Fortunately, the Concorde and Boom Overture cruise at about 60,000 feet (18,000 m), much higher than the 38,000 feet (11,500 m) of subsonic airliners. At this altitude there is almost no weather, nor turbulence.
Was the Concorde a smooth ride?
RE: How Did Concorde Ride In Turbulence
Supersonic though it was majestic – totally smooth (and very hot windows and cabin walls because of the friction!).
Is there turbulence at 50000 feet?
The results show that for altitudes between 50,000 and 75,000 ft, clear air turbulence was generally encountered less than 1 or 2% of the time. All of the sets of data show a maximum peak at altitudes near 30,000 ft.
Is there turbulence at supersonic speed?
Smooth Sailing. In commercial aircraft, speed transitions are rarely noticed. And in supersonic aircraft, passengers who drift off to sleep might be surprised to wake up and learn they’re traveling at Mach 1.7. Imagine flying on Overture at 60,000 feet above the earth — and experiencing zero turbulence.
What did it feel like to fly on the Concorde?
“Concorde was extremely small, only about 100 seats. It had more like office chairs, bucket seats, and very small windows. It was noisy, extremely noisy, but I challenge anybody not to have a smile from ear to ear when they got on it.”
Are any Concordes still airworthy?
Commercial service was suspended until November 2001, and Concorde aircraft were retired in 2003 after 27 years of commercial operations. Most aircraft are on display in Europe and America.
Concorde | |
---|---|
British Airways Concorde in 1986 | |
Role | Supersonic airliner |
National origin | United Kingdom and France |
How much did it cost to fly on the Concord?
For an average round-trip, across-the-ocean ticket price of about $12,000, Concorde shuttled its upper-crust passengers over the Atlantic in about three hours: an airborne assemblage of wealth, power, and celebrity hurtling along at breakneck speed.
Can turbulence take down a plane?
Can turbulence crash an airplane? NO. Although in its worst form, turbulence may scare passengers to the point where they start praying to the Almighty, asking for mercy for their sins, it’s very, very rare for turbulence to be powerful enough to actually bring a plane down.
What altitude has the worst turbulence?
between 12,000 and 20,000 feet
Maximum turbulence usually occurs near the mid-level of the storm, between 12,000 and 20,000 feet and is most severe in clouds of the greatest vertical development.
What altitude has no turbulence?
Q: Is there any altitude where there would be no turbulence? — Bill B. A: Yes, very high altitude, above 50,000 feet, where there is very little air, has little or no turbulence.
Do supersonic jets have less turbulence?
So, overall, we can expect very smooth cruise in a supersonic jet, and slightly stronger turbulence during climb and descent, due to the stiffer wings compared to subsonic planes.
Is it illegal to break the sound barrier?
It’s against the law. Within the United States, it is illegal to break the sound barrier. The Federal Aviation Administration regulations are quite clear: “No person may operate a civil aircraft in the United States at a true flight Mach number greater than 1” except in certain, very limited conditions.
Do planes feel like roller coasters?
Flights over mountain ranges, for example, often fall prey to mountain wave turbulence, which feels like a roller coaster speeding down its first big hill.
How much did a seat on Concorde cost?
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.
Which airline has the fastest planes?
Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier has unveiled the Global 8000, a new plane with a maximum operating speed of 721 miles per hour — making it the fastest private jet in the world.
Is it hard to fly a Concorde?
Apparently, Concorde “handled very well” and was easier to fly than other aircraft such as the Boeing 747. It is “a pilot’s plane, but also a passenger’s plane”, according to Andrew, and Concorde did turn out to be a favourite, at least for those who could afford it.
Why did they stop using the Concord?
Concorde was retired from service in October 2003 after British Airways and Air France blamed a downturn in demand and increasing maintenance costs.
Why do Concords no longer fly?
Why was Concorde retired? Air France and British Airways blamed low passenger numbers and rising maintenance costs. Passenger numbers fell after an Air France Concorde crashed minutes after taking off from Paris in July 2000, killing all 109 people on board and four on the ground.
Will we ever see Concorde again?
(CNN) — United Airlines has announced it will purchase up to 50 Boom Overture supersonic jets for commercial use by 2029, heralding the return of supersonic passenger flights nearly 20 years after the Concorde was decommissioned.
How much did Concorde pilots earn?
Concorde pilots in BA have the same salary as any mainline pilots flying any other aircraft. There is a salary scale depending on length of service. Top salary is 120,700 sterling basic for captains. That is 24 years of service.
How many Concordes are left?
United States. Three Concordes reside in the United States. All are production models formerly operated by British Airways and Air France. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Virginia is home to an Air France Concorde (F-BVFA).