On a freezing cold day, January 14, 1976, British Airways took delivery of its first Concorde, marking a turning point for the British airline. As is well known, the supersonic era of commercial aviation was shared with Air France, which also operated this aircraft. A historic chapter was written for commercial aviation. This remains unmatched to this day. BA’s entire Concorde fleet made approximately 50,000 flights, mostly across the Atlantic. During this time, it carried more than 2.5 million passengers.
With a takeoff speed of 220 knots (250 mph) and a cruising speed of 1,350 mph—more than twice the speed of sound—a typical London to New York journey took just under three and a half hours, compared with eight hours for a subsonic flight. In November 1986, a British Airways Concorde circumnavigated the globe, covering 28,238 miles in 29 hours and 59 minutes.
The Concorde used the most powerful jet engines ever flown, surpassing any passenger airliner in speed. The plane’s four engines took advantage of what is known as “reheat” technology, adding fuel to the final stage of the engine, which, like an afterburner, produced the extra power needed for takeoff and the transition to supersonic flight. Concorde’s fastest transatlantic flight took place on February 7, 1996, when it completed the flight from New York to London in 2 hours, 52 minutes, and 59 seconds.
The Concorde was 60 meters long and expanded between 6 and 10 inches in flight due to the heating of the fuselage. It was covered with a specially developed white paint to adapt to these changes and dissipate the heat generated by supersonic flight. A team of around 250 British Airways engineers worked tirelessly, alongside the relevant authorities, to ensure safety on board, and the Concorde underwent 5,000 hours of testing before being certified for passenger flight for the first time, making it the most tested aircraft in history.
BRITISH AIRWAYS CONCORDE FLIGHTS TO BARCELONA
Our collaborator Jordi Grifé was there to immortalize with his camera one of those historic landings
British Airways Concorde G-BOAD BCN 13/06/1997
The now-defunct Banca Catalana chartered several flights connecting Barcelona with New York. Its passengers were cruise passengers who departed from Barcelona on various ships throughout the Mediterranean, invited by the bank.
WHERE TO SEE A BRITISH AIRWAYS CONCORDE.
Fortunately, it is still possible to enjoy several preserved examples of this aircraft, a symbol and achievement of aeronautical technology.
One of them, G-BOAD, is located in New York City. It was placed in a very unique location: the deck of the USS Intrépid CV11 aircraft carrier, a ship converted into a museum.
In Manchester, G-BOAC is on display in a museum located on the grounds of the airport itself. You can admire this Concorde, perfectly preserved and protected in a hangar. Its interior is open to visitors.
