The Insane Engineering of the Concorde

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  • čas přidán 25. 03. 2022
  • Sign up to Nebula here: go.nebula.tv/realengineering
    Links to everything I do:
    beacons.ai/brianmcmanus
    Credits:
    Writer/Narrator: Brian McManus
    Writer/Researcher: Sophia Mayet
    Editor: Dylan Hennessy
    Animator: Mike Ridolfi
    Animator: Eli Prenten
    Sound: Graham Haerther
    Thumbnail: Simon Buckmaster
    References:
    [1] apnews.com/article/fa1e281d54...
    [2] www.heritageconcorde.com/conc...
    [3] www.jstor.org/stable/44644469
    [4] www.heritageconcorde.com/vari...
    [4a] www.emerald.com/insight/conte...
    • Afterburners: Why the ...
    [5] www.concordesst.com/powerplant...
    [5] asmedigitalcollection.asme.or...
    [6] www.heritageconcorde.com/air-...
    [7] www.jstor.org/stable/44644469
    [8] www.concordesst.com/nose.html
    [9] www.heritageconcorde.com/tail...
    [10] dl.asminternational.org/alloy...
    [11] www.concordesst.com/fuelsys.html
    Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images
    Thank you to AP Archive for access to their archival footage.
    Music by Epidemic Sound: epidemicsound.com/creator
    Songs:
    Thank you to my patreon supporters: Adam Flohr, Henning Basma, Hank Green, William Leu, Tristan Edwards, Ian Dundore, John & Becki Johnston. Nevin Spoljaric, Jason Clark, Thomas Barth, Johnny MacDonald, Stephen Foland, Alfred Holzheu, Abdulrahman Abdulaziz Binghaith, Brent Higgins, Dexter Appleberry, Alex Pavek, Marko Hirsch, Mikkel Johansen, Hibiyi Mori. Viktor Józsa, Ron Hochsprung
  • Věda a technologie

Komentáře • 2,2K

  • @RealEngineering
    @RealEngineering  Před 2 lety +261

    2nd episode of our Battle of Britain series is live! Watch it here: nebula.app/videos/realengineering-battle-of-britain-ep-2-chain-home

    • @TheExoplanetsChannel
      @TheExoplanetsChannel Před 2 lety +9

      very interesting

    • @brrrrrr
      @brrrrrr Před 2 lety +4

      Brian, where are the SR 71 wallpapers

    • @RTSLV
      @RTSLV Před 2 lety +1

      The concord plane model of it sits in Heathrow Airport see it everyday thinking wish I could fly unit or fly it

    • @DemonSwrd
      @DemonSwrd Před 2 lety +1

      Hi I would love to see a video about what would it be like if we replaced all of today's planes with Concords and see the effect of the sonic waves produced around the world?

    • @MindLaboratory
      @MindLaboratory Před 2 lety +2

      The reason I haven't signed up for nebula/curiosity stream isn't lack of interest - it's lack of time. There are so many good science/eng channels on youtube and I already don't have enough time to watch them all. If one disappears behind a paywall, there are lots to take its place. I hope nebula is doing great and continues to.

  • @theproceedings4050
    @theproceedings4050 Před 2 lety +4610

    Sometimes it's frustrating to see machines that are not engineering failures, but are economic failures.

    • @rubiconnn
      @rubiconnn Před 2 lety +494

      Part of successful engineering is designing things that are economically viable. The Concorde was a failure from the beginning, requiring taxpayer subsidies to fund the rich at their convenience.

    • @teckyify
      @teckyify Před 2 lety +267

      In my opinion it's not proper engineering if you have quasi infinite resources. Compromises make the mastery.

    • @randomotter6346
      @randomotter6346 Před 2 lety +113

      After hiking up prices to the thousands of dollars, the Concorde actually made British airways money. For them at least, it was a success

    • @brokeafengineerwannabe2071
      @brokeafengineerwannabe2071 Před 2 lety +97

      @@rubiconnn yeah but all things can only said in hindsight. Concord will still be the single most impressive civilian jet.

    • @agdgdgwngo
      @agdgdgwngo Před 2 lety +127

      @@rubiconnn completely missing the point. The priorities of Concorde was to develop technology, foster Anglo-French relations, beat the Soviets and last maybe sell them. At least in Britain we our got money's worth from the national prestige it brought. We didn't beat the Soviets, but Concorde was better, and actually had a bit of a market for an SST. If you want commercial failures look to the VC10 and Dassaut Mercure, both fine aircraft that were absolute failures. The difference between these 2 and concorde is the cutting edge technology and prestige.

  • @donaldmoser212
    @donaldmoser212 Před 2 lety +4191

    I was fortunate to fly on the Concorde one time, when I needed to get back from Europe to the U.S. due to a family medical emergency. While I wasn't in a celebratory mood, several things that really stood out to me:
    1. The fuselage diameter makes a MD-80 feel like a wide body jet.
    2. As you approach supersonic (0.95M), the plane started to buffet quite a bit. Once supersonic, it was very smooth to its max speed, and really no appreciable sensation of speed (versus subsonic flight). Very quiet. And obviously, no sonic boom heard.
    3. I was sitting by a window. The interior walls of the plane got noticeably very warm at cruising altitude; almost uncomfortable.
    4. Since you are flying greater than 50,000 feet altitude, you really notice the curvature of the earth.
    5. Inside the cabin, you really notice the high angle of attack on takeoffs and landings, compared to standard aircraft.
    Apart from that, the service and food quality were fabulous, along with the Concorde lounge prior to flight. Glad I could witness it.

    • @HnK_Alex
      @HnK_Alex Před 2 lety +350

      Thanks for sharing your experience :)
      Feeling the heat from the air friction on the walls inside is insane

    • @3characterslong
      @3characterslong Před 2 lety +82

      Thats so cool, thnaks for sharing.

    • @carlsoll
      @carlsoll Před 2 lety +31

      Very cool 😄

    • @rickyfebrian20
      @rickyfebrian20 Před 2 lety +56

      Thank you for sharing. How much did it cost you back then?

    • @donaldmoser212
      @donaldmoser212 Před 2 lety +168

      @@rickyfebrian20 - Oh boy, this is my best guess since that was a while ago, but I want to say around $3500-$4000 USD. That was the entire one-way trip with connecting flights, including credit from my original return ticket, plus a discount for family emergency.

  • @WillMoody-crmstorm
    @WillMoody-crmstorm Před 2 lety +352

    My music teacher at school worked on the engine air intakes as an engineer before taking up teaching. When the music theory got boring we would ask him about the Concorde and he would burst into life, whip out a flip chart and describe the airflow with his conducting baton. Much more interesting!

    • @ruslmuscl406
      @ruslmuscl406 Před 2 lety +17

      Lol we do stuff like this with our physics teacher, although he didn’t work on Concorde.

    • @steveprice1639
      @steveprice1639 Před rokem +15

      Did the same in history class with our Mr Heap. " So what else did you do in the war Sir?" Cue the rest of the lesson talking about interesting stuff from WWII.

    • @2760ade
      @2760ade Před rokem

      @@steveprice1639 Did he by any chance have a dopey white beard and a shiny head?🤣

    • @capitalcitygiant
      @capitalcitygiant Před 9 měsíci +13

      ​@@ruslmuscl406our physics teacher was like Wikipedia before Wikipedia lol. We'd spend half the lesson just asking him random shit and he always knew the answer

    • @mr.washingtonsbuddy.8454
      @mr.washingtonsbuddy.8454 Před 2 měsíci +2

      His favourite music was Franck Pourcel's 'Concorde', I imagine.

  • @TravellingTechie
    @TravellingTechie Před 2 lety +89

    Flew on Concorde in 2003 as a passenger, shortly before it was retired from service from Heathrow to JFK. We were wined and dined for 3 hours on board, then arrived 'before' we left in New York. Mind blowing stuff.

    • @MrDaiseymay
      @MrDaiseymay Před 9 měsíci +1

      i READ THAT THE SUN SETS TWICE DURING THE CROSSING

    • @TravellingTechie
      @TravellingTechie Před 9 měsíci +2

      @@MrDaiseymay Depends on the time of year, I flew on her once in 2003 (westbound only) in March and it was sunny the whole way. I'm now an airline pilot by trade and from Europe to Westcoast USA in say November time yes you can see 2 sunsets, just after departure, then over midwest USA.

    • @marcorivas1534
      @marcorivas1534 Před 4 měsíci

      I remember this being a thing, ppl would fly to have two new year's eve. (idk if this was a myth, but I remember listening about that)

  • @MrBubmer
    @MrBubmer Před 2 lety +1761

    Concorde was such a massive engineering feat, hauling so many people and luggage at supercruise speeds without any modern computers is incredible

    • @Aeronaut1975
      @Aeronaut1975 Před 2 lety +99

      Agreed, not only was it a generation ahead of its time, it was also a work of art, I mean, just look at it!

    • @bindingcurve
      @bindingcurve Před 2 lety +49

      Complex computers are NOT required for flight. They just help with systems to allow control systems to be more efficient.

    • @heyyo162
      @heyyo162 Před 2 lety +124

      @@bindingcurve some aircraft types are inherently unstable, like the B2 bomber, and require computers to continuously adjust the plane.

    • @jamesgornall5731
      @jamesgornall5731 Před 2 lety +30

      @@heyyo162 those are the exception however, not every aircraft needs to fly through radar screen to deliver megaton-scale warheads

    • @Tigershark_3082
      @Tigershark_3082 Před 2 lety +31

      @@heyyo162 Yep. Flying wings, and other unstable designs 100% require computers to make possibly hundreds of corrections per minute.

  • @gianluca.g
    @gianluca.g Před 2 lety +727

    Fun fact about Concorde no.1: traveling east to west just after sunset, you could actually see the sun reversing direction and showing up again. That was due to the Concorde traveling faster than the Earth rotational speed.
    Fun fact no. 2: at top altitude you could actually see Earth's curvature.

    • @oeliamoya9796
      @oeliamoya9796 Před rokem +59

      It was because of Fun fact #2 that the Flat Earthers wanted the Concord plane grounded. every flight showed the earth was round and proved them wrong

    • @DaveTaste
      @DaveTaste Před rokem +7

      Fun fact 3. The plane was a project between France and the UK.

    • @megawarpig3401
      @megawarpig3401 Před 10 měsíci +16

      @@DaveTaste Fun Fact 4: you should at least see the first 2 minutes of the video before commenting

    • @DaveTaste
      @DaveTaste Před 10 měsíci +7

      @@megawarpig3401 here's a fun fact.
      The Concorde was a supersonic passenger-carrying commercial airplane. Built in the 1960s as part of a joint venture between the United Kingdom and France, the Concorde was the first commercial aircraft of its kind. Only 14 Concorde aircraft went into service before it was retired by both countries in 2003.

    • @l21n18
      @l21n18 Před 10 měsíci +1

      No that’s way too,ow to see the curvature

  • @jenesisjones6706
    @jenesisjones6706 Před 2 lety +186

    This was the most amazing video I have ever watched! I'm just a 67 year old grandma, with no experience in anything past high school science. I was riveted by the details and explanation of this video. Thank you Real Engineering!

    • @deadstick8624
      @deadstick8624 Před rokem +3

      I'm your age, and I remember in high school science we only learned the basics compared to today. And remember when... that old game for us folks... when we needed to research something for a paper, we had to go to the library and get an encyclopedia, which is already outdated by the time it is printed and put on the library shelves?! So much has changed.

    • @MrDaiseymay
      @MrDaiseymay Před 9 měsíci +1

      bravo

  • @MostlyPennyCat
    @MostlyPennyCat Před 2 lety +380

    It wasn't just supersonic.
    It flew well over TWICE the speed of sound.
    Military jet speed and that's with afterburners. For a few minutes.
    It supercruised at Mach 2 for HOURS.

    • @alexandermoorehead3200
      @alexandermoorehead3200 Před 2 lety +28

      Equal parts incredibly efficient engines, and much, much, MUCH larger fuel capacity. Fighter Jets have to be small and nimble for high-G maneuvers which doesn't leave much space for fuel. As an example the F-16 without external fuel tanks holds roughly 3,800 liters of fuel. Compare that to Concorde's ~120,000 liters as listed in this video.

    • @phoenixgtr
      @phoenixgtr Před 2 lety +18

      @@alexandermoorehead3200 you're missing the point. Concorde can fly at Mach 2 WITHOUT afterburners. F-16 cannot.

    • @alexandermoorehead3200
      @alexandermoorehead3200 Před 2 lety +15

      @@phoenixgtr That's part of "more efficient engines." Afterburners are inefficient.

    • @busofmauritius8306
      @busofmauritius8306 Před rokem +11

      The Tupolev TU144 flew over mach 2 with afterburners on. Concorde did it without afterburners

    • @MrExcellent93
      @MrExcellent93 Před rokem +9

      Yes! I think mach 2.1 was achievable in optimal condition. If you flew from London to New York you were effectively faster than the rotation of the earth. Its an unbelievable feat of engineering

  • @therichieboy
    @therichieboy Před 2 lety +520

    She used to take off and land over my house every day. Literally everyone- aviation enthusiast or not- used to look up, glassy eyed. Her outer beauty was matched by her incredible and elegant engineering.

    • @rjfaber1991
      @rjfaber1991 Před 2 lety +8

      You live underneath a runway? 😁

    • @saqibmunir7609
      @saqibmunir7609 Před 2 lety +23

      @@rjfaber1991 there's a place called way avenue, Cranford. That's where I lived as a kid and yes it was in the direction of the runway so all you had to do was look up to see all kinds of planes Jambo jets felt like you could touch them how low they were and as for concord you knew it was coming as the whole hose would shake

    • @therichieboy
      @therichieboy Před 2 lety +4

      @@rjfaber1991 the only affordable housing in London these days is underground. Even cheaper under airports.

    • @therichieboy
      @therichieboy Před 2 lety +1

      @@saqibmunir7609 I know it well. First time I saw an a380 land it blew my mind.

    • @riacardi7011
      @riacardi7011 Před 2 lety +1

      was it annoying every time you saw it

  • @boyraceruk
    @boyraceruk Před 2 lety +903

    The annoying thing about 4590 is it was a previous aircraft down the runway dropping debris that lead to the crash, not a design flaw with Concorde itself.

    • @rocketman1969
      @rocketman1969 Před 2 lety +163

      Yes, it's very sad how the DC-10 was so unsafe, it not just brought itself down on multiple occasions, but brought down other beautiful planes.

    • @AndrewNineTen
      @AndrewNineTen Před 2 lety +118

      @@rocketman1969 I see a lot of people blaming the DC-10 for the incident of flight 4590, pointing out its troubled history as evidence that is was so unsafe that it could even bring down other aircraft in the process. However, this is simply unfair to the DC-10 as the Concorde was uniquely susceptible to tire blowouts and taking serious damage as a result, no other aircraft would of crashed immediately after striking a small foreign object on the runway, something that does happen on occasion. In fact, there was a very similar incident involving a Concorde at Washington Dulles Airport in 1979 where it blew multiple tires and suffered serious damage to its fuel tank and hydraulic systems, the plane was barely able to make a successful emergency landing. To say the very least, it was a serious design flaw with the Concorde and the metal strip that fell off the DC-10 had nothing to do with the type's previous history of issues.

    • @rocketman1969
      @rocketman1969 Před 2 lety +135

      @@AndrewNineTen That's valid, but this crash is still directly a cause of DC-10. Whether or not fatal, the DC-10 still shouldn't have been going along dropping parts on the runway. That's a flaw in the DC-10, although Concorde had it's own faults too.

    • @rocketman1969
      @rocketman1969 Před 2 lety +29

      @@AndrewNineTen (Thanks for your explanation, though! It's thorough.)

    • @AndrewNineTen
      @AndrewNineTen Před 2 lety +34

      @@rocketman1969 Yes a random part shouldn't have just fallen off of the DC-10, but it came down to improper installation by maintenance personnel, so the aircraft's design really wasn't at fault.

  • @altaccount4697
    @altaccount4697 Před rokem +97

    Engineers are truly underrated. This journey took a MONTH in colonial times on a sailboat. Done in less than 3.5 hours. In much the same way that a legendary marathon runner can do 26 miles in just over two hours. Cars do that in 20 minutes in air conditioning. Concorde took 1 minute 15 seconds. "Sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic"

  • @pgr3290
    @pgr3290 Před 2 lety +68

    They didn't start out to make it look good, but it came out as one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built. It's a swan, a dart, it's engineering art. If you can hang a Picasso you can put a photo of Concorde next to it just fine. It was one of those perfect moments and still a zenith for aviation up there with the Apollo lunar missions. Pushing technological boundaries of the era so damn far even 60 years later the achievement is still incredibly difficult to match.

    • @MrDaiseymay
      @MrDaiseymay Před 9 měsíci +1

      i GET YOUR POINT, AND A APPOLO ASTONAUT'S REMARK, BACKS UP WHAT YOU HAVE SAID.

  • @Aeronaut1975
    @Aeronaut1975 Před 2 lety +1632

    A few fun facts about Concorde (Not "the Concorde") that weren't mentioned in this video:
    1 - Concorde's top speed wasn't limited by the power of it's engines, but by the heat of the aircraft's skin at the tip of the nose and wing leading edges of 127°Celsius. This was because it used an aluminium alloy for it's skin, and not titanium to save weight and production costs.
    2 - Concorde was the first production fly-by-wire aircraft with analogue control.
    3 - It was the first aircraft in the World to use carbon fibre disc brakes.
    4 - At idle (especially at low weights), the engines provided enough thrust that the crew had to keep braking to keep it's taxi speed in check. Often they would have to "pull over" during taxi to allow the brake cooling fans to reduce the brake temps to a safe level, this was so that if it had to do an emergency stop/aborted takeoff, then the brakes wouldn't explode from the heat. For this reason, Concorde often shut down 2 of its engines while taxiing to the gate after landing, and each wheel had it's own brake cooling fan which could be monitored and activated by the flight engineer from the flight deck.
    5 - Concorde flew so high that part of the pre-flight checks and paperwork involved checking radiation levels in the atmosphere, and there was a dosimeter instrument on the flight deck that detected the radiation, and if it got too high, would slow the aircraft down slightly so that it could descend to a safer altitude.
    7 - Concorde's wing shape meant that it could theoretically accelerate down the runway to infinite speed and would never take off, it actually relied on the wing vortices caused by lifting the nose up to actually get it into the air.
    There's a few more interesting facts I could mention, but the sun is shining and pub is open. Cheers!

    • @scottycatman
      @scottycatman Před 2 lety +339

      I'm really excited to hear fact #6

    • @schnufflerunerwunscht8872
      @schnufflerunerwunscht8872 Před 2 lety +32

      Why can't it be the "Concorde"? I mean it wasn't made by Apple right?

    • @Aeronaut1975
      @Aeronaut1975 Před 2 lety +206

      @@scottycatman Oops, ha ha. Ok, #6 - Concorde required approx 12hrs maintenance for every hour it spent in the air.

    • @Aeronaut1975
      @Aeronaut1975 Před 2 lety +74

      @@schnufflerunerwunscht8872 It's a good question that I can't find a definitive answer for, but you will never hear of an ex Concorde pilot refer to it as "THE Concorde", and neither will you ever hear it on the BBC news reports from the time of it's construction and frist flights. I suspect it has something to do with the agreement between the French and British and how it should be named (with the "e" at the end), which was a big issue at the time, and the French won the argument. Concorde got it's name from the agreement that was made. Good question, though!

    • @veritasvincit2745
      @veritasvincit2745 Před 2 lety +14

      Excellent comment.

  • @bilalahmad-ou3jz
    @bilalahmad-ou3jz Před 2 lety +548

    As a high schooler who aspires to be an aeronautical engineer someday, your videos are what really convinced me that I wanna be a part of this field.

    • @SheepyIsSleepy
      @SheepyIsSleepy Před 2 lety +6

      same

    • @mastershooter64
      @mastershooter64 Před 2 lety +16

      as a high schooler who aspires to be a physicist one day, i cant wait to make fun of engineers for approximating and for only using basic math like linear algebra and multivariate calc
      Lol im kidding, engineers are awesome

    • @Nawabid
      @Nawabid Před 2 lety

      BRO? Lol really?

    • @Nawabid
      @Nawabid Před 2 lety +1

      I don't allow others to think for me, I like to do what I want to do.

    • @jackaddie7866
      @jackaddie7866 Před 2 lety +11

      Do it! I am a second year Aeronautical Engineering student and it is the best decision I have ever made. It is hard, but it is extremely interesting and equips you with so many useful tools for any branch of engineering :)) best of luck!

  • @eddiewillers1
    @eddiewillers1 Před rokem +14

    I worked at BA's Compass Centre, in Heathrow, in 1996. Most mornings, we'd go on to the roof for a smoke break around 10.30am just to watch BA001 - the morning Concorde service to New York. If we were lucky, and the northern runway (27R) was in use for takeoffs, we'd be treated to the sight of this magnificent machine come thundering along the tarmac, trailing black smoke and with the afterburners making a sound like cotton being torn. It was an impressive sight, and the memory has stayed with me.

    • @phonicwheel933
      @phonicwheel933 Před 10 měsíci

      Happy memories😊

    • @ianthomson9363
      @ianthomson9363 Před měsícem

      @@phonicwheel933 I used to time my smoke breaks to hear Concorde take off too, only I was in Stanmore, about 13 miles from Heathrow. And I still occasionally take a drive along the A30 just south west of Hatton Cross, just to get a quick glimpse of her. Just as you pass the BP petrol station look to your right and there she is.

  • @sebastianthehotsaucedude5473

    You and Mustard are literally the most high quality short documentary channels to exist period. Both use amazing 8k 3d models, and simple yet effective diagrams and cross sections. Coupled with a great voice for narrative story telling and I'm telling you, both your channels are just the best.

  • @flymypg
    @flymypg Před 2 lety +531

    There is so much more to the Concorde! In particular, how the aircraft control system included some fascinating decisions AGAINST electronic automation in favor of either no automation or mechanical/hydraulic automation. These were case studies during the control systems courses for my engineering degree in the early 1980's. Talk about memorable examples making complex control law calculations easier to understand and remember.

    • @cageordie
      @cageordie Před 2 lety +37

      Concorde was from before the times of digital control of everything, processors at that time were desperately slow. Decisions made then should be seen in that light. If she was being designed today she'd get full digital FBW.

    • @dkdanis1340
      @dkdanis1340 Před 2 lety +17

      The Concorde was literally the most electronically automated plane at that time. Literally everything on it was variable and controlled by computers.

    • @VoluntaristSociety
      @VoluntaristSociety Před 2 lety +8

      @@cageordie That's a matter of digital being cheaper, not better.

    • @Mike-oz4cv
      @Mike-oz4cv Před 2 lety +1

      @@cageordie Do you really need a lot of processing power in a flight computer? Wouldn’t it simply do stuff depending on some sensor inputs?

    • @MichaelSteeves
      @MichaelSteeves Před 2 lety +16

      The analog electronic computers that powered Concorde are worth of entire documentaries. Widely praised fit-for-purpose analog computers that were decades ahead and did not share many of the weaknesses that make digital flight control a real challenge to validate.

  • @SpaceMonkeyBoi
    @SpaceMonkeyBoi Před 2 lety +253

    "Since pilots couldn't see out of the plane because of angled landing, engineers put together a solution."
    "The concord featured a droop snoot."
    "Droop snoot?"
    "Yeah, the snoot drooped."
    "The snoot went droop"

    • @mariussletvold6808
      @mariussletvold6808 Před 2 lety +29

      i was just thinkin about it when i saw the thumnail... i was like "ahh yes, the droopsnoot"

    • @Affan404
      @Affan404 Před 2 lety +4

      I remember that vox Video!

    • @mfaizsyahmi
      @mfaizsyahmi Před 2 lety +2

      Yo why the snoot droop

    • @steveprice1639
      @steveprice1639 Před rokem

      Snoot. UK slang for a nose.

    • @Dubstone
      @Dubstone Před 9 měsíci

      * "the snoot would droop"
      "The snoot drooped"

  • @UpperAquatics
    @UpperAquatics Před 8 měsíci +6

    One thing i love about your videos.. you dont make "drama" in your videos like history channel style shows. They add things like "and if this piece isnt installed the plane wont let the orphans get home in time" idk its hard to explain right now but i hope you take this as a compliment! Awesome videos!

  • @heathcox1286
    @heathcox1286 Před rokem +3

    My father was on the Concorde project in Filton . He was there for about 19 years. I have many pictures of him, including one looking out of the Cockpit. He is now retired, 84 years old, and still remembers his days of Concorde like they were yesterday. I also have a picture of him somewhere with him standing outside of the plane on the ramp. He is with Brian Trubshaw and others. I remember a time when he took me to the hangar During the build. Good memories

  • @mr.unkreativ718
    @mr.unkreativ718 Před 2 lety +448

    Small correction: The Boeing 787 has a fuel capacity of about 34000 gal or 126917 liters to be exact. A Boeing 737 Max already holds 25,816 liters of fuel. So actually the 787 has a higher fuel capacity than concorde.

    • @jimsvideos7201
      @jimsvideos7201 Před 2 lety +202

      It's ok, fuel unit conversion errors in aviation are harmless and never cause problems. #gimliglider

    • @alveolate
      @alveolate Před 2 lety +56

      wait for real? this is quite a massive error...

    • @Kaanfight
      @Kaanfight Před 2 lety +14

      @@jimsvideos7201 it was so lucky that switching to the metric system didn’t kill people

    • @dannydaw59
      @dannydaw59 Před 2 lety +9

      That's like 3 residential swimming pool of fuel.

    • @dbclass4075
      @dbclass4075 Před 2 lety +4

      @@jimsvideos7201 Cause some problems, yes. Harmless is somewhat accurate, as that flight does not have fatalities.

  • @ibeckengineering3857
    @ibeckengineering3857 Před 2 lety +90

    As a mechanical engineer, watching real engineering videos always inspires me.... It helps me gain more insight about a particular topic and the methods they use is easy to understand.

  • @nathanmccormack4681
    @nathanmccormack4681 Před 8 měsíci +2

    When flying into Heathrow last month I seen that concorde... Never knew it was sitting out there on the tarmac and I though it was just one too many little whiskeys that had me imagining it, it was a lovely surprise

    • @userhessenone1469
      @userhessenone1469 Před 6 měsíci +1

      That's the one rotting away... Same in Moscow Shukowski with a TU144

  • @nicjansen230
    @nicjansen230 Před 2 lety +36

    23:42 This solution is exactly the same concept used on sailboats. One of many similarities in fact
    Depending on the angle to the wind compared to the heading, the sail has to rotate around the mast and be trimmed. One of these is the weight of the sailors: they move forward when sailing upwind and backwards when sailing downwind. Sailing fast is all about counteracting rotational forces on the ship. That's done by optimizing the shape of the sail and finding the correct weight distribution
    On some sailboats, it's taken a step further though: moving bodyweight to steer it. Rotational forces due to misaligned centres of lift (of both sails and keel, affected by weight distribution) don't create drag on their own. Steering with the rudder is a nightmare in terms of drag. So the shape of the sail, angle of the sail and bodyweight are all used to steer instead of using the rudder if possible. Moving bodyweight back and into the wind will make the boat want to head away from where the wind comes from, while moving the other way will make the boat want to head into the wind. When I sail a race, I even release my grip on the rudder completely whenever I can, forcing me to only steer with bodyweight

    • @PinataOblongata
      @PinataOblongata Před 2 lety +2

      Used to hang off the side of a Cherub doing a bit of that, but I let the skipper figure out all the directional stuff and just did as was told. What kind of boat do you race?

    • @nicjansen230
      @nicjansen230 Před 2 lety +2

      @@PinataOblongata If you've crewed a Cherub, learning how to skipper should be doable. At least getting the basics down is easy (especially on a more stable boat), but getting the advanced stuff will take years
      Most often, I race with my Laser Radial, but sometimes get the opportunity to race an Ynling or something up to a crew of 4. Our club even had a team going to the national league and we qualified to go to the Sailing Champions League some times. We also moved our weight around that 4-man J70 to steer it

    • @PinataOblongata
      @PinataOblongata Před 2 lety +1

      @@nicjansen230 I'm too poor for the sailing scene, I was just lucky enough to know a dude with a Cherub and a Space Sailor who I since had a falling out with. Used to see all the kids learn in Pelicans and I think his one-time partner had a Laser. I can't imagine the pressure of nationally competitive sailing - I'll stick to nationally competitive powerlifting ;)

  • @zeeclone
    @zeeclone Před 2 lety +136

    My grandfather was head of flight research and dynamics for BAC and was shuttling back and forth between Bristol and Toulouse for months on Concorde. He died when I was 9. I wish I could have known him better as an adult.

    • @MrTascat
      @MrTascat Před rokem +1

      I was an engineering apprentice at Bristol Siddley as it was then at Filton outside Bristol during the development and manufacture of the engines. These then mated to the airframe manufactured by BAC. Workers from both companies lined up to watch the assembled concordes depart Filton airfield on their first flights. Awe inspiring and beautiful. The roar from the afterburners shook your very soul. Great memories. Fantastic engineering

  • @BoomBoomBrucey
    @BoomBoomBrucey Před 2 lety +56

    When I was a child, I was so infatuated with Concorde I said that it would be the first plane I ever flew on, I'm 35 now and I don't know how much of an impact that statement had but I haven't flown at all to this day.

    • @andresil8330
      @andresil8330 Před rokem

      Go for it when you can and book a flight. Pretty cool experience first time flying.

  • @bushmanPMRR
    @bushmanPMRR Před 2 lety +3

    A few extra fun facts I've learned along the way:
    The French engineers used all metric calculations and the British used Imperial (obvs!) but it still came together perfectly.
    The cabin was like a filing cabinet inasmuch it wasn't fixed directly to the fuselage but to 'runners' that were fixed to the fuselage thus allowing the stretch at full speed.
    At full speed around 10% of the engine power was required for the air conditioning
    And the strangest possibly of all, the company that manufactured the nose is called Marshalls Of Cambridge who do all sorts of interesting work, including the military and it was them that re-bodied the old Land Rover Series trucks into military ambulances!
    I remember their final fly-past over London and watched the three of them pass over from my office window and it was a rather sad and melancholic time as I had never even flown on an aeroplane at that time, much less had the chance to fly on a Concorde.

  • @MrJoegotbored
    @MrJoegotbored Před 2 lety +8

    This is way more than I was expecting. I've seen so many of the Concorde videos repeat the same details. I love it so I still watch each one, but this one stands head and shoulders above the rest. Good work.

  • @thinktrovert
    @thinktrovert Před 2 lety +22

    The concorde feautured a "droop snoot"
    - droop snoot?
    Yeah, the snoot would droop.
    -the snoot drooped

  • @vebulous
    @vebulous Před 2 lety +78

    Nostalgia indeed
    When I was in middle school back in the mid/late 90's, I learned of the Concorde. Instantly fell in love. It was finally added to MS Flight Simulator 2000, and i absolutely loved to pretend like i was flying it.
    The crash hurt deeper than you'd expect. When they announced the discontinuation in 2003, I actually cried.

    • @Aeronaut1975
      @Aeronaut1975 Před 2 lety +7

      Me too. I sneaked away from work (without anybody noticing) for a couple of hours to go and watch the final landings at Heathrow at home on TV. I also used to fly the MSFS Concorde addon, I still have the boxed CD-ROM and DVDs that came with it.

    • @ForeverNeverwhere1
      @ForeverNeverwhere1 Před 2 lety +5

      I flew the real concord flight simulator that BA had at Heston mid 80s sometime, it was the only one on existence. Full cockpit, full hydraulics. It was nightime only visuals as screen graphics weren't super great back then. It was one of the lesser used sims there after the super 111, or TriStar, so I got a good few hours on it.
      So immersive you would be surprised when you opened the cockpit door after a session and you would expect to see down the fuse, not a concrete room.
      It was also wierd that if you were being stupid you just flicked a switch to turn off all the warning buzzers or the motion. It spoiled the effect.

  • @Emily-zp1jf
    @Emily-zp1jf Před 2 lety +13

    Hands down my absolute favorite airliner of all time. It never ceases to amaze me how advanced she was for the time she was engineered and built. I often fantasize about what it must have been like to fly on Concorde, what a thing of beauty that must have been.

    • @chris8405
      @chris8405 Před rokem +1

      For me it was mind-blowing flying on Concorde - because I knew all the engineering challenges that had to be solved to make it seem quite normal. The rapid acceleration on the runway and views of the world going past at fast-forward speed were the first differences experienced. Later on the heat coming from the windows, the dark blue sky and seeing a 777 several miles below apparently going backwards were others.

  • @lahma69
    @lahma69 Před 2 lety

    This has got to be one of my favorite episodes you've ever created. Simply excellent! It contained a lot of information I have never heard elsewhere and I imagine it was an enormous undertaking to find and confirm much of this info. Thank you so much for all of your hard work!

  • @onetrickhorse
    @onetrickhorse Před 2 lety +72

    Great video, thanks for sharing. Concorde truly is a masterclass in engineering. I had the good fortune of knowing one of the chief engineers growing up, and he told me a few interesting tales about Concorde that anyone who happens to read this comment might find equally fascinating.
    1. The nozzles/thrust reversers were actually the main reason it got certified for civil operations at 60,000 ft. While they do perform the functions you mentioned, they also served another crucial purpose; they were rated to operate as thrust reversers at Mach 2 and 60,000 ft. Certification regulations stipulate that at ceiling altitude, in the event of depressurisation, an aircraft must be able to get below 10,000 ft within a short period of time, I cannot recall the exact maximum, but it's something like 1 minute, before passengers die of hypoxia. At 60,000 ft and Mach 2, in the event of depressurisation Concorde would suddenly throw the thrust reverse switch, the engines would act like a drogue and the pilots would put it into a steep supersonic dive, before levelling off below 10,000 ft. This in fact had to be tested. So the story goes, there flight test crew allegedly put it into the dive, throwing them forward, diving at about 60 degrees nose down, then pulled up at the end of the dive, whereby everyone except the pilots (who were used to this sort of thing) promptly vomited.
    2. The reason Concorde could not fly faster than Mach 2 or fly further than it's maximum range was in fact due to skin friction heating and thermal management limits. Concorde would have in fact been able to fly faster than Mach 2, Mach 2.3 was apparently possible aerodynamically, but the problem was cooling the thing. The whole aircraft had to be pleasant for passengers and crew alike, which means keeping the temperature around 25 degrees at most. The skin of Concorde at Mach 2 was a relatively toasty 90-100 degrees C, and the tip cone limit was about 125 degrees C. You cannot use free stream air, because it would come in too hot, and would create significant drag. Surface air coolers and radiators were rendered useless for the same reasons. The way they got around the issue was to use the fuel in the wings to cool everything, which gradually warmed the fuel up as the flight progressed. At Mach 2.3, the temperature would have been too great for this to work as a solution, and by the end of a long flight, the fuel remaining in the tank got soo hot, you couldn't touch it. So thermal management was the reason it couldn't go faster.

    • @w0ttheh3ll
      @w0ttheh3ll Před 2 lety +12

      So the fuel tanks served three functions: energy storage, trim, and thermal buffer.
      Sandy Munro must love this plane.

    • @algrayson8965
      @algrayson8965 Před 2 lety

      Elsewhere I have seen the safe altitude for no pressurization at 14,000 feet. Humans have survived at 30,000 feet, without supplemental oxygen, that was achieved gradually. However, to subject passengers to rapid decompression could easily shock some of them into cardiac arrest. The pilots of B-17 and other WWII era unpressurized bombers and fighters had supplemental oxygen to enable them to remain conscious and mentally competent at 30,000 feet but it was rather stressful.

    • @onetrickhorse
      @onetrickhorse Před 2 lety +2

      @@algrayson8965 the maximum altitude for an unpressurised aircraft with no oxygen supply by regulations is 12,500 ft, but on large civil aircraft (part 25) the safe emergency limit requirement is 10,000 ft, because you have to account for passengers that potentially have health conditions. 15,000 ft you can still breathe if you're fit and well and under no physical stress, but above that and hypoxia begins to set in to varying degrees, which is highly subjective. Above 20,000 ft hypoxia sets in rapidly regardless of physical health, and normal people who haven't trained to deal with the onset of the symptoms eventually succumb to it. At 30,000 ft as you say, you would need oxygen to survive. At altitudes of 60,000 ft and above, the hazard of lack of oxygen becomes secondary to the pressure itself, as water readily boils at body temperature above that altitude, so eyes dry out, mouths and lungs dry out, and bubbles form in the bloodstream and lymphatic system, essentially you get the bends like a diver would if they ascend too rapidly from a deep enough dive. Rapid depressurisation can also cause that too.

    • @Snail_With_a_Shotgun
      @Snail_With_a_Shotgun Před 2 lety

      60 Degree pitch down, while slowing down considerably at the same time? It sounds to me like any passenger sitting unbuckled in one of the rearmost seats while this maneuver was performed would be sent flying forward through the cabin in a fall that would be roughly equivalent to falling off a several story building.

    • @onetrickhorse
      @onetrickhorse Před 2 lety +1

      @@Snail_With_a_Shotgun you're quite right, it would have been carnage for any passenger or cabin crew not strapped down at the time of such an event. Unsecured objects and people may well have also injured/killed other people in the process too, but it was thought preferable to risk 'some' injuries and/or deaths rather than have everyone die a certainty by not getting down to an acceptable altitude in time. Apparently it was traumatic enough for the test crew.

  • @TheExoplanetsChannel
    @TheExoplanetsChannel Před 2 lety +14

    great timing, I will grab some snack!

  • @EBgCampos
    @EBgCampos Před 2 lety +3

    Congratulations on your channel. This is the best content engineers at heart can consume. Completely different specialties merged together to make beautiful structures work. It brings a tear to the eye.

  • @andyfetzer9156
    @andyfetzer9156 Před 2 lety +6

    After WW2, my grandpa went on to become a mechanic for British Airways, working on the concord. It was one of the highlights of his life.

  • @JohnnyWednesday
    @JohnnyWednesday Před 2 lety +31

    The engines are actually a further development of the engines used in the TSR2 which were themselves upgraded and reheated engines from the Vulcan.

    • @vincentkopytek2422
      @vincentkopytek2422 Před 2 lety +1

      True ! But the show seems to ignore the key achievements made by SNECMA on these masterpieces...

  • @linuxgeex
    @linuxgeex Před 2 lety +40

    The "droop snoot" also made vortex lift possible by lowering the nose out of the airflow over the back of the Concorde. If it had been pointing up, it would have generated turbulent, oscillating vortex-shedding wake all down the back.

    • @Aeronaut1975
      @Aeronaut1975 Před 2 lety +3

      I didn't know that, and I though I knew everything about Concorde ;P

  • @crumb_of_nopeamine_plz
    @crumb_of_nopeamine_plz Před rokem +10

    This is one of the most informative and easy to understand videos about Concorde! Loved it ✈️

  • @supersonicbird11
    @supersonicbird11 Před 8 měsíci +1

    As the gent said below said it was a snug aircraft - small grapefruit size windows that hot to touch at mach 2.
    Very narrow yet nice pivoting soft leather navy seating.
    Excellent champagne & food
    Take off was amazing and very swift with a quick left tilt / turn at climb out - to avoid Manhattan. Startling shaking as the afterburners fired up & nudged back into ur seat.
    Up and out and quiet 🤐 as possible then full power as the beach line was a few miles back. 27,000 and thru mack 1 , and continue to climb to 60K mach 2
    Decel 2.5 hours after and slow fall into subsonic traffic nr penzance.
    Nice parting gift - sterling silver tie tak , money clips , conally leather embossed luggage tags.
    And boarding out of the lounge direct onto Rocket was cool -great experience
    Over to quick which was the point 3:20m :/

  • @anthony.p1580
    @anthony.p1580 Před 2 lety +12

    Vive la France, and long Live England.
    For more than a millennium we have fought with the greatest violence against each other, but when we work together hand in hand we are able to do great things.
    🇫🇷🤝🏻🇬🇧

    • @akaTheWilyFox
      @akaTheWilyFox Před 2 lety +5

      We haven't had the nicest terms together in our history agreed. But when we do work together few have ever matched our achievements! Greetings my overseas colleague!

    • @bobmarley3594
      @bobmarley3594 Před 2 lety +2

      @@akaTheWilyFox so true ! (I'm French)

    • @vicentiumunteanu2385
      @vicentiumunteanu2385 Před 2 lety

      I am really sad for Brexit

  • @pompeymonkey3271
    @pompeymonkey3271 Před 2 lety +16

    Some say that for Concorde the engineering challenges, and their solutions, were at least on par with those of the Apollo programme.
    :)

  • @escapedbits2732
    @escapedbits2732 Před 2 lety

    Awesome video! Very clear to understand the complex concepts. And thanks for putting in the references. Highly appreciated.

  • @junebegorra
    @junebegorra Před 2 lety +1

    This is a truly amazing video. You explain such complex structures in a way that is thoroughly intuitive.

  • @reecewitcher7177
    @reecewitcher7177 Před 2 lety +28

    These videos are so well done. I am completing my BS in Aerospace Engineering this semester and its amazing to see how well you article these concepts in aircraft design. You are truly a gift to youtube and deserve all the recognize you receive and more. Fantastic video!

    • @MrDaiseymay
      @MrDaiseymay Před 9 měsíci +1

      AND HE'S OIRISH TOO. ALTHOUGH HE MAY ONLY BE THE NARRATOR----BUT STILL, A BLOODY GOOD JOB.

  • @vincentbujold-roux4898
    @vincentbujold-roux4898 Před 2 lety +11

    You're easily my favorite CZcamsr by far, and these series are my favorite things to watch. The production quality, explanations, CGI and graphics are way ahead of any other youtuber or series I've seen. Being an aerospace engineerin student, it truly reminds me why picking this degree was one of the best decisions I've ever made, and really helps to understand the importance of thermodynamics, fluid dynamics and materials engineering! It even makes those topics fun!
    Sidenote, do you have a tracklist for this video? The background music was fantastic!
    Cheers!

  • @stuartgodfrey279
    @stuartgodfrey279 Před 8 měsíci +2

    Loved this. My grandad worked at Rolls Royce on Concorde (modelling dept.), and my uncle was a flight engineer at one point. Still remember a story about the chain link fencing being covered in plastic to protect the watching public on take-off from Filton, but as she needed the full length of the runway, it just melted and caught on fire.

  • @turnerburger
    @turnerburger Před 2 lety +7

    I'm currently studying aerospace engineering and I swear every video you put out almost always goes over what I covered in classes just days or weeks ago, and this has been happening for the past two years lmao

  • @stefanpariyski3709
    @stefanpariyski3709 Před 2 lety +37

    8:13 The graph is not correct, the speed at the throat has to be Mach 1, as you correctly stated, but your line is at about 1,25.
    8:59 The inlet to a jet engine does not need to be laminar, I doubt it even is in most cases.
    22:47 According to Wikipedia page for 787 Dreamliner, all variants have a capacity of at least 126000 Liters, maybe you confused US gallons and liters?

    • @0bloodshot0
      @0bloodshot0 Před 2 lety

      1. is correct. a diagramm of a laval nozzle would be more fitting.
      2. the goal is to decrease the speed below mach 1 (around 0.8Ma) AND laminar flow to prevent pressure waves. if i remember correctly the air itself is laminar anyway at high speeds

  • @evangelinewandering9547
    @evangelinewandering9547 Před 2 lety +17

    Concorde really pushed the limits. What an amazing “piece” of engineering.
    And probably one of the most, if not the most, beautiful airplanes in flight. 😊

  • @phonicwheel933
    @phonicwheel933 Před 10 měsíci

    Thanks for posting. Very good description of the detailed design of the Concorde which just goes to show what a fantastic achievement it was.

  • @fatherpuck
    @fatherpuck Před 2 lety +1

    You are a brilliant narrator and creator. The value these videos have in engineering knowledge, history, and inspiration is insane in and of itself. Fantastic job.

  • @Spinattitude
    @Spinattitude Před 2 lety +5

    Such good content! As an aero engineer myself, I can say the level of detail and research involved in getting this right is monumental.

  • @agdgdgwngo
    @agdgdgwngo Před 2 lety +16

    I love the title, hopefully a snarky reference to that video called something like "concorde was a failure", judging it in terms of commerce. The point of Concorde was always to show what British and French engineering could achieve. Calling it a commercial failure is kind of like calling the moon landing a commercial failure in my eyes. The modern mindset can't wrap its head around the 60s ethic of "do it cos we can".

    • @algrayson8965
      @algrayson8965 Před 2 lety +5

      Concorde was intended to be a commercially viable enterprise. Boeing’s 747’s bulge was intended to clear a larger interior in a plane designed as a freighter in anticipation of long distance passenger traffic going by SST.

    • @tams805
      @tams805 Před 2 lety

      @@algrayson8965 Yes, but it was just as much about prestige.

  • @WingZeroType
    @WingZeroType Před rokem

    incredibly well-made video. thank you so much for the effort that you've put into this

  • @paulhaynes8045
    @paulhaynes8045 Před 2 lety +8

    I really enjoyed this episode - thanks for making it. I learnt a lot too! I well remember the Concorde, especially seeing that film of it taking off towards the camera that they showed in the cinemas. Despite its problems and controversies, it was a remarkable piece of engineering and a truly beautiful plane - the ultimate combination of form and function. I never got to fly on it, but I've been inside one, and it's tiny inside. Anyone whose ever been in the 'Drain' (the tube train from Waterloo to Bank), that's what Concorde feels like inside! My dad worked at Vicars at the time Concorde was being designed and built. He was a toolmaker draughtsman and designed the jigs to make the windscreen. This had multiple layers of plastic, glass and incredibly thin gold leaf (to conduct electricity for heating) - everyday technology now, but right on the edge of what was possible at the time. It may have been a commercial disaster, but the Concorde was the peak of European engineering - possibly our finest moment before the US finally took over completely.

    • @marcusdamberger
      @marcusdamberger Před 2 lety

      Think of Concorde as Europe's moon shot program. It didn't cost nearly as much, but pushed engineering and technology limits like the Apollo program. Technologies it developed were later used. It certainly benefited a lot more people directly, in that several hundred thousand people over the years got to experience supersonic flight in comfort. Now to get anything close to that experience you would have to be invited to fly with a military pilot and have minimum training to sit in the back seat of a fighter jet.

  • @kiwi_kirsch
    @kiwi_kirsch Před 2 lety +4

    The insane fuel tank numbering of the Concorde.

  • @maartentoors
    @maartentoors Před 2 lety +14

    You know the day is going to be good when you see "Real Engineering" has a new video out.

  • @mrajal8490
    @mrajal8490 Před rokem +1

    Thank you, amazing video. I have read many books about the Concorde but this video provides additional insights I never read or seen before. 😊

  • @aidankozakiewicz2291
    @aidankozakiewicz2291 Před 2 lety +1

    Love each and every one of your videos, the time and research you put into these is unmatched in the most of the video essay community.

  • @thegreatkwyjibo5529
    @thegreatkwyjibo5529 Před 2 lety +6

    I just signed up for curiosity stream using your channels promo code. Thank you for everything you do, I can only imagine how hard you and your team work.

  • @callum8184
    @callum8184 Před rokem +5

    Love the Concorde, being from Bristol in the UK its great to be able to go and visit one in the Aerospace Museum. It is crazy to see all the technical solutions that were needed to accomplish super sonic commercial flying. Such a amazing plane for so many reasons, wish i was able to be able to fly one!

  • @noahdelo
    @noahdelo Před 4 měsíci +2

    My grandfather flew Concorde in 1980, and still has the paper the gave each passenger on a plaque on his office wall. I just finished the Lego set I got for Christmas and I can’t stop staring at it, I’m so jealous of my grandfather

    • @noplzs
      @noplzs Před 4 měsíci +1

      HE DROOPED THE SNOOT

  • @jdipwrbtls
    @jdipwrbtls Před 2 lety

    Such an amazingly put together video. Most people wouldn't realize the amount of engineering knowledge needed to put the complexity of the great achievements of the concorde into such a relatively simple and clear video, it is truly impressive. This makes me miss working with aerodynamics and thermodynamics as an engineer myself! Thank you for making the video! How do you even get access to all this information, its like doing a dissertation every video you make.

  • @oiartsun
    @oiartsun Před 2 lety +4

    @1:30 "Nothing remotely close to it had flown before" - Tupolev Tu-144

    • @dymytryruban4324
      @dymytryruban4324 Před 2 lety

      Yet the first commercial passenger flight of Concorde took place in January 1976. By that time, Concorde had already passed over 4000 hours of trials. More that any airplane. Tu-144 took its first passengers in November 1977, that is nearly two years later. Stealing the R & D and resorting to rush work, the USSR only managed to lift the raw prototype earlier as well as make it reach the supersonic speed.

  • @danielfried2431
    @danielfried2431 Před 2 lety +3

    Thank you so much for this video! My girlfriend and me visited the tech museum in sinsheim in germany just a few weeks ago and we had the chance to walk through a original Concorde. I'd love to have more info back then and this video was very insightful in retrospect. Thank you!

  • @Joel-hv3ik
    @Joel-hv3ik Před 2 lety +1

    I saw the video on Nebula and I've got to say, I love the intro. I love the way you incorporated the title of the video.

  • @JunkTardis
    @JunkTardis Před rokem

    As someone who has been on board Concore in a museum (Fleet Air Arms Museum - Yeovil), what gets me is how tiny the interior cabin is and how busy the cockpit is with buttons and switches when compared to a modern commercial jet. It's a lot smaller in person, but looks absolutely amazing. So much innovation that went into it

  • @Sacto1654
    @Sacto1654 Před 2 lety +5

    It was really was a major engineering unknown building the Concorde because unlike Mach 2 jet fighters, the Concorde had to _cruise_ at Mach 2 for at least two hours at a time. That meant a total rethink of structural materials and jet engine design to maintain that speed for long periods, especially without using titanium structural parts.
    Today, the upcoming Boom Supersonic airliner uses all that knowledge gained from the Concorde, plus use of modern high-temperature composite materials and far more advanced engine designs, to cruise at Mach 2 with way less fuel burn per passenger.

    • @justanotherviewer4821
      @justanotherviewer4821 Před 2 lety

      Boom is an interesting project... however, common criticisms of Concorde were small cabin and passenger capacity, which is pretty much required to make it possible, Boom plans for an even smaller capacity aircraft... which with fuel prices rising, looks to be a plane for billionaires only... I wonder if 50 or so of them want to get on a plane to London or Paris in half the time with a relatively uncomfortable environment, or travel in their own private jets in luxury at the normal (double) time.
      It is a similar case for the World's largest cargo Antonov plane that was destroyed recently. Plenty of applications for it... just the build cost is eye-watering and isn't economically viable. I hear Boom is going to be carbon neutral...

    • @Sacto1654
      @Sacto1654 Před 2 lety

      @@justanotherviewer4821 I believe that unlike the Concorde, the Boom Overture will have way more comfortable Business class seating for around 50 passengers. And could fly transpacific routes, something the Concorde couldn’t do.

  • @Chris-ok4zo
    @Chris-ok4zo Před 2 lety +7

    You really don't get the sense of complexity any machine has until you watch a vid from this man. Man is truly capable of great things.

  • @RememberTheChase
    @RememberTheChase Před 2 lety

    I love the animated desk and looking at the paper on it, so cool.

  • @Ctiradloss
    @Ctiradloss Před 2 lety

    While I watch all your videos on Nebula, I just wanted to say here that your videos improved from amazing, to my most favorites. Amazing job Brian (and the team ofc :)

  • @plica06
    @plica06 Před 2 lety +3

    According to Wikipedia, in 2020 money, the cost of Concorde was $12-17 Billion. And all paid for by UK and French tax payers.

  • @seanc6754
    @seanc6754 Před 2 lety +6

    It's crazy to think the concord came out over 40 years ago yet we still don't have supersonic air travel. Its had ONE accident just one and it still is the safest commercial airplane ever made

    • @hiethane8318
      @hiethane8318 Před 2 lety +4

      The main issue with supersonic air travel isn't safety, it was the sonic booms that disturbed too many people.

    • @Aeronaut1975
      @Aeronaut1975 Před 2 lety +4

      *Concorde (With the "e" at the end) Also, it first flew commercially nearly 50yrs ago, not 40 as mentioned in the vid (47yrs to be precise). it's first commercial flight was in 1976.

    • @JohnnyWednesday
      @JohnnyWednesday Před 2 lety +2

      @@hiethane8318 - they're not bad at altitude - most of the American sonic boom paranoia was stoked by propaganda paid for by Boeing who had failed with their own supersonic project. At 30k feet? a sonic boom is no more than light thunder - I really wouldn't care personally and the fact it was blown out of proportion and thus destroyed supersonic travel? is tragic.

    • @vicentiumunteanu2385
      @vicentiumunteanu2385 Před 2 lety +2

      The price of fuel finally shot down commercial supersonic flight

    • @dihydrogenmonoxide9210
      @dihydrogenmonoxide9210 Před 2 lety +1

      the concorde's safety record is shit regardless of flight 4590

  • @MrLuap4321
    @MrLuap4321 Před 2 lety

    This is such an amazing channel! Thanks for those awesome and informing videos!!

  • @lefr33man
    @lefr33man Před 2 lety +2

    24:37 Not gonna lie, that's a pretty efficient contraception ad. "wrap your engine or it will catch on fire."

  • @1.4142
    @1.4142 Před 2 lety +19

    What's sad is that the disaster of air france 4590 led to the demise of the concorde, as it wasn't even caused by a design issue. It ran over debris on the runway during takeoff, blowing a tyre, which threw chunks of tyre into the underside of the left wing, rupturing the fuel tank which caught on fire, causing the plane to crash into a hotel.

    • @paulhooper4599
      @paulhooper4599 Před rokem +3

      I'm pretty sure the tyre fragments did not rupture the fuel tank from the outside.. it was because the plane was over loaded & was over-filled with fuel. The fragments hit the tank like banging a huge drum hard, transferring a shockwave inside. Usually, there is an air gap left in a fuel tank - there was no air gap in her tanks that would have absorbed much of that shockwave, and as liquid doesn't compress like air does, (or hydraulics would never work) bounced the force back & ruptured the tank from the inside. I bet no other fuel tank is built to withstand what is effectively an explosion from the inside.

    • @tantroe-biff696
      @tantroe-biff696 Před rokem

      @@paulhooper4599 This sounds reasonable. Hmm, more in depth analysis of this whole situation would be interesting

    • @paulhooper4599
      @paulhooper4599 Před rokem

      @@tantroe-biff696 Interesting BBC documentary with ex-Concorde pilots czcams.com/video/J0DFyUJfciQ/video.html

    • @F-BVFForever
      @F-BVFForever Před 3 měsíci

      @@paulhooper4599
      BAE Systems/Airbus did a huge amount of research into the effects of a tire fragment being fired at highspeed into the lower wing, and the hydraulic shockwave effects inside the fuel tank as part of the crash investigation.
      The “overfilled” Tank 5 theory has always been technically flawed.
      Firstly, you can’t physically keep topping up any Concorde fuel tank until it’s overfilled, overfull or packed with so much fuel its structurally ballooning. Concorde’s fuel tanks were all equipped with a fuel breathing system. SC’s Tank 5 was correctly fueled to 94% on 25th July 2000, with 6% ullage (air) in the tank. If any attempt was made to pump fuel into a 94% full Tank 5 then the additional fuel would be pumped straight back out via the breathing system, firstly into a scavenge tank in the tail, then either sent to Tank 3 or if that was full, vented to atmosphere.
      The aircraft was “overfilled”, also known as High Level Increment (HLI) fueling in the aircraft refueling world. This was a manufacturer approved method of adding additional fuel into Concorde’s main engine feed Tanks 1-4, on that day around 240kgs evenly spread around those 4 tanks. This “overfill” didn’t compromise the fuel breathing system in those tanks. Rolls Royce calculated, using the conditions of the day, aircraft weight etc that when SC ran over the titanium strip, he had consumed 880 Kgs of fuel/220kgs per engine. Airbus calculated that by that time, Tank 5 had already started to transfer fuel into Tank 1 to keep it topped up. They found no evidence any additional fuel was pumped into Tank 5 after the completion of the pre-takeoff fuel transfer and the time SC ran over the titanium strip.
      Secondly, the theory assumes that by having the correct amount of fuel in Tank 5 there would have been enough air between the fuel and top tank surface to dampen the shockwave. Concorde’s fuel tank capacity was dictated by having as much fuel as possible at take-off, on a highly fuel sensitive aircraft with as little ullage as possible, a small amount which was required to counter fuel surge and allow fuel tank pressurization at a few psi above 44,000 feet. There was no design consideration for the effects of 5kg tyre piece smashing into a lower fuel tank surface at 350mph nor was there the CFD testing equipment in the late 60s/early 70s that could possibly analyze the hydraulic shockwave effects of such an event or factor in various fuel/ullage ratios. If a 6% air gap had been enough to dampen the shockwave, by design this would be a been a complete fluke.
      Thirdly, the theory completely ignores Newtonian laws of motion. When the aircraft accelerated on take-off, like the passengers pushed back in their seats, the wing tank fuel content was also pushed back against the rear tank wall, with the ullage/air concentrated in the front upper area of the tank - a scenario that happens at lower fuel levels too. However, unlike any other Concorde take-off, one tire was completely obliterated, firing that 5kg piece of rubber at 350mph towards the lower wing, and by bad luck, hitting the rear section of Tank 5 with a solid wall of Newtonian motioned fuel above it. The BAE Systems test rig was never able to replicate the tank rapture, even with 100% fueled tank, but CFD modelling confirmed it certainly blew inside out, with the shockwave most likely finding a weak point at the bottom rear tank seam.
      The issue here was the BAE test wing/tank rig hadn’t sustained a ¼ Century of supersonic flight with all the strains, flex, heat cycles and flying hours that SC’s lower wing/lower tank skin had. And SCs flying hours in 2000, were much lower than any in the BA fleet. The BAE systems solution to returning Concorde to flight, was an expensive partial lower wing reskin with thicker aluminum including beefing up the inner engine nacelles, with many months of certification, a weight & performance penalty and perhaps additional fuel tank heat soak. However, as Airbus had the majority share in the airframe Design Authority, their pragmatic solution was the internal lining of the most exposed wing tanks & the crucial Michelin NZG tires, which is why the return to flight mods were much cheaper than had been initially feared.
      All the alternative AF4590 theories were addressed in the final BEA crash report published in 2002. They only exist today in a media fishbowl far removed for the technical process of getting an airliner grounded by a freak accident safely back into the skies.

  • @mattmccoy2514
    @mattmccoy2514 Před 2 lety +18

    22:47 a 787-8 fuel capacity is 126,000 litres, not 34000 litres. You used the capacity in gallons.
    Interesting video though!

    • @Aeronaut1975
      @Aeronaut1975 Před 2 lety +2

      Cats and dogs have liters, the British and French measure in Litres ;P

    • @JohnnyWednesday
      @JohnnyWednesday Před 2 lety +1

      @@Aeronaut1975 - convert to metric you savages!

    • @gunnern1
      @gunnern1 Před 2 lety +2

      At least we won't get another Gimli Glider from this error on a youtube video 😉

    • @rjfaber1991
      @rjfaber1991 Před 2 lety +1

      The main problem with that statement is that the record for the longest commercial flight is actually held by the A350, not the 787, and the A350 has held that record since November 2018*, so I doubt the script for this video is that old.
      * = The current record dates from 2020, but that was just one A350 flight beating another A350 flight for length.

    • @r.m.entenza1312
      @r.m.entenza1312 Před 2 lety

      @@JohnnyWednesday although I share your opinion on this, you have to recognise there are types of countries: the ones that use the metric system and the ones that went to the moon 😉

  • @perafilozof
    @perafilozof Před 2 lety +1

    Great video as always. Also that was probably the gentlest scripted transition from conclusion to outro I have ever heard and watched. Bravo!

  • @lecolintube
    @lecolintube Před 2 lety

    That was brilliant, thank you for making this video!

  • @vpheonix
    @vpheonix Před 2 lety +5

    At around 7:15 when you described subsonic air speeding up as it flows through a constricting passage, you called it "Bernoulli's Principal". I was taught in high school that it was called the "Venturi Effect". "Bernoulli's Principal" is where fluid pressure reduces as velocity increases. At least that is what I was taught. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

    • @ducky8075
      @ducky8075 Před 2 lety

      Bernoulli’s principle actually does apply! Air is actually a fluid, so the same thing happens in flight. In fact, that’s one of the reasons most airplane wings are asymmetrical in their camber - to create high and low pressure zones so Bernoulli’s principle can produce lift. The Venturi effect happens due to Bernoulli’s principle.

    • @vpheonix
      @vpheonix Před 2 lety

      @@ducky8075 Just so we're clear here:-
      "Bernoulli's Principle" is where pressure drops when fluid moves faster.
      The "Venturi Effect" is when fluid moved faster through a restriction.
      Correct?

    • @nathaneddy502
      @nathaneddy502 Před 2 lety

      @@vpheonix The Bernoulli principle is directly linked to the Venturi effect. They both link to the decrease in pressure as fluid increases in kinetic energy. The Venturi effect is just the Bernoulli principle applied to a container.

    • @vpheonix
      @vpheonix Před 2 lety

      @@nathaneddy502 They might be linked but they are not the same thing. The Venturi Effect only describes the velocity of the fluid moving though a restriction, not the pressure of that fluid. In this video, he specifically describes how subsonic air moves faster through a restriction, and that's the Venturi Effect, not the Bernoulli Principle.

  • @Raouli00
    @Raouli00 Před 2 lety +14

    Hey im really fascinated by all of your video and wanted to ask in what field you studied, is it aerospace engineering or something else? I would really like to pursue something similar in a few years, i was thinking of doing a master in either aerospace engineering or material science or maybe mechanical engineering

    • @whitesoserious
      @whitesoserious Před 2 lety +3

      I can't speak for him but I'm currently writing my Master's thesis in aerospace engineering and we can focus on diffferent aspects, from materials, over aero up to information technology, depending on our interests
      I can only recommend it

    • @override7486
      @override7486 Před 2 lety +1

      I believe he wanted to be a jet pilot, but not qualified to be one because of poor eyesight/health etc, and he was studying some "regular" engineering degree, focus towards materials/metalurgy, as mentioned in one of his previous movie(s). But I might be 100% wrong here, talking total BS...

  • @benjamming883
    @benjamming883 Před 2 lety

    Massive shout out to your animatior Mike Ridolfi, was one of his first subscribers when he started his CZcams channel years ago and so happy to find out he's working on one of my favourite channels today!

  • @jamieknight326
    @jamieknight326 Před 9 měsíci +1

    Stunning engineering and craftsmanship. I’ve visited most of the remaining airframes, but G-AXDN at duxford is my favourite. The fastest of the fleet, the first plane to fly with digital control of the inlets and she has escape tunnels in case it all went wrong and everyone had to bail out :)
    I’ve had the joy of sitting in her flight deck and holding her yoke while remembering what she achieved. A magic moment in my life and something I am supremely grateful to have experienced.

  • @Teej1218
    @Teej1218 Před 2 lety +6

    Imagine how amazing a Concorde-like plane could be if we made it with modern technology. Crazy

    • @regfenster
      @regfenster Před 2 lety +4

      To be fair, I doubt apart from avionics such as navigation you could improve it a great deal. Modern technology comes with it's own fallacies. An example of would be Nasa and its heavy lift rocket program, the suggested idea was to put into production the V5 Saturn from the Apollo program, but the skill set to build it no longer existed as a lot of the components where hand finished by extremely skill engineers and artisans, the same applied to the Concorde, it was a hand drawn and built design that required very high levels of individual man powered skill that no longer exists to the extent it did 50 years ago or if at all as those who built this bird and the Apollo project are long gone by now and their subsequent skill sets with them. I know this as my grandfather was a chief electrical engineer in the Concorde project. Speaking to him about twenty years ago about Concorde long into his retirement and his thoughts were that the engineering practices taught today rely too heavily in CAD and CNC procedures with little or no experience working from pen and paper without a true understanding of the mathematics involved or required due to the reliance on CAD doing the heavy lift for you from a calculation perspective. The Concorde relied heavily on the human touch based on years of experience passed down through generations of engineers to be achieved within that golden era of British aerospace magnificence, neither no longer exists.

    • @rbnhd1976
      @rbnhd1976 Před 2 lety

      @@regfenster Elon Musk...
      Space X...

    • @CountScarlioni
      @CountScarlioni Před 2 lety +4

      Concorde only left service in the 2000s. The 747 has been in service longer than Concorde and there's still over a thousand of them in service. If the Concorde was still flying, it would still be considered "modern". Not sure what that says about the aviation industry to be honest.
      The issue now is that new technologies for commercial supersonic flight haven't been developed anywhere since Concorde as it's regarded a dead end. There could have been, but the underhanded conspiring of the global aviation industry to strangle Concorde at birth ensured the plane saw few revisions. Anyone trying again with a "Concorde 2" today would find the subsonic industry just as hostile, and progress would be hard won.

    • @bikes02
      @bikes02 Před 2 lety +1

      @@CountScarlioni Correct...we was also robbed of the TSR2 because of 'political' shenanigans

  • @dheerpatel7828
    @dheerpatel7828 Před 2 lety

    Amazing video! Loving the intro sequence keep adding this to new videos if you can!

  • @jimsandoval7633
    @jimsandoval7633 Před 2 lety

    Very impressive documentary, thank you for your dedication and research making it possible.

  • @adion24
    @adion24 Před 2 lety +13

    Most interesting fact I ever heard about the concord was that it wasn't too popular till they raised ticket prices way up and made it "luxury".

  • @NoFL88
    @NoFL88 Před 2 lety +3

    1:28 Tupolev Tu-144. It actually flew before Concorde and was used for passangers. It was an absolute failure as a liner, but your channel and content is too good to distort the facts, imho.

    • @river_salmon
      @river_salmon Před 2 lety +1

      It wasn't a total engineering failure, actually. Corruption strangled it. Despite all amount of failures (which, in fact, didn't menace passengers' safety) it passed through during 7 months of operation, it kind of worked and could, with minor updates, easily be operated just as regularly as the Concorde.

  • @gnarkani2275
    @gnarkani2275 Před 2 lety +1

    I HAVE WAITED FOR THIS FOR SO LONG THANK YOU

  • @haljohnson6947
    @haljohnson6947 Před 2 lety

    this is a very high quality production. great job.

  • @Rhythm8503
    @Rhythm8503 Před 2 lety +16

    Imagine if the concorde was made with today's technology, it would probably be able to hit Mach 2.0 way more efficiently and hold more people.

    • @NoNameAtAll2
      @NoNameAtAll2 Před 2 lety +5

      with NASA developing silent supersonic flight, it might be even allowed on most routes

    • @whitesoserious
      @whitesoserious Před 2 lety +6

      The company "Boom Technologies" is currently trying to build a smaller version of a supersonic airliner but with noise and ecological regulations it is kinda hard to do

    • @hernerweisenberg7052
      @hernerweisenberg7052 Před 2 lety +12

      Double the speed, four times the air resistance. Can't get around that, supersonic flight will likely allways be a massive waste of fuel for commercial flight.

    • @gregknipe8772
      @gregknipe8772 Před 2 lety +5

      and zero people would allow it in our airports. now we have Elon building 'space ports' in bird sanctuaries. "todays technologies".

    • @dkdanis1340
      @dkdanis1340 Před 2 lety +1

      @@hernerweisenberg7052 drag can be reduced.

  • @sourishsenapati958
    @sourishsenapati958 Před 2 lety +3

    Concorde was the second-greatest achievement of mankind in the twentieth century, second only to the moon landing.

    • @MINDxWORM
      @MINDxWORM Před 2 lety +1

      Idk, the crisp grabber was pretty cool too.

  • @LKMachineAndTool
    @LKMachineAndTool Před 2 lety

    What's more impressive is this was designed by hand by loads of engineers. And somehow worked together nearly perfectly

  • @connorchallis7333
    @connorchallis7333 Před 2 lety +1

    Once again, incredible video!! 🤘🏾💛

  • @michealoflaherty1265
    @michealoflaherty1265 Před 2 lety +8

    I am so glad I luved in a world with the Concorde and got to see it flying in Farnborough. And to anyone who says it was a financial failure I say, were the pyramids a financial failure? It was an engineering wonder of the world and we are poorer for losing it.

  • @tacoboy2218
    @tacoboy2218 Před rokem +3

    The concord featured a droop snoot

  • @rsluggy6485
    @rsluggy6485 Před 2 lety

    I clicked like both for a fascinating video about one of my favorite aircraft ever and for a masterful segue into the Battle of Brittain promo.

  • @stay_on_ground2351
    @stay_on_ground2351 Před 2 lety +3

    "The noose drops, the droop snoop"