Crash of the Concorde - The Day the Supersonic Legend Perished
Built decades ago, the Concorde remains an attractive symbol of aviation innovation today. Known for its sleek design, distinctive drooping nose, and supersonic speed, the Concorde was the fastest and most beautiful airliner, capable of flying at over Mach 2 (about 1,354 mph or 2,180 kph).
Operated jointly by the UK and France, the Concorde was a luxurious supersonic passenger jet, renowned for its elegance and speed[2][3]. However, exactly 25 years ago, on July 25, 2000, an Air France Concorde (Flight 4590) crashed shortly after takeoff near Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. A piece of debris on the runway caused a tire to burst, which ruptured a fuel tank, igniting a catastrophic fire. The aircraft crashed into a hotel in Gonesse, killing all 109 people on board and 4 on the ground[1][3]. This was the only fatal crash in Concorde's 27 years of service and marked the beginning of the end for supersonic commercial flight.
Despite its tragic end, the Concorde remains celebrated for its engineering marvel and supersonic prestige, with several aircraft preserved in museums worldwide as a symbol of aviation innovation[1][3].
- The Concorde was a supersonic aircraft, twice as fast as the speed of sound.
- The Concorde was built by a collaboration between Britons and French.
- The Concorde was considered the most advanced mode of transport at the time of its construction.
- The crash of the Concorde marked the end of the supersonic era.
- The Concorde was a symbol of a dream that came to a provisional end.
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Applying modern standards, the Concorde's finance-intensive aerospace engineering might not be feasible today. In the realm of sports, the Concorde's supersonic speed set a record unmatched by any vehicle.
