Editing Concorde (section)

==Impact==

===Environmental===
Before Concorde's flight trials, developments in the civil aviation industry were largely accepted by governments and their respective electorates. Opposition to Concorde's noise, particularly on the east coast of the United States,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,918012,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826161505/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,918012,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 August 2009 |title=Here Comes the Concorde, Maybe |magazine=Time |access-date=30 June 2011 |date=16 February 1976}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/jalc42&div=28&id=&page= |title=Legal and Environmental ramifications of the Concorde |journal=Journal of Air Law and Commerce |volume=42 |page=433 |first=Robert M. |last=Allen |publisher=J. Air L. & Com. |access-date=30 June 2011 |year=1976 |archive-date=11 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190611171447/https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals%2Fjalc42&div=28&id=&page= |url-status=live}}</ref> forged a new political agenda on both sides of the Atlantic, with scientists and technology experts across a multitude of industries beginning to take the environmental and social impact more seriously.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=TRD&recid=N7422661AH&q=Concorde+noise&uid=788872723&setcookie=yes |title=Recent studies into Concorde noise reduction |author=Hock, R. |author2=R. Hawkins |journal=AGARD Noise Mech |date=1974 |page=14 |access-date=30 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011050826/http://md1.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=TRD&recid=N7422661AH&q=Concorde+noise&uid=788872723&setcookie=yes |archive-date=11 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/jalc43&div=45&id=&page= |title=Aircraft Noise: Federal pre-emption of Local Control, Concorde and other recent cases |first=Joshua A. |last=Muss |journal=J. Air L. & Com. |volume=43 |page=753 |date=1977 |access-date=30 June 2011 |archive-date=8 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608195914/https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals%2Fjalc43&div=45&id=&page= |url-status=live}}</ref> Although Concorde led directly to the introduction of a general noise abatement programme for aircraft flying out of John F. Kennedy Airport, many found that Concorde was quieter than expected,<ref name=nova /> partly due to the pilots temporarily throttling back their engines to reduce noise during overflight of residential areas.{{sfn|Endres|2001|p=90}} Even before commercial flights started, it had been claimed that Concorde was quieter than many other aircraft.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1108/eb035013 |title=Reducing noise with type 28 nozzle |journal=Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology |year=1973 |volume=45 |issue=4 |page=14}}</ref> In 1971, BAC's technical director stated, "It is certain on present evidence and calculations that in the airport context, production Concordes will be no worse than aircraft now in service and will in fact be better than many of them."<ref>''Aviation Daily'', 18 February 1971, p. 263</ref>

Concorde produced nitrogen oxides in its exhaust, which, despite complicated interactions with other [[Ozone depletion|ozone-depleting]] chemicals, are understood to result in degradation to the [[ozone layer]] at the [[stratosphere|stratospheric]] altitudes it cruised.<ref name='emissions'>{{cite journal |doi=10.1126/science.270.5233.70 |title=Emission Measurements of the Concorde Supersonic Aircraft in the Lower Stratosphere |author=Fahey, D. W. |journal=Science |year=1995 |volume=270 |page=70 |issue=5233 |bibcode=1995Sci...270...70F |s2cid=97881119 |display-authors=etal}}</ref> It has been pointed out that other, lower-flying, airliners produce ozone during their flights in the troposphere, but vertical transit of gases between the layers is restricted. The small fleet meant overall ozone-layer degradation caused by Concorde was negligible.<ref name='emissions' /> In 1995, David Fahey, of the [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] in the United States, warned that a fleet of 500 supersonic aircraft with exhausts similar to Concorde might produce a 2 per cent drop in global ozone levels, much higher than previously thought. Each 1 per cent drop in ozone is estimated to increase the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer worldwide by 2 per cent. Dr Fahey said if these particles are produced by highly oxidised sulphur in the fuel, as he believed, then removing sulphur in the fuel will reduce the ozone-destroying impact of supersonic transport.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1995/10/08/increase-in-supersonic-jets-could-be-threat-to-ozone-u-2-plane-trails-concorde-studies-exhaust-particles/|title=Increase in supersonic jets could be threat to ozone|newspaper=The Baltimore Sun|date=8 October 1995|author=Newsday|access-date=24 August 2012|archive-date=1 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901085907/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-10-08/news/1995281022_1_ozone-sulfur-exhaust-particles|url-status=live}}</ref>

Concorde's technical leap forward boosted the public's understanding of conflicts between technology and the environment as well as awareness of the complex decision analysis processes that surround such conflicts.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/cjel5&div=9&id=&page= |title=Decision Analysis in Environmental Decisionmaking: Improving the Concorde Balance |journal=Columbia Journal of Environmental Law |volume=5 |page=156 |first=Jon |last=Anderson |publisher=HeinOnline |date=1978 |access-date=30 June 2011 |archive-date=2 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190902184900/https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals%2Fcjel5&div=9&id=&page= |url-status=live}}</ref> In France, the use of [[noise barrier|acoustic fencing]] alongside [[TGV]] tracks might not have been achieved without the 1970s controversy over aircraft noise.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://esemag.com/archives/essay-train-a-grande-vitesse-causes-distress/ |title=Train à grande vitesse causes distress |date=November 2001 |work=Environmental Science and Engineering Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119214555/https://esemag.com/archives/essay-train-a-grande-vitesse-causes-distress/|archive-date=19 November 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the UK, the [[Campaign to Protect Rural England|CPRE]] has issued [[Tranquillity#Mapping tranquillity|tranquillity maps]] since 1990.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/landscape/tranquillity/national-and-regional-tranquillity-maps |title=National and regional tranquillity maps |publisher=Campaign to Protect Rural England |access-date=25 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100914025157/http://www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/landscape/tranquillity/national-and-regional-tranquillity-maps |archive-date=14 September 2010}}</ref>

===Public perception===
[[File:ConcordeBG.jpg|thumb|alt=BA-liveried Concorde leading a V-formation with seven of the Red Arrow's Gnat aircraft in view. The Gnats are trailing blue and white smoke|Parade flight with the [[Red Arrows]] at the Queen's [[Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II|Golden Jubilee]], June 2002]]

Concorde was normally perceived as a privilege of the rich, but special circular or one-way (with return by other flight or ship) charter flights were arranged to bring a trip within the means of moderately well-off enthusiasts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.alacrastore.com/storecontent/Business-and-Industry/24962872 |title=British Airways Concorde is expected to begin flying passengers again in next 6 weeks |work=The Dallas Morning News |date=23 August 2001 |access-date=30 June 2011 |archive-date=23 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523161433/http://www.alacrastore.com/storecontent/Business-and-Industry/24962872 |url-status=live}}</ref> As a symbol of national pride, an example from the BA fleet made occasional [[flypast]]s at selected Royal events, major air shows and other special occasions, sometimes in formation with the [[Red Arrows]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-62676656.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616203834/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-62676656.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 June 2012 |title=Red Arrows fly into Scotland |work=Daily Record |date=12 June 2000 |access-date=30 June 2011}}<br/>* {{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/3297816/Million-turn-out-to-crown-Queens-Jubilee.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/3297816/Million-turn-out-to-crown-Queens-Jubilee.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Million turn out to crown Queen's Jubilee |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |access-date=1 April 2010 |date=4 June 2002}}</ref> On the final day of commercial service, public interest was so great that grandstands were erected at Heathrow Airport. Significant numbers of people attended the final landings; the event received widespread media coverage.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1444939/Chaos-fear-at-Concorde-farewell.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1444939/Chaos-fear-at-Concorde-farewell.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Chaos fear at Concorde farewell |work=The Daily Telegraph |first=Sandra |last=Laville |date=24 October 2003 |location=London}}</ref>

The aircraft was usually referred to by the British as simply "Concorde".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2003/concorde_retirement/default.stm |title=Farewell to Concorde |work=BBC News |access-date=15 January 2010 |date=15 August 2007 |archive-date=13 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413081030/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2003/concorde_retirement/default.stm |url-status=live}}</ref> In France it was known as "le Concorde" due to "le", the [[definite article]],<ref name="OxLangFrGlos">[http://www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com/Public/PublicResources.html?direction=b-fr-en&sp=S/oldo/resources/fr/French-supp-05.xml Oxford Language Dictionaries Online&nbsp;– French Resources] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612022620/http://www.oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com/Public/PublicResources.html?direction=b-fr-en |date=12 June 2010}}: Glossary of Grammatical Terms</ref> used in [[French grammar]] to introduce the name of a ship or aircraft,<ref>[http://www.cnrtl.fr/lexicographie/academie9/le Centre National de Ressources Textuelles et Lexicales] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201121348/http://www.cnrtl.fr/lexicographie/academie9/le |date=1 December 2009}}&nbsp;– Définition de LE, LA: article défini, II.3</ref> and the capital being used to distinguish a [[proper name]] from a [[common noun]] of the same spelling.<ref name="OxLangFrGlos" /><ref>[http://grammaire.reverso.net/5_2_01_la_majuscule_dans_les_noms_propres.shtml Reverso Dictionnaire: La majuscule dans les noms propres] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613103504/http://grammaire.reverso.net/5_2_01_la_majuscule_dans_les_noms_propres.shtml |date=13 June 2010}} ("Capital letters within proper names")</ref> In French, the common noun ''concorde'' means "agreement, harmony, or peace".{{Refn|''concorde'' ''s.f.'' concord, unity, harmony, peace.{{sfn|Ferrar|1980|p=114}} |group=N}} Concorde's pilots and British Airways in official publications often refer to Concorde both in the singular and plural as "she" or "her".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britishairways.com/travel/concvidhome/public/en_gb |title=Celebrate Concorde: videos |publisher=British Airways |access-date=15 January 2010 |archive-date=14 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090414125204/http://www.britishairways.com/travel/concvidhome/public/en_gb |url-status=live}}<br/>* {{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro3QVMCG-aY |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070428142911/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ro3QVMCG-aY |archive-date=28 April 2007 |url-status=dead |title=Documentary of British Airways Concorde introduction |publisher=YouTube}}</ref>

In 2006, 37 years after its first test flight, Concorde was announced the winner of the Great British Design Quest organised by the BBC (through ''[[The Culture Show]]'') and the [[Design Museum]]. A total of 212,000 votes were cast with Concorde beating other British design icons such as the [[Mini]], [[mini skirt]], [[Jaguar E-Type]] car, the [[Tube map]], the [[World Wide Web]], the [[Red telephone box|K2 red telephone box]] and the [[Supermarine Spitfire]].<ref name="Concorde beats">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/concorde-beats-tube-map-to-become-britains-favourite-design-6106516.html |title=Concorde beats Tube map to become Britain's favourite design |first=Louise |last=Jury |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=16 March 2006 |access-date=26 August 2017 |archive-date=29 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171029114811/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/concorde-beats-tube-map-to-become-britains-favourite-design-6106516.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|title=Long list unveiled for national vote on public's favourite example of Great British Design |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/01_january/27/culture.shtml|agency=BBC|date=18 November 2016|access-date=18 November 2016 |archive-date=14 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190214232324/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2006/01_january/27/culture.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Special missions===
[[File:Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip disembark from a British Airways Concorde.jpg|thumb|alt=The Queen, in a pink floral dress, cream hat and long white gloves, descends from a BA-liveried aircraft via a set of movable aircraft steps, with the Duke, in a grey suit and dark tie, close behind her |[[Elizabeth II]] and the [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Duke of Edinburgh]] disembark Concorde in 1991]]

The heads of France and the United Kingdom flew in Concorde many times.<ref>{{cite web|title=Concorde Clipreel: Part 9 |url=http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/Concorde-Clipreel-Part-9/7ece56f04f3cf534e71bd4b4454b8d9e?searchfilter=Compilations%2FAccidents+%26+Disasters%2FConcorde%2F19602|publisher=AP Archive|access-date=12 December 2013|archive-date=11 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911235954/http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/Concorde-Clipreel-Part-9/7ece56f04f3cf534e71bd4b4454b8d9e?searchfilter=Compilations%2FAccidents%20&%20Disasters%2FConcorde%2F19602|url-status=live}}<br/>* {{cite web |url=http://heritageconcorde.com/passenger-experience-2/famous-concorde-passengers-2|title=Heritage Concorde |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020092029/http://heritageconcorde.com/passenger-experience-2/famous-concorde-passengers-2|archive-date=20 October 2013}}<br/>* {{cite web |url=http://www.aviation-news.co.uk/archive/concordeChronology.html|work=[[Aviation News]]|title=Concorde chronology|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305062119/http://www.aviation-news.co.uk/archive/concordeChronology.html|archive-date=5 March 2016}}</ref> Presidents [[Georges Pompidou]],<ref>{{cite web|title=Concorde Clipreel: Part 8|publisher= AP Archive |url=http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/Concorde-Clipreel-Part-8/3e56c7b758bb1e049f6763222b9e93c2?searchfilter=Compilations%2FAccidents+%26+Disasters%2FConcorde%2F19602|access-date=12 December 2013 |url-status=live |archive-date=11 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911232705/http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/Concorde-Clipreel-Part-8/3e56c7b758bb1e049f6763222b9e93c2?searchfilter=Compilations%2fAccidents+%26+Disasters%2fConcorde%2f19602}}<br/>* {{cite web |author=Keystone |url=http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/french-president-georges-pompidou-at-the-microphone-in-the-news-photo/3375737|title=French President Georges Pompidou at the microphone in the cockpit of... |work=Getty Images |date=15 April 2004 |access-date=12 December 2013|archive-date=16 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216170328/http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/french-president-georges-pompidou-at-the-microphone-in-the-news-photo/3375737|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Valéry Giscard d'Estaing]]<ref>{{cite web|title=The Amarillo Globe-Times from Amarillo, Texas |page =31 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/29590760/ |work=Newspapers.com|date=17 May 1976 |access-date=15 March 2016|url-status=live|archive-date=16 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316063908/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/29590760/}}<br/>* {{cite web |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/49473870/ |title=The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa |page =29 |work=Newspapers.com|date=6 January 1976 |access-date=15 March 2016|archive-date=17 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317232134/https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/49473870/|url-status=live}}<br/>* {{cite news |title=Giscard Arrives for Talks With Ford |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/05/18/archives/giscard-arrives-for-talks-with-ford.html |work=The New York Times |author=Flora Lewis |date=18 May 1976}}<br/>* {{cite web |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1976/may/27/the-queens-visit-to-north-america |work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |title=The Queen's Visit to North America  |access-date=12 December 2013|archive-date=26 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121226130451/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/lords/1976/may/27/the-queens-visit-to-north-america|date=27 May 1976 |url-status=live}}</ref> and [[François Mitterrand]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/7733286/Francois-Mitterrand.html|archive-date=8 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908221955/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/7733286/Francois-Mitterrand.html|url-status=dead|title=François Mitterrand|date=9 January 1996|work=Telegraph.co.uk}}<br/>* {{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-11-27-mn-1081-story.html |title=French Cosmonaut Aboard: Mitterrand Sees a Soviet Space Launch |work=Los Angeles Times |date=27 November 1988 |access-date=12 December 2013 |archive-date=18 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131218124628/http://articles.latimes.com/1988-11-27/news/mn-1081_1_soviet-space |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}<br/>* {{cite news |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/kingston-gleaner/1985-09-12/page-9 |title=President Francois Mitterrand prepared today to fly by Concorde |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125024502/https://newspaperarchive.com/kingston-gleaner-sep-12-1985-p-9/ |archive-date=25 January 2022 |work=Kingston Gleaner |date=12 September 1985 |page=9}}<br/>* [https://www.nytimes.com/1986/07/13/weekinreview/mitterrand-s-travels-are-well-received-back-home.html ''The New York Times''. Miitterrand's travels are well received back home] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160724123838/http://www.nytimes.com/1986/07/13/weekinreview/mitterrand-s-travels-are-well-received-back-home.html |date=24 July 2016}}</ref> regularly used Concorde as French flagship aircraft on foreign visits. [[Elizabeth II]] and Prime Ministers [[Edward Heath]], [[Jim Callaghan]], [[Margaret Thatcher]], [[John Major]] and [[Tony Blair]] took Concorde in some charter flights such as the Queen's trips to Barbados on her Silver Jubilee in 1977, in 1987 and in 2003, to the Middle East in 1984 and to the United States in 1991.<ref name="burleigh2008">{{cite web |url=http://www.burleighphoto.com/pages/stk-qe77/qe2.htm |title=Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubillee Barbados 1977 – Most Historic Concorde Takeoff Ever – Queen's First Flight on Concorde|website=Burleigh Photo|access-date=25 January 2020|url-status=live |archive-date=2 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002132513/http://www.burleighphoto.com/pages/stk-qe77/qe2.htm}}<br/>* {{cite web |url=http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/TheQueenandBarbados/Royalvisits.aspx |title=Queen and Barbados: Royal visits|access-date=16 January 2010|website=The official website of The British Monarchy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100420051139/http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchAndCommonwealth/TheQueenandBarbados/Royalvisits.aspx |archive-date=20 April 2010|url-status=dead}}<br/>* {{cite web |title=Concorde SST: Timeline – 90's |url=http://www.concordesst.com/history/00s.html |access-date=12 December 2013 |work=concordesst.com |archive-date=6 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131106015823/http://www.concordesst.com/history/00s.html |url-status=live}}<br/>* [http://www.barbadosconcorde.com/ Barbados Concorde Experience] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130818095250/http://www.barbadosconcorde.com/ |date=18 August 2013}}, barbadosconcorde.com</ref> [[Pope John Paul II]] flew on Concorde in May 1989.<ref>{{cite web |title=Concorde F-BTSC – French Production Test Aircraft |url=http://www.concorde-art-world.com/html/f-btsc.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511025729/http://www.concorde-art-world.com/html/f-btsc.html |archive-date=11 May 2008 |access-date=11 May 2014 |website=Concorde Art World}}</ref>

Concorde sometimes made special flights for demonstrations, air shows (such as the [[Farnborough Airshow|Farnborough]], [[Paris Air Show|Paris-Le Bourget]], [[EAA AirVenture Oshkosh|Oshkosh AirVenture]] and [[MAKS (air show)|MAKS]] air shows) as well as parades and celebrations (for example, of Zurich Airport's anniversary in 1998). The aircraft were also used for private charters (including by the President of [[Zaire]] [[Mobutu Sese Seko]] on multiple occasions),<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Tharoor|first=Ishaan |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2097426_2097427_2097458,00.html|title=Mobutu Sese Seko |series=Top 15 Toppled Dictators|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|access-date=30 April 2013|date=20 October 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424213126/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2097426_2097427_2097458,00.html|archive-date=24 April 2013}}<br/>* {{cite book |last1=Shaw |first1=Karl |last2=Hajník |first2=Zdeněk |title=Šílenství mocných |trans-title=Power Mad!|year=2005 |publisher=Metafora|location=Praha|language=cs|isbn=978-80-7359-002-4|pages=47, 58}}<br/>* {{cite web |url=http://www.concorde-jet.com/e_photos.php?ref=club_concorde2136|access-date=12 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703131449/http://www.concorde-jet.com/e_photos.php?ref=club_concorde2136|archive-date=3 July 2009|url-status=dead|title=Zaïre|work=Concorde-Jet.com}}</ref> for advertising companies (including for the firm [[Oki Electric Industry|OKI]]), for Olympic torch relays ([[1992 Winter Olympics]] in Albertville) and for observing [[solar eclipse]]s, including the [[solar eclipse of June 30, 1973|solar eclipse of 30 June 1973]]<ref name=Vice-Motherboard-2016-03-09>{{cite magazine |url= https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-concorde-and-the-longest-solar-eclipse/ |title= When Astronomers Chased a Total Eclipse in a Concorde |author= Chris Hatherill |date= 9 March 2016 |magazine= Motherboard |publisher= Vice }}</ref><ref name="spirit">{{cite web |url=http://www.concorde-spirit-tours.com/ |title=Concorde Spirit Tours |work=concorde-spirit-tours.com |access-date=28 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629051800/http://www.concorde-spirit-tours.com/ |archive-date=29 June 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and again for the [[solar eclipse of August 11, 1999|total solar eclipse on 11 August 1999]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Solar Eclipse Viewed from Concorde |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-L0eRgzxE0|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211124/Y-L0eRgzxE0| archive-date=24 November 2021 |url-status=live |publisher=AP Archive|orig-year=Aug 1999|via=YouTube |date=21 July 2015}}{{cbignore}}<br/>* {{cite web |title=Concorde eclipse august 99 collector |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMDrrSDoghQ&t=2m25s |publisher=jean-luc |date=5 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170526173914/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMDrrSDoghQ| archive-date=26 May 2017 |url-status=dead |via=YouTube}}</ref>

===Records===
The fastest transatlantic airliner flight was from New York JFK to London Heathrow on 7 February 1996 by the British Airways G-BOAD in 2 hours, 52 minutes, 59 seconds from take-off to touchdown aided by a 175&nbsp;mph (282&nbsp;km/h) tailwind.<ref name="SST makes record flight">{{cite news |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SL&p_theme=sl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB04F816AA79462&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |title=SST makes record flight |work=St Louis Post |access-date=30 June 2011 |date=9 February 1996 |archive-date=1 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001070114/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SL&p_theme=sl&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB04F816AA79462&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |url-status=live}}</ref> On 13 February 1985, a Concorde charter flight flew from London Heathrow to [[Sydney Airport|Sydney]] in a time of 17 hours, 3 minutes and 45 seconds, including refuelling stops.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.concorde-art-world.com/html/record_breaker.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511025908/http://www.concorde-art-world.com/html/record_breaker.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 May 2008|title=Concorde Supersonic Airliner – Record Breaker |publisher=concorde-art-world.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19850215&id=N8BWAAAAIBAJ&pg=2081,21154 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |title=Late, but the white dart is in time to claim record |author=Adrian Swift |date=15 February 1985 |access-date=28 November 2020 |archive-date=14 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414131209/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1301&dat=19850215&id=N8BWAAAAIBAJ&pg=2081,21154 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Concorde set the [[Fédération Aéronautique Internationale|FAI]] "Westbound Around the World" and "Eastbound Around the World" world air speed records.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Cramoisi|first1=George|title=Air Crash Investigations: The End of the Concorde Era, the Crash of Air France Flight 4590|date=2010|publisher=Lulu|isbn=978-0-557-84950-5|page=518|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aekGAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA518|access-date=26 August 2017|archive-date=14 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414103518/https://books.google.com/books?id=aekGAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA518|url-status=live}}</ref> On 12–13 October 1992, in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of [[Christopher Columbus|Columbus]]' first voyage to the [[New World]], Concorde Spirit Tours (US) chartered Air France Concorde F-BTSD and [[circumnavigation|circumnavigated]] the world in 32 hours 49 minutes and 3 seconds, from [[Lisbon]], Portugal, including six refuelling stops at [[Santo Domingo]], [[Acapulco]], [[Honolulu]], Guam, [[Bangkok]], and [[Bahrain]].<ref>{{cite news |title=French Concorde to attempt round-the-world record |work=Anchorage Daily News |date=12 October 1992}}</ref>

The eastbound record was set by the same Air France Concorde (F-BTSD) under charter to Concorde Spirit Tours<ref name="spirit" /> in the US on 15–16 August 1995. This promotional flight circumnavigated the world from New York/JFK International Airport in 31 hours 27 minutes 49 seconds, including six refuelling stops at Toulouse, [[Dubai]], Bangkok, Andersen AFB in [[Guam]], Honolulu, and [[Acapulco]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Concorde jets occupants on record ride |website=Deseret News |date=17 August 1995}}</ref>

On its way to the [[Museum of Flight]] in November 2003, G-BOAG set a New York City-to-Seattle speed record of 3 hours, 55 minutes, and 12 seconds. Due to the restrictions on supersonic overflights within the US the flight was granted permission by the Canadian authorities for the majority of the journey to be flown supersonically over sparsely-populated Canadian territory.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/concorde |title=Concorde |publisher=Museum of Flight |access-date=21 August 2011 |archive-date=11 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811171754/http://www.museumofflight.org/aircraft/concorde |url-status=live}}</ref>