Concorde was awarded a full Certificate of Airworthiness by the French authorities on 9 October 1975, followed by the UK on 5 December. The aircraft, now an airliner, was technically complete and in all respects ready for service. A bitter sweet occasion; the successful climax to six and a half years of intensive flying and testing, but with little prospect of developing the “B” model. The baton had passed to the operators. Go To Item

The last 10 years have not seen the overdue consolidation in the world’s airline industry. There are still too many airlines chasing too few passengers. The provision of infrastructure has been haphazard (new airports in China, new runways in the Gulf, prolific discussion in the UK). The continuing regula tory drag, and inter state imbalance, has inhibited many necessary efficiencies. Go To Item