Supersonic's Debut Was Pretty Hot

The Concorde was famously loud: a take-off in 1977 measured 119.4 decibels. The pain threshold for the human ear is around 110. File photo: APThe Concorde was famously loud: a take-off in 1977 measured 119.4 decibels. The pain threshold for the human ear is around 110. File photo: AP
The Concorde was famously loud: a take-off in 1977 measured 119.4 decibels. The pain threshold for the human ear is around 110. File photo: AP
The speed and elegant appearance of the Concorde inspired awe. Its ear-rattling sonic booms irritated people on the ground and led to restrictions on where the jet could fly.
The Concorde’s maiden flight was 50 years ago this month. Although the plane went out of service in 2003, its delta-wing design and drooping nose still make it instantly recognisable even to people who have never seen one in person.
The Concorde was the world’s first supersonic passenger plane. It was a technological marvel and a source of pride in Britain and France, whose aerospace companies joined forces to produce the plane.
Its first flight occurred on March 2, 1969, in Toulouse, France.