US EditionNew stamps mark 50th anniversary of Concorde's maiden flight
- Today, Royal Mail released 12 Concorde stamps and three museum nose cones will be lowered at 11.40am on Wednesday, January 21.
- Marking the 50th anniversary, the issue commemorates Concorde's January 21, 1976 debut when British Airways and Air France launched the first commercial flights.
- The new collection features eight main stamps and a four-stamp miniature sheet, and a Presentation Pack priced at £21.30 is available from the Royal Mail website and selected post offices.
- Aerospace Bristol is hosting a major reunion of former Concorde crew with public sessions from 11am to 12.30pm, while Brooklands Museum will hold a Wednesday dinner featuring eight ex-pilots and archive displays.
- Concorde operated 49,999 flights, over 140,000 flying hours, and traveled 140 million miles during 1976–2003, before retirement blamed on falling demand and maintenance costs, Royal Mail said.
19 Articles
19 Articles
What it was like to pilot the supersonic Concorde jet
By Francesca Street, CNN (CNN) — On January 21, 1976 a teenage John Tye was among crowds of onlookers clinging to a chain link fence, cheering as the first commercial British Airways Concorde flight departed from London’s Heathrow airport. Tye was exhilarated, amazed and inspired as he saw this sleek, supersonic airplane of the future climb into the skies and make history. Little did Tye know some 20 years later, he’d be sitting in the Concorde …
On January 21, 1976, two supersonic jets launched in London and Paris for the first commercial flights with Mach 2. Covering costs, that was clear before, they would never be. Looking back at an unreasonable yet fascinating innovation.
For decades, the British-French aircraft crossed the Atlantic. However, a real supersonic era never became a result. Perhaps it will start in the 2030s.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 64% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
