Why is the Concorde cockpit so complicated?

Why is the Concorde cockpit so complicated? Concorde was not alone in having separate flight engineer controls, nor in having a complex cockpit. In many ways, it improved on designs and layouts from earlier aircraft. But the aircraft's special abilities meant there were a few new switches, gauges and elements to the panels.

Did Concorde use afterburners?

Afterburning was added to Concorde for take-off to cope with weight increases that came after the initial design. It was also used to accelerate through the high-drag transonic speed range, not because the extra thrust was required, but because it was available and improved the operating economics.

What did Concorde feel like?

Calvert: Flying Concorde involved a mixture of emotions. As an airplane it just felt right. You got an exhilarating feeling, which was very exciting. You almost wanted to be flying it and looking at it from the outside at the same time because you felt so grand in it.

Why was Concorde so quick?

Concorde used the most powerful pure jet engines flying commercially. The Aircraft's four engines took advantage of what is known as 'reheat' technology, adding fuel to the final stage of the engine, which produced the extra power required for take-off and the transition to supersonic flight.

Could Concorde crash have been avoided?

Despite the crew being trained and certified, no plan existed for the simultaneous failure of two engines on the runway, as it was considered highly unlikely. Aborting the takeoff would have led to a high-speed runway excursion and collapse of the landing gear, which also would have caused the aircraft to crash.

Why was the Concorde so loved?

Concorde's long, thin fuselage was a key to its supersonic abilities. Calvert says its spindly shape also allowed it to flex like a fly-fishing rod, one of its most unique aerodynamic qualities. Concorde's cruising altitude was the highest for a civilian aircraft at 60,000 feet.

Did Concorde have toilets?

The toilets were at front and centre of the cabin, there was baggage space under forward cabin and aft of cabin. Passenger doors forward of cabin and amidships on port side, with service doors opposite. There was a baggage door aft of cabin on starboard side.

What were the Concorde pilots last words?

It was just one minute 17 seconds after its pilot was told the plane was on fire. According to a report by the Mirror, Captain Christian Marty's last words on July 25, 2000, were: Too late... no time. The co-pilot was then heard to say: Le Bourget, Le Bourget.

How many Concordes crashed?

On 25 July 2000, Air France Flight 4590 crashed shortly after take-off with all 109 occupants and four on the ground killed. This was the only fatal incident involving Concorde; commercial service was suspended until November 2001.

What were the last words of the Concorde?

The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) recorded the last intelligible words in the cockpit (translated into English): Co-pilot: Le Bourget, Le Bourget, Le Bourget. Pilot: Too late (unclear). Control tower: Fire service leader, correction, the Concorde is returning to runway zero nine in the opposite direction.

How many Concordes are left?

Concorde is sadly no longer flying, but it is still possible to visit some of the remaining 18 airframes, there are others not open to the public but you can still see them.

How much was a ticket on Concorde?

Such speed didn't come cheap, though: A transatlantic flight required the high-maintenance aircraft to gulp jet fuel at the rate of one ton per seat, and the average round-trip price was $12,000.

Why are cockpits so complicated?

The pilot needs full control over all the aircraft systems, directly from the cockpit, in order to be able to control the aircraft safely in case of an emergency. There's quite a difference in designing a user interface for a first-time user compared to an expert.

What is the hardest thing for pilots?