(Mao, the twelfth lunar month twenty), January 21, 1976, two Concorde supersonic airliner, the first commercial flight. The Concorde


British Aircraft Corporation (now merged into British Aerospace) and the French Aerospace Corporation jointly developed the four-engine long-range supersonic airliner. In 1956-1961, Britain, and France separately conducted a preliminary study of the supersonic airliner. In 1961, the two countries put forward their own design, aerodynamic layout and performance of the two programs are very similar. Due to high development cost, the two countries decided to cooperate in the development cost shared equally. November 1962 after consultations between the two governments signed a contract to jointly develop two prototypes, officially named the aircraft "Concorde".
British Aircraft Corporation and the French Aerospace co-responsible for the development of the body, engine jointly developed by British Rolls-Royce and Snecma of France. 1965 began manufacturing prototype test flight in early 1969, the two pre-production machines were delivered at the end of 1971 and early 1972 test flight. Pre-production machines made many changes: nose lengthened 0.6 m, head cross-section from a circle into a flat round to improve cabin horizon; cabin by 33 Mega long and 38.7 meters, passenger capacity increased to 128 people. The end of 1975, and achieved the British, France Type Certificate, January 21, 1976, put into routes. But due to the Concorde fuel consumption is too high, the voyage is less than, barely able to fly across the Atlantic, patronage small use is much higher than the cost of a subsonic airliner, resulting in the British and French airlines operating in the "Concord" on the loss of 4 to 5 million dollars a year, to rely on the bilateral government subsidies are barely able to maintain its flight. Another serious defect is the noise level exceeds the United States FAR36 civil aircraft noise level standards, the U.S. government does not allow Concorde landing in its own territory, resulting in the United States and other countries, civil aviation companies have canceled orders. Finally, the cost of the $ 3.2 billion of the supersonic airliner development program failed, Concorde produced only 16, was stopped in 1979 years. Air France and British Airways now operates seven each.