On this day in aviation history—April 9, 1969—the United Kingdom’s first domestically built supersonic airliner, the Concorde, took to the skies for the first time. Marking the 56th anniversary of this milestone, Concorde 002 departed from Filton Airport near Bristol, England, ushering in a bold new era of commercial air travel.
At the controls of this historic flight were British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) Chief Test Pilot Ernest Trubshaw, co-pilot John Cochrane, and flight engineer Brian Watts. They were joined by three additional flight test engineers who gathered vital performance data to support the ongoing development of the Concorde program.
Following a successful test flight, Concorde 002 landed at RAF Fairford, approximately 50 miles northeast of its departure point. This flight closely followed the maiden flight of its French counterpart, Concorde 001, which had launched earlier from Toulouse. Together, the two prototypes formed the backbone of the Anglo-French effort to bring supersonic passenger flight to reality.
Registered as G-BSST, Concorde 002 went on to log nearly 837 flight hours, with close to 174 of those at supersonic speeds. The data collected from its flight program played a critical role in shaping the final design and operational capabilities of the production Concorde fleet. Today, Concorde 002 is proudly displayed at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset, England. Visitors can explore the aircraft up close and step inside one of the most iconic machines in aviation history—a rare opportunity to experience the marvel of supersonic flight firsthand.
