Concorde: Feeling supersonic

Some say it was the greatest ever feat of European engineering. A few even think that we wouldn’t have joined the European Economic Community without it. Others complained it ate up ten times as much as its original budget, and no-one else wanted it. 

Why did we decide to build Concorde? Why did we almost abandon it? And how did it become both an object of national pride and an albatross around the neck of British Airways? 

Ros Taylor talks to Concorde pilot John Tye and visiting fellow of King’s College London Tom Kelsey about the supersonic bird, and what it can teach us about big infrastructure projects. 

• “Secrecy was incredibly important in maintaining public support for Concorde.” – Tom Kelsey 

• “I remember phoning up one day and saying “How many people are on the BA003 tonight?” There were only three.” – John Tye 

• “She was one of mankind’s greatest technical achievements and she could have gone on physically a lot longer.” – John Tye 

Written and presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Jade Bailey. Voiceovers by Seth Thévoz. Original music by Dubstar. Artwork by Jim Parrett. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Jam Tomorrow is a Podmasters production.

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