limits ⁠and Modlin is about 22 miles from the capital. The threat was later called off.

An SAS flight from Copenhagen in Denmark to Chopin airport also faced a bomb threat but landed as normal on Tuesday, according to Danish media. The airline said in a statement, cited by other media, that the flight had landed safely and passengers disembarked. Polish authorities later said the threat was not confirmed.

Modlin Airport, which had closed while the incident was dealt with, later reopened. A Warsaw-Chopin airport spokesperson told Reuters the ​airport was continuing operations.

In Italy, a Ryanair flight from Lisbon landed at Rome’s Fiumicino airport on Tuesday morning after an email claimed a bomb was on board, according to an unnamed official speaking to The Associated Press. No explosives were found after a search by bomb disposal experts.

Another Ryanair flight, from Dublin, was escorted to Fiumicino by Italy’s air force but no explosives were discovered, the official said.

In Bulgaria, Transport Minister Georgi Peev told Bulgarian News Agency that bomb threats were received against two aircraft, one from Bergamo and the other from Dublin, but no explosives were found. Bulgarian media had earlier reported one of the planes had arrived from Israel. Authorities did not initially disclose details of the airlines or the number of passengers involved.

Meanwhile, a Ryanair plane which had departed from Manchester, England, made an emergency landing at Murcia airport in southern Spain, following another threat.

It was not immediately clear if the incidents on Tuesday were linked. They came a day after a Wizz Air flight from London Luton to Sofia; Bulgaria made an emergency landing in Budapest after a bomb threat. The airline said afterward that security checks found it was a false alarm.

Last month, an Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna was diverted to Sofia following a bomb threat. Bulgarian MiG-29 fighter jets escorted the aircraft on October 18 but the plane continued to Vienna after checks found no threat.

China Southern Airlines pulls out of Darwin

China Southern Airlines will suspend its direct Darwin to China flights after only a year of operation, making it the latest in a suite of scrapped international routes out of Darwin.

The Darwin (DRW/YPDN) to Guangzhou (CAN/ZGGG) route launched in December last year and will cease at the end of its current season, with the final flight leaving Darwin on the 3rd of December.

It was the only flight operating directly between China and the NT, and the farthest-reaching route out of the Territory. A spokesperson from the Airport Development Group (ADG), which operates Darwin International Airport, said the call was a commercial decision by China Southern.

"Although ADG is disappointed by the airline's decision, decisions regarding individual routes and service schedules are commercial decisions made by airlines," they said.

"Travelers from Darwin continue to have connectivity to China and other international destinations through established hubs including Singapore (SIN/WSSS), Denpasar (DPS/WADD) and Dili" (DIL/YPDL)

The flight is the latest in a series of short-lived international routes out of Darwin. In 2025, Qantas launched a direct flight between Darwin and Singapore while AirAsia introduced services from Darwin to Bali and Kuala Lumpur. By June 2026, Qantas had reduced its Darwin to Singapore flights to cover the peak tourism season only, while AirAsia had pulled out of Darwin entirely.

Looking back on Qantas 32

Qantas Flight 32 was a scheduled passenger flight from London (LHR/EGLL) to Sydney (SYD/YSSY) via Singapore (SIN/WSSS). 

QANTAS AIRBUS A380-842-VH-OQA (MSN 014)

On the 4th of November 2010, the aircraft operating the route, an Airbus A380, suffered an uncontained failure in one of its four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines. The failure occurred over the Riau Islands, Indonesia, four minutes after takeoff from Singapore Changi Airport. After holding for almost two hours to assess the situation, the aircraft made a successful emergency landing at Changi. No injuries occurred to the passengers, crew, or people on the ground, despite debris from the aircraft falling onto houses in Batam.

The airplane took off from runway 20C at 09.56 local time. Following a normal takeoff, the crew retracted the landing gear and flaps. The crew reported that, while maintaining 250 kts in the climb and passing 7,000 ft above mean sea level, they heard two 'loud bangs', followed shortly after by indications of a failure of the No 2 engine. The aircraft levelled off and because of an overheat warning of engine No 2, thrust for this engine was moved to 'idle'. Meanwhile, at 10:02, when the airplane was flying over Batam Landmass, the crew radioed a PAN call to the Approach Controller citing a possible engine failure. At that time, the pilot of QFA 32 maintained height on 7,500 feet and requested to be on heading 150 degrees to investigate the problem but did not request to return to Singapore immediately.

At 11.45am Qantas 32 touched down on 20C, and as a result of the aircraft landing 35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph) faster than its normal landing speed, four tyres were blown.

While the aircraft was stopping abeam taxiway E10, Changi’s Airport Emergency Service (AES) found that engine number 2 was damaged near the rear of the engine and fuel had leaked from the port side (left wing). Moreover, there was smoke from tyre number 7 and there were 4 tyres deflated, meanwhile, the pilot was not able to shut off engine number 1. Nevertheless, it was safe to disembark passengers. Exactly at 13:54, all passengers had been disembarked, and finally at 14:53, engine number 1 was finally able to be shutdown.

On later inspection, a turbine disc in the aircraft's number two engine (on the port side nearer the fuselage) was found to have disintegrated, causing extensive damage to the nacelle (a nacelle refers to the whole covering of an engine,) wing, fuel system, landing gear, flight controls, and engine controls, and a fire in a fuel tank that self-extinguished. The subsequent investigation concluded that the failure had been caused by the breaking of a stub oil pipe, which had been manufactured improperly.

The aircraft involved was an Airbus A380-842, registration number VH-OQA, serial number 014. The aircraft entered service in September 2008, it was the first of 8 A380 delivered to Qantas and had four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines; it was named Nancy-Bird Walton in honour of an Australian aviation pioneer. After completing repairs in Singapore, estimated at A$139 million, the aircraft returned to Sydney in April 2012.