Celebrating Concorde

Concorde is an immaculate subject. It is so beautiful, and, whatever they might say, most British people are so proud of it, that after more than 20 years, they still look up admiringly whenever it flies overhead. It is one of the few aircraft in history that has done everything it was designed to do - carrying up to 100 passengers in armchair luxury non-stop over the Atlantic between Europe and North America at twice the speed of sound, as a daily routine throughout the year, in perfect safety. It has never injured a passenger in all its years of service. It is an achievement of which Britain and France can be proud. We have taken passengers into the supersonic age, pointing the way to the inevitable future. The Russians tried it with the Tu-144 and failed. The Americans spent 50% as much on trying to design, and not even building, a supersonic transport as Britain and France spent on building 16 Concordes. Reg Turnill, as BBC Air Correspondent, grew up with Concorde, from its first concept to its entry into service. He traced its every problem; knew and interviewed those who promoted and designed the aircraft and those who sought to prevent its ever going into service. Nobody could write a better in-depth analysis of the whole story, telling it from personal experience, and in the words of those most involved. Reginald Turnill's chronical of the project's agonising fight for survivial is published to mark the 25th anniversary of the prototype's first flight. Illustrated.