09/04/2009

Concorde's 40th Anniversary Celebrated

Celebrations are underway to mark the 40th anniversary of the first test flight by Concorde.

The first UK-built Concorde 002 took off from Filton in Bristol for the first time on 9 April, 1969, piloted by Brian Trubshaw.

The aircraft finally went into service in 1976.

The luxury supersonic plane was retired by British Airways in 2003 as the demand for flights decreased.

To mark the anniversary, the Fleet Air Arm Museum is today holding a special day of talks and films taking place under Concorde.

Captains David Rowland and Ian McNelly, will be among the speakers at the event. First Officer Peter Benn and Snr Flight Crew Jo Bramley will also be there – she will be discussing her time as a First Class Stewardess.

In addition there will be a number of family activities and a book signing by aviation author and publisher Jonathan Falconer who will sign his new book entitled 'Concorde a Photographic History'. It contains a collection of colour photographs that portray Concorde from its first flights in 1969 to its swansong in 2003.

Concorde revolutionised air travel, with journey time from London to New York reduced to three and a half hours.

The prototype of the aircraft is now on display at the Fleet Air Museum.

(JM/BMcC)

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