The Insane Engineering of the Concorde

Real Engineering・2 minutes read

The Concorde, a groundbreaking aircraft developed by BAC and Aerospatiale, featured innovative design elements like powerful engines, unique inlet and wing designs, and safety features. Despite facing commercial failure, the Concorde revolutionized air travel with its advanced technology and engineering solutions.

Insights

  • The Concorde, a groundbreaking aircraft developed by Britain's BAC and France's Aerospatiale, aimed to revolutionize air travel with its innovative design, including powerful Rolls Royce Olympus 593 engines, unique engine and inlet designs, and ogival delta wings for enhanced performance across speed ranges.
  • The Concorde's safety features, like the droopsnoot for pilot visibility, extendable tail landing gear for engine protection, and heat-resistant glass visor for extreme temperatures, highlighted the aircraft's commitment to safety and performance, despite facing structural challenges like thermal expansion and requiring specialized maintenance for optimal operation.

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Recent questions

  • What was the Concorde's purpose?

    Revolutionize air travel with reduced flying times.

  • Who funded the Concorde project?

    British and French governments with 2.8 billion dollars.

  • What were the Concorde's unique engine features?

    Rolls Royce Olympus 593 engines with afterburners.

  • How did the Concorde address thermal efficiency?

    Achieved high thermal efficiency with pressure ratio of 80:1.

  • What were the safety features of the Concorde?

    Extendable tail landing gear and droopsnoot for visibility.

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Summary

00:00

Revolutionary Concorde: Supersonic Flight Innovation

  • In 1969, the Concorde was introduced to the public as a futuristic vision, aiming to revolutionize air travel with 130 passengers onboard and significantly reduced flying times, such as London to New York in 3 hours 20 minutes.
  • The Concorde, a joint effort between Britain's BAC and France’s Aerospatiale, was funded by the British and French governments with 2.8 billion dollars, marking a significant advancement in commercial travel despite its eventual commercial failure.
  • The Concorde's innovative design included powerful Rolls Royce Olympus 593 engines, initially developed for the Avro Vulcan, which increased in thrust to 169 kN with afterburners, enhancing fuel efficiency and supersonic flight capabilities.
  • The Concorde's unique engine design featured two controllable nozzles to manage power and pressure changes during flight, ensuring optimal engine performance across a wide speed range.
  • The Concorde's inlet design included squared inlets with variable ramps and doors to regulate airflow for engine efficiency, adapting during takeoff, noise abatement, and supersonic cruise to maximize performance.
  • The Concorde's high thermal efficiency, achieved through a pressure ratio of 80:1 during cruise, surpassed modern engines like the GEnX of the Boeing 787, with the Olympus 593's unique design requiring high-temperature alloys for extreme temperatures.
  • Engineering challenges in the Concorde's design, such as drive shaft bearing cooling and structural changes due to high temperatures, showcased the innovative solutions required for supersonic flight.
  • The Concorde's ogival delta wings, a compound design with vortex lift capabilities, allowed for reduced drag in supersonic flight while providing additional lift at low speeds, addressing challenges in takeoffs and landings.
  • The droopsnoot, a mechanized nose that could drop by 12.5 degrees, enabled pilots to maintain visibility during high-angle-of-attack maneuvers, with multiple positions controlled by a lever for different flight phases.
  • Additional safety features like an extendable tail landing gear protected the Concorde's engines from potential tail strikes during takeoffs and landings, showcasing the aircraft's unique design elements for enhanced safety and performance.

16:10

"Concorde: Engineering Challenges and Innovations"

  • In 1985, a Japan Airlines 747 flight crashed in Japan due to a tailstrike that had not been correctly repaired, resulting in the highest number of fatalities in a single aviation crash.
  • The Concorde required a visor for supersonic flight to protect the nose from extreme temperatures, with the plane experiencing 130 degrees celsius while cruising at 60,000ft.
  • The Concorde underwent design changes to incorporate a heat-resistant glass visor, crucial for its operation.
  • The Concorde's structure faced challenges due to thermal expansion, growing by 20 centimetres on each flight, necessitating the use of a special aluminium alloy, Hiduminium RR58.
  • Rolls Royce engineers developed new manufacturing methods to adapt the alloy for the Concorde's cold rolled skin, enhancing heat resistance.
  • Maintenance of the Concorde included regular checks and replacement of high-temperature sealants like Viton, crucial for preventing fuel leaks.
  • The Concorde's fuel tanks, holding 119,000 litres, were essential for long-haul flights and played a crucial role in controlling the plane's balance during flight.
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