The Aérospatiale/BAC Concorde was a British-French supersonic passenger jet airliner. It had a most velocity of Mach 2.04 (1,354 mph or 2,180 km/h at cruise altitude, over twice the velocity of sound), with seating for 92 to 128 passengers. The plane entered service in 1976 and continued flying for the subsequent 27 years.
Air France (AF) and British Airways (BA) had been the one airways to buy and fly Concorde.
The plane flew at a cruising altitude of 60,000 ft., from the place passengers might see the curvature of the Earth. Based on Aerotime.aero, in the identical altitude bracket flew the US Air Pressure (USAF) SR-71 Blackbird spy airplane. In the course of the Chilly Struggle, pilots of the Concorde had been asking air site visitors management to maneuver the SR-71 out of its method so it might proceed to New York’s JF in addition to different locations.
Pete Clarke, former air site visitors controller (ATC) remembers in an attention-grabbing story appeared on ATC Historical past titled Concorde in battle with an SR-71 Blackbird;
‘When you sort the above topic into your web search it comes up with tales referring to a doable battle between an Air France Concorde and an SR-71 which many doubt truly occurred.
‘The next DID occur as I used to be the controller.
‘I’ve learn an account from a Concorde captain on the BBC News website a number of years in the past who was being interviewed about Concorde after it had been taken out of service. He narrated this story because it was distinctive for it to be instructed Concorde might presumably be in battle on the altitude it cruised.
‘There may be additionally a documentary that has appeared on the “Quest” TV channel concerning the SR-71 Blackbird throughout which one captain relates this story from his perspective.
‘Right here is my model.’
Flying between 55,000 to 60,000ft Concorde was above the subsonic jet plane. It was given this vertical profile of 5,000ft because the precise altitude the Concorde would degree off at relied on the precise temperature on the day. This temperature might additionally differ through the crossing so the plane would regulate altitude accordingly. One or 2 government jet plane might presumably attain 43,000ft on a great day however they had been nonetheless not an issue to Concorde. On one specific day, nonetheless, I did management one other plane that would greater than match Concorde each in velocity and altitude, the American army SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3+ spy airplane. Generally army plane crossing the Atlantic would have a reserved route stored clear for them to ensure that formations of jets to refuel en-route, as crucial, from an accompanying tanker.
The SR-71 had greater than enough vary for the crossing and was working solo. Though we might management many American subsonic plane just like the C-141 or C-17 heavy cargo plane or perhaps even troop carriers on our Monitor system they might not talk with our HF radio station close to Shannon. As an alternative they might use an American army HF radio station (Croughton) in Oxfordshire. Like most army models they’d a daily change of workers so, typically, the radio operators had very restricted expertise of the operations they had been dealing with. Hold it easy for them and it was OK. Something out of the abnormal and it brought about a lot confusion.
I used to be controlling a westbound Concorde simply getting into my airspace after I obtained particulars of an SR-71 coming eastbound on a route that might battle with Concorde. The SR-71 didn’t at all times fly supersonically, it was doing lower than Mach 1 on today, but it surely was nonetheless at a really excessive altitude. I had been informed it was “above 600”, i.e. above 60,000ft. Concorde was working as much as 60,000ft and the vertical separation customary at that altitude was 4,000ft.
I despatched a message to the American radio operator to ask for the precise altitude of the SR-71. A couple of minutes later the reply got here again, “Above 600.”
I telephoned the radio operator explaining I wanted the precise altitude. The radio operator’s response was, “I’ll patch you thru.” The operator had a facility to function a 2-way change on the radio. Push it a technique and you would transmit over the phone, change it the opposite technique to obtain. On the finish of every transmission you needed to keep in mind to say “Over’ to ensure that the radio operator to know when to flick the change.
I used to be now speaking on to the pilot of the SR-71. “That is the Shanwick controller, verify your altitude. Over.”
SR-71, “We’re above 600. Over”
Me, “I have to know your precise altitude. Over”
SR-71, “Above 600. Over”.
Me, “Am I to grasp you might be unable to provide me your precise altitude? Over”
SR-71, “Affirmative. Over”
(These plane had a stealth functionality and will fly at very, very excessive altitude, usually above 70,000ft. They didn’t, nonetheless need anybody to know precisely at what altitude they had been flying so would change off their radio sign that might point out altitude to a radar operator as soon as they climbed.)
Me, “OK, I’ve a Concorde working westbound on a conflicting route with you at 60,000ft. I would like 4,000ft vertical separation. Do I’ve it? Over”
SR-71, “You positive have.”
Me, “That’s all I have to know. Thanks. Out”
Simply one other little second to brighten my day.
For extra posts containing paperwork and photographic collections of UK Air Visitors Management take a look at ATC Historical past.
Picture credit score: U.S. Air Pressure, Arthur Gibson, Spaceaero2 by way of Wikipedia and Adrian Meredith / Crown Copyright
