Editing Concorde (section)

===General features===
Concorde is an [[Delta wing#ogival delta|ogival delta]] winged aircraft with four [[Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593|Olympus]] engines based on those employed in the RAF's [[Avro Vulcan]] [[strategic bomber]]. It has an unusual [[tailless aircraft|tailless configuration]] for a commercial aircraft, as does the [[Tupolev Tu-144]]. Concorde was the first airliner to have a [[fly-by-wire]] flight-control system (in this case, analogue); the [[avionics]] system Concorde used was unique because it was the first commercial aircraft to employ [[Hybrid integrated circuit|hybrid circuits]].<ref name='elecflybywire' /> The principal designer for the project was Pierre Satre, with [[Archibald Russell|Sir Archibald Russell]] as his deputy.<ref>{{cite news |first=Peter |last=Masefield |title=Obituary: Sir Archibald Russell |work=The Independent |date=1 July 1995 |location=UK}}</ref>

Concorde pioneered the following technologies:

For high speed and optimisation of flight:
* [[Double delta]] ([[ogee]]/ogival) shaped wings<ref name= 'deltawing' />
* Variable engine air [[intake ramp]] system controlled by [[digital computer]]s<ref name=nova>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/3203_concorde.html |title=NOVA transcript: Supersonic Dream |publisher=PBS |date=18 January 2005 |quote=Jock Lowe (Concorde Chief Pilot): We did some research which showed that the Concorde passengers actually didn't know how much the fare was. When we asked them to guess how much it was, they guessed that it was higher than it actually was, so we just started to charge them what they thought they were paying anyway. |access-date=26 August 2017 |archive-date=5 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110405035636/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/transcripts/3203_concorde.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Supercruise]] capability<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.janes.com/transport/news/jae/jae000725_1_n.shtml |title=Rolls-Royce Snecma Olympus |publisher=Janes |date=25 July 2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100806140324/http://www.janes.com/transport/news/jae/jae000725_1_n.shtml |archive-date=6 August 2010}}</ref>

For weight-saving and enhanced performance:
* [[Mach number|Mach]] 2.02 (~{{convert|2154|km/h|mph|disp=or|abbr=on}}) cruising speed{{sfn|Frawley|2003|p=14}} for optimum fuel consumption (supersonic drag minimum and turbojet engines are more efficient at higher speed);<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/16/16.unified/propulsionS04/UnifiedPropulsion8/UnifiedPropulsion8.htm |title=Unified propulsion 8 |publisher=MIT |access-date=8 December 2010 |archive-date=18 June 2012 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20120618175121/http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/16/16.unified/propulsionS04/UnifiedPropulsion8/UnifiedPropulsion8.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> fuel consumption at {{convert|2|Mach|altitude_ft=60000|sigfig=3}} and at altitude of {{convert|60000|ft}} was {{convert|4800|gal/h|L/h}}.<ref>Allen, Roy, Concorde The Magnificent, Airliner Classics, July 2012, p. 65</ref>
* Mainly aluminium construction using a high-temperature alloy similar to that developed for aero-engine pistons.<ref>The Development of Piston Aero Engines, Bill Gunston 1999, 2nd ed., Patrick Stephens Limited, {{ISBN|1 85260 599 5}}, p. 58</ref> This material gave low weight and allowed conventional manufacture (higher speeds would have ruled out aluminium)<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=TRD&recid=A6424111AH&q=Concorde+aluminium+construction&uid=789267644&setcookie=yes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120822230903/http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=TRD&recid=A6424111AH&q=Concorde+aluminium+construction&uid=789267644&setcookie=yes |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 August 2012 |title=''Concorde''&nbsp;– Choice of a light alloy for the construction of the first supersonic commercial aircraft |journal=Revue de l'Aluminium |issue=316 |date=March 1964 |pages=111–19}}</ref>
* Full-regime [[autopilot]] and [[autothrottle]]<ref>{{cite journal |title=The Concorde Automatic Flight Control System: A description of the automatic flight control system for the Anglo/French SST and its development to date |first=B.S. |last=Wolfe |journal=Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology |year=1967 |volume=39 |issue=5 |page=40 |issn=0002-2667 |doi=10.1108/eb034268}}</ref> allowing "hands off" control of the aircraft from climb out to landing
* Fully electrically controlled analogue [[Aircraft flight control system#Fly-by-wire control systems|fly-by-wire]] flight controls systems<ref name='elecflybywire'>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DbUhEnlI3OkC&pg=PA211 |title=Advances in aircraft flight control |editor=Mark B. Tischler |author=Favre, C. |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-7484-0479-7 |page=219 |publisher=CRC Press |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=14 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414103603/https://books.google.com/books?id=DbUhEnlI3OkC&pg=PA211 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* High-pressure hydraulic system using {{cvt|28|MPa}} for lighter hydraulic components.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=TRD&recid=A7716749AH&q=Concorde+hydraulic&uid=788858323&setcookie=yes |title=Concorde has designed-in reliability |author=Schefer, L.J. |journal=Hydraulics and Pneumatics|volume=29|date=1976 |pages=51–55|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823182306/http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=TRD&recid=A7716749AH&q=Concorde+hydraulic&uid=788858323&setcookie=yes|archive-date=23 August 2012}}</ref> 
* [[Air data computer]] (ADC) for the automated monitoring and transmission of aerodynamic measurements (total pressure, [[static pressure]], [[angle of attack]], side-slip).{{sfn|Owen|2001|p=101}}
* Fully electrically controlled analogue [[brake-by-wire]] system<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1108/eb035278 |title=Aircraft Stopping Systems |journal=Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology |year=1975 |volume=47 |issue=10 |issn=0002-2667 |page=18}}</ref>
* No [[auxiliary power unit]], as Concorde would only visit large airports where [[Ground support equipment#Air start unit|ground air start carts]] were available.{{sfn|Owen|2001|p=206}}