I have been an aviation enthusiast since I was a child, and I know almost every type of aircraft, their characteristics, and features. When I arrived in Britain in 1970 and started my journey in the medical world, I simultaneously enrolled in the British Aviation Institute in Luton. I was about to complete the course, but due to my heavy workload as a doctor, I couldn't finish it. Had I done so, I might have become a pilot instead of a medical doctor, which, of course, is the will of God.

I was also very fascinated by the Concorde, with its beautiful design and extraordinary features that were ahead of its time. I was fortunate enough to travel from London to New York twice, making a total of four trips on the Concorde. In this article, I will briefly share some information about my favorite aircraft, the Concorde.

The Concorde was a supersonic aircraft, more successful than the Tupolev Tu-144 (another supersonic commercial aircraft). The Concorde, which once shattered airport windows and destroyed runways, now rests in aviation exhibitions as a relic that once soared through the skies.

Air France, owned by the French airline, decided to stop operating the Concorde flights on May 31, 2003, due to high operating costs and a decline in demand. British Airways also planned to stop flying the aircraft from London in October of that year, ending the supersonic legend that began jointly on November 29, 1962, when the French and British governments signed an agreement to design and build the first civilian supersonic aircraft.

The Concorde operated five weekly flights between Paris and New York, as well as between London and New York, in a record time of less than four hours. In comparison, the best traditional aircraft covered the same distance in eight hours. The most significant blow to the Concorde came when one of the aircraft crashed on July 25, 2000, moments after taking off from Charles de Gaulle Airport near Paris. A wheel of the aircraft collided with a metal wire on the runway, killing everyone on board and grounding the Concorde for a year before it was permanently retired in 2003.

The Concorde was 204 feet long and could expand by 6 to 10 inches during flight due to the extreme heat generated by its incredible speed. The aircraft appeared in the sky wrapped in its white coat, made from a specially developed paint that could withstand these changes and disperse the heat generated by flying at twice the speed of sound.

The Concorde's wingspan was 83 feet and 8 inches, significantly shorter than traditional subsonic aircraft. The Concorde employed a completely different approach, using an "upward vortex" method to achieve its extraordinary mission. The most distinctive feature of this flying eagle was its drooping nose, which provided pilots with the best possible view during takeoff and landing.

The Concorde's wing shape was consistent with its supersonic nature, requiring a combination of sufficient length, paddle functionality, and minimal relative thickness that was compatible with ascent and descent operations. The structural rigidity demonstrated was adequate for flying under such conditions. As the aircraft approaches landing, fuel moves to the front of the aircraft, accompanied by the nose rising, allowing the aircraft to land in a scene resembling birds landing on the water's surface. The Concorde's wings move at a more visible angle with the ground during takeoff and landing, ensuring clearer visibility for the crew. The aircraft also features a recording and monitoring device on both sides of its body, analyzing over 600 readings that reflect the flight's path and status.

The Concorde Crash on Flight 4590

The Concorde crashed just minutes after taking off from Charles de Gaulle Airport on July 25, 2000. A sudden fire erupted in the left wing of the aircraft, causing it to lose balance and crash onto the surface of a nearby hotel. This catastrophic incident resulted in the deaths of 109 people, including all passengers and crew members, as well as four people inside the hotel where the aircraft crashed, bringing the total number of victims to 113.

The Concorde was known for adhering to high safety standards, making it the safest aircraft in the world. No human was killed or subjected to death by the Concorde before this incident throughout its 25 years of operation. It should be noted that its tires were extremely sensitive and highly pressurized, with a burst rate 60 times higher than conventional aircraft. However, tire burst incidents had never harmed anyone.

Investigations revealed that the cause of the accident was a metal wire no longer than 43 cm (17 inches) on the runway. The aircraft's wheel collided with it while traveling at a speed of 350 km/h (217 mph). This sensitive tire then exploded, propelling a 25 kg (55 lb) piece of rubber to collide with the engines of the left wing. Large amounts of fuel then leaked along the wing and engines. Yet, this alone was not enough for the aircraft to catch fire. The fire ignited when another small piece of the burst tire flew out simultaneously with the first piece, severing an electrical wire near the wing, causing a spark that ignited the leaking fuel, which in turn ignited a massive fire that engulfed the entire wing and stopped the engines.

Some may wonder if the captain saw the fire before takeoff, and if so, why did he proceed? The truth is that the aircraft was near the end of the runway and traveling at a very high speed, reaching the point of no return when the fire broke out, necessitating the takeoff regardless.

Following this accident, the aircraft was grounded for a full year to improve safety procedures. These new precautions made the flight extremely expensive, and the aircraft was eventually retired in 2003.

Dr. Essam Abdel-Samad

President of the Union of Egyptians in Europe